Hopi Kilt Pictures

[Riverkilt]

Okay, you probably know that Hopi's don't allow photographs of most of their dances. So it was a real treat when the elders allowed us Bowaanas (non-Hopis) to photograph a children's dance they put on for our AA Gathering.

One of the dancers wore an unbifurcated garment. To look at it on an adult it seems a wrap around or a skirt. There are no pleats.

However, when Hopi scholars translate words from their language into English they choose to use the work "kilt" for this garment.

My lady took the photos. I was so enthralled watching the children dance that I totally blew off that this was probably my only chance to take photos of what the Hopi call a kilt when they speak of it in English.

It is woven from wool. This boy has a sort of sash where an adult would have a design woven into the "kilt."

If Hopi scholars choose to call it a kilt, that's good enough for me.

I've mentioned before there's a high school teacher who teaches at Hopi High School and often wears kilts to class. I've met him briefly. Yesterday my lady and I stopped at a Hopi crafts store and the owner saw me kilted and immediately guessed I was a teacher at the high school. Told her, no, that was another kilted guy. That got a confused look...like, "There are TWO of you??"



An adult Hopi kilt would have an embroidered design rather than the sash the boy wears. Thats a Koshari (clown) on the left. Just before the dance started an elder instructed the clown, "Do something funny." If he did, I missed it. They are just learning.



Back of the Hopi kilt. That's a fox fur hanging from the woven belt.



This boy wears his Hopi kilt shorter than the men do. Hopi men wear their kilt about the same as we do, at mid knee or just above. But I have also seen them below the knee a bit. I don't think there are any Hopi "kilt police."



This shows a better view of the sash. The dance was held at Five Houses, near Polacca, Arizona on the Hopi Reservation.



In this picture, and the back view picture above, it looks like the boy may be wearing cut offs or something under his kilt. I didn't notice during the dance, just later looking at the pics. Would make sense for a youngster to do that. Hopi kilts aren't hemmed with contrasting colors that I recall...looks like something underneath.

Hopis have lived where they do now for 1,000 years. Some historic kilt wearing.

Ron

[O'Neille]

Nice pictures Ron. Thanks for sharing and the history also. I've never been to a Hopi dance is it like up north with drummers and singing or is there other music? O'Neille

[Riverkilt]

The Hopis have a LOT of different dances. They have the spiritual dances with the Kachinas then when the Kachinas go back to the sacred mountains they have social dances.

Besides this children's dance I've only seen one Hopi dance. Was at Bacavi on Third Mesa. About 125 men drumming and rattling in perfect time. What blew me away was when they stopped rattling, every pebble in every rattle stopped. Amazing unison.

My lady has been to many more Hopi dances...but she doesn't talk much about them out of respect. Pretty private stuff. But just drums and rattles as far as I know. Maybe someone knows more.

I still don't know if I'd have the guts to go to a Hopi dance kilted since the clowns particularly delight in teasing Bowaanas.

Considered going wearing my white Utilikilt which generally appears like a Hopi kilt. But don't want to insult their culture. Their dances are deeply spiritual and they spend long hours preparing for them spiritually.

But, who knows, maybe there's a market for white Utilikilts in Hopiland....

Ron

[Eujeankilt]

Nice pictures Ron. Thanks for sharing and the history also. I've never been to a Hopi dance is it like up north with drummers and singing or is there other music? O'Neille

If you're interested, check out Book of The Hopi, by Frank Waters. There's a year's cycle of ceremonies, performed at various time of the year. Quite an amazing people and history.

Dale

[pdcorlis]

Thanks for the photos Ron - and quite an honor to be allowed to photograph the dance. I hope the gathering went well.

[Southern Breeze]

Great pics. It's good to see that the traditions and culture are still alive. Thanks for posting them.

[NewKilt]

Ron, Thank you for sharing these excellent photos. And what a great honor for the Hopi to allow you to take pictures of the dance.

Darrell

[David Dalglish]

Thank Ron, the pictures are superb

[cessna152towser]

Good pics, Ron, thanks for sharing.