Lakon – Maidens of Four Directions

 

 

Today is the date that the Hopi women do the Maidens of the Four Directions ceremonies.  It is one of three healing ceremonies held at harvest time.  It is a celebration of maturity and fruition, ceremonies of healing so that spring might be a good germination season through the gratitude shown in these ceremonies. 

Women are initiated in order to be involved in this ceremony and it is the adult women who participate.    In the kivas (deeply dug pits covered mounds that they use a ladder to go down in to have ceremonies).  There are also public dances.  It is symbolic in that young women are initiated into womanhood.  Along with this is basketry; the making of baskets to hold the harvest. 

The women dance with baskets full of harvested foods and examples of their beautiful weavings.    They give thanks, through ceremony for the harvest and for their creative gifts.  How often do we do such, today?  How far have we come away from rituals, ceremonies and basic gratitudes? 

During the dance, the women are praying.  Dance becomes the prayer.  The baskets symbolize the food blessings and as they dance, food is shared to help the people get through the winter.  There is another food-sharing ceremony held in late spring when food is most scarce.

How can we begin to have ceremony in our own lives?  I am working on ways to do so.  I have a feeling we have come so far away from the basic gratitudes that we have all the problems we have in the world.  Can we begin again?  What are some ideas you might have?  

 

©Carol Desjarlais 9.4.22