MY VISIT TO WALPI

WHEN I WAS A GRADUATE STUDENT AT ASU I WENT TO TRAVEL TO SOME OF THE NORTHERN PUEBLOS DURING THE SUMMER, INCLUDING ZUNI, WAPATKI, AND WALPI. OLD WALPI IS A HOPI PUEBLO THAT USUALLY DID NOT ALLOW NON HOPI FOLKS IN TO WATCH THEIR DANCES. THE MEN CLEANSED THEMSELVES BEFORE DANCING IN THEIR KIVAS - PROBABLY BY SWEATING. HOWEVER, WE WERE SOME OF THE LAST NON HOPI TO WATCH THEIR DANCES. IT WAS VERY TRANCE LIKE TO WATCH THE KATCHINAS AND LISTEN TO THEIR STORIES. THEY HAD DRUMMING AND SOME FLUTE MUSIC THAT WAS MESMORIZING. IT WAS A GREAT TIME VIEWING ALL THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN WATCHING THE DANCERS AND LOOKING AT THE SURROUNDING HIGH DESERT VIEW. THERE WERE ABOUT 60 PEOPLE SITTING ON THE SANDSTONE BLOCKS OF THE PUEBLO SPEAKING THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE. YOU COULD SEE BELOW THIS MESA TOP THEIR FIELDS OF CORN, BEANS, SQUASH AND MELONS. THEY PRAY FOR THE RAINS TO HELP THEIR CROPS.