The strange object at the extreme right, surrounded by a tablet, symbolic of a rain cloud, bears the picture of the head of Ho’katcina. It is supported on a pedestal, and appears to be peculiar to Oraibi.[8]
COMPARISON WITH THE NIMAN ALTAR AT CIPAULOVI
Cipaulovi, the smallest of all the Hopi pueblos, is situated on the Middle Mesa, and its Katcina altar is the poorest in paraphernalia, as shown by a comparison with the altar at Oraibi, the most complicated in Tusayan.
Fig. 1. —Cipaulovi Niman Katcina altar
Omitting the medicine bowl, rattles, sacred meal, and pahos, the Cipaulovi Niman altar consists of a figure of seven rain clouds, with parallel lines representing falling rain, drawn on the floor with sacred meal, and a row of five vertical sticks, symbols of growing corn. Upon the meal picture which represents the falling rain, there are four stone implements arranged in a row. The tiponi, or palladium of the Katcinas is placed on a hillock of sand at the right of the same picture. There are no idols or images of anthropomorphic forms on this altar, and unless the stone implements may be so interpreted, no lightning symbols. The Niman altar at Cipaulovi[9] is very simple, but the essentials of a Katcina altar are included. The two prominent symbols are those representing rain clouds and growing corn, which are elaborated in the more complicated Katcina altars and may be regarded as embodying the two main aims of Katcina celebrations.[10]
Explanation of Plate 3—Walpi Niman Katcina altar
a, Tunwup, or Sun Katcina; b, Tcuelawu; c, Corn mound; l, Lightning symbols; m, Ears of maize; mb, Medicine bowl; pb, Path of blessing; pm, Prayer meal; ps, Prayer sticks in baskets; r, Rattles; rc, Rain clouds; t, Tiponi.
Plate 3