Aaron J. Fredericks
Hemis / Home
Dancer
18 1/2"
H with 4 3/4" base
The Hemis kachina is often
called the "Home Dancer" as he appears in late summer
as part of the last kachina ceremonies before they return "home"
to the San Francisco peaks near Flagstaff, Arizona for the rest
of the season.
One of the primary functions
of this dancer is to present gifts to the boys and girls from
the village before he departs. These gifts include bows and arrows
for boys, or baskets and dolls for girls.
Dancers often appear with
boughs of evergreen together with long cattails to which the
gifts are tied. As they emerge from the kiva and dance around
the plaza, these items are proudly displayed while the children
watch and wait with anticipation wondering which Hemis kachina
will approach them.
Infants always receive "cradle dolls" first, depicted
by the "flat" figures in his arms and along the base.
Notice the similar style that each of these figures possesses
- each appears the same, with a white body, three red stripes
along the bottom, and alternating yellow and blue arms.
The principal difference among
them is their faces. In one of the little wicker cradles is the
Hahai'I Wuhti (or grandmother kachina). She is the mother of
all kachinas and is the first kachina a child will ever receive.
Above her is the Shalako Mana with her elaborate headdress and
long flowing feather robe.
Beneath them on the base is
the Palhik Mana (or water maiden), representing the female source
of life, and to the right is a Longhair kachina, Corn Dancer,
and Red Beard. These figures have been portrayed exactly as they
would be carved in real life (on a larger scale) as gifts to
the youngest children.
Before the Home Dancers emerge from the kiva, the plaza is filled
with various maidens who accompany the Hemis kachinas during
this important ceremony. These include the Hopi Kachin' Mana
(or Yellow Corn Maiden) and Snow Maiden, who kneel and present
their noise makers, made up of a hollow gourd, notched stick,
and bone scapula.
Placing the gourd with its
opening toward the ground, the maidens rest the stick against
one side and begin dragging the scapula up and down the notches.
This rattling vibration reverberates throughout the plaza and
grows louder as the maidens fall into unison. Soon their deep
voices can be heard chanting in rhythm, and the whole experience
seems to be in synch with your heartbeat.
Finally the Hemis begin to emerge and form a line. By the time
they have all entered the plaza, there may be nearly one hundred
of them! They dance in step to the sounds of the gourd instruments
for hours while a group of elderly Hopi priests emerge last,
presenting corn meal to the dancers and offering a blessing over
them.
These priests appear in the
traditional manner with nothing but a loin cloth and their long,
uncut, salt-and-pepper hair flowing down over their shoulders.
After they have made their rounds, the village matriarchs are
invited to approach the kachinas, and many of them do so while
wearing a traditional manta or cape.
Others wear trade blankets
or shawls as a sign of reverence and respect. This process can
last quite some time before the dancers resume their procession
through the village, finally returning to congregate in the plaza.
They will re-enter the kiva and re-emerge several times before
the whole thing is over, at which point they will distribute
their gifts and disappear for the last time until the next kachina
season.
The "Home Dance" could be more aptly named the "Going
Home" dance, since they signal the departure of the kachinas
from the mesas and from the ceremonial cycle for several months
- leaving the Hopi people to rely on the lessons they have learned
and with the opportunity to prove themselves prior to their next
coming.
Because the Hopi are subsistence
farmers, everything in their culture revolves around corn and
rain. The turtles represent the life beings of the water clan,
whereas the Longhair and Red Beard are storm kachinas - bringing
rain. Aaron has done a wonderful job of capturing all that the
Home Dance represents in this magnificent carving.
Barton Wright's book on kachinas includes the following description
for the Hemis Kachina:
"Probably one of the most beautiful and best known of all
Hopi Kachinas is the Hemis Kachina. Often he is incorrectly called
the Niman Kachina from the ceremony in which he is most often
seen. At sunrise, when the kachinas come to the plaza to dance
for the first time, they bring with them entire corn plants,
the first corn harvest of the year, to distribute to the audience.
"Against the backdrop of these magnificent kachinas and
their Manas can be seen a flurry of youngsters carrying the whole
corn plants and brightly-colored presents to the sidelines.
"In the Niman or the Home Dance no other kachinas appear,
neither clowns nor side dancers, only the Hemis Kachinas and
their Manas in a double line rotating slowly in opposite directions,
and turning yet again.
"This final dance of the kachinas is both stately and reverent.
The Hemis Kachina is presumed to have come from Jemez, a Rio
Grande Pueblo. However, at Jemez Pueblo they have a ceremony
in which the Hemis Kachina appears, and they refer to it as a
Hopi dance."
- Barton Wright, Kachinas: a
Hopi Artist's Documentary (214)
Aaron J. Fredericks is a younger carver whose work has rapidly
reached the top of its category. He consistently wins Best of
Class at juried competitions including Santa Fe's Indian Market,
the Heard Museum's Indian Art Show, and others. His work can
be found in the most discriminating collections.
He is a traditional carver
from the village of Shungopavi at Second Mesa. He enjoys working
on his dolls, and gets a lot of inspiration from his cultural
heritage. His wife also encourages his work and shares in the
creative process by suggesting colorful themes seen throughout
his work.
Had he finished this piece
in time for the Heard, there is no doubt it would have received
top honors - and we are very fortunate to have this opportunity
to represent his work.
This piece measures 18 1/2" total height, including a 4
3/4" base. Interestingly, the base has actually been hollowed
out by the carver, allowing light to pass through the creases
and crevasses - and in and out of the carved pueblo stone houses.
