In The Cavity of a Rock

In The Cavity of a Rock
Father Lehi

Monday, May 25, 2015

Hopi Mixed Dance Ragalia and Jewish Prayer Shawl. Shesh, How Permanent is this Stuff?


This is a Mixed Animals Dance done by the Hopi on First Mesa (Sichamovi).  I am just using this video to point out similarities between some of the Hopi dance regalia and some of those worn by Jews during their ceremonies.  In particular I would like to point out the Kachina's dancers which are dressed as deer or antelope have a white shawl hanging behind them from their waist.  These are extremely similar to ones used by Jews in their ceremonies.  With that in mind I would like to share a quick insight by Hugh Nibley in regards to some of these ceremonial harmonies. 


Nibley was quick to share these intimate experiences among the Hopi with others.   Numerous times he took friends and family to observe the Hopi.  On one occasion he shared the following:

And when I had taken professors from Israel to visit the Hopi’s they were simply bowled over.  Whats his name? Professor Shinar (Pessah Shinar Professor Emeritus of Islamic Studies) who teaches Hebrew at Hebrew University at which he is Arabic at Hebrew University, paid us a visit and I took him too, with the Raphi brothers [actually the Patai brothers Raphael (was Hungarian-Jewish ethnographer, historian, orientalist and anthropologist) and Saul Patai (Organic chemist) both from Hebrew University] who are Israeli and he saw a woman who was making something and he said, “What’s that?” and I said, “well, that’s a shawl, a prayer shawl”.  He says, “Well, we have the same kind” and said, “Well, what do they call it?” I said, “a shesh” (Hebrew for white fine linen) and he nearly fainted and said, “that’s what we call it”.  And Raphi, well some little boys were beating some drums on a mound and Raphi stopped and said, “That’s a song, we used to sing that in my village”.  How permanent is this stuff? It gives you the creeps.”[1]

To sum it up in Nibley’s own words he stated, “My own connections with the Hopi…are exhilarating, puzzling, and faith-promoting.”[2]


[1](Hugh Nibley, Hugh Nibley Speaks on Temples: Temples Everywhere. Track 7 [audio cd])
[2] (Boyd J. Petersen. "The Home Dance: Hugh Nibley among the Hopi" Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 31.1 (1998): 27)

12 comments:

  1. Thanks for this. There are so many srories and so much information we never hear of or read about, such as this.

    JRSG

    ReplyDelete
  2. FYI, those aren't Kachina dancers. Those white shawls are called wukokwewa. If you're going to disrespect and exploit a culture, at least get your facts straight. This is not a Kachina dance, its a social dance. I know because I live there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There is no attempt to disrespect any cultures in this blog post. I've noticed if I or anyone for that matter mentions the Hopi than the Hopi are quick to be offended. Maybe you just need thicker skin. There is nothing but respect for you and your culture in this post. I am just giving a quote from Hugh Nibley.

      Delete
    2. Why don't you just sit down and show respect. Your Ancestors came to this land as immigrants, and brought your evil Christianity, which is colapsing, because its a LIE. The holy angels are the Native Americans. Who else came to the Hebrews and tried to teach them, and today you see the Natives getting rid of the evil christianity, and go back to the original way of life. So you do not know the real truth of the Americas. I suggest you sit down and show respect! Respect the Native people here, and this was Columbus's mistake, by bringing Christianity.
      Genesis 22:11
      And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.

      Delete
    3. FINALLY! SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS! ASQUALI (THANK YOU).

      Delete
  3. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Must have been a true comment, that's why it's been removed? Or did it OFFEND you? smh

      Delete
  4. Get your facts straight, before posting all this...I'm Hopi too, and this IS disrespect and ignorance to boot. What your doing can be characterized as "egocentric"; it's a big word, look it up if you need too. SMH - this is not your culture to discuss and compare.

    ReplyDelete
  5. https://indiancountrymedianetwork.com/news/native-news/houska-boy-scout-koshare-dancers-need-to-stop-stealing-from-natives/
    HERE'S SOMETHING YOU NEED TO READ. THE HOPI HAVE A RIGHT TO BE OFFENDED QUICKLY. ITS PEOPLE LIKE YOU, WHO THINK THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO SHARE A CULTURE THAT'S NOT THEIRS THAT OFFENDS WHOLE RACES OF PEOPLE. THICK SKIN? PLEASE, IF YOU HAD TO ENDURE HALF OF WHAT NATIVE AMERICANS HAVE ENDURED, YOU'D BE SCREAMING LIKE A LUNATIC. MAYBE ITS YOU WHO NEED THE THICK SKIN. THIS WILL ALL COME BACK TO YOU. REMEMBER THAT WHEN THE CREATOR IS IN YOUR FACE. GO AHEAD A DELETE. I'LL POST AGAIN AND AGAIN; AND I'LL GET YOUR NAME OUT IN THE INDIAN COMMUNITIES AS WELL. YOU ARE SHAMEFUL.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Okay so its not a Kachina dance it is a social dance, I get it. But please tell me where the disrespectful content is? At no point does it say anything bad about the Hopi. If anything they are being compared to one of the most important religious groups in the history of mankind. It is a simple comparison. No reason to get offended. Its strictly out of respect for both cultures.

    ReplyDelete
  7. You don't have to say anything "bad" to be disrespectful. Can't you understand that? Not everyone thinks like you; this culture is thousands of years old. Hopi are told not to give their knowledge away; it's something only for Hopi, not for outsiders. All outsiders have done is to photograph our sacred beings and our cultural ways and exploit them. That's where the disrespect comes from. You really need to understand that. I know that you said nothing bad, but you've got pictures of sacred dieties on your site, and now you want to give FALSE information about MY culture? Come on, now, even your "most important religious group" would find that offensive.

    ReplyDelete