Insect-human interactions can be analyzed in the way that insects are
represented by different cultures. The use of Kachina dolls was first
documented in 1857. They are a visual representations of the spirits revered by
the Hopi people. Kachina dolls can be used to show how Momo (bee spirit) and
Poli Taka (butterfly spirit) have been a part of Hopi culture and society.
represented by different cultures. The use of Kachina dolls was first
documented in 1857. They are a visual representations of the spirits revered by
the Hopi people. Kachina dolls can be used to show how Momo (bee spirit) and
Poli Taka (butterfly spirit) have been a part of Hopi culture and society.
The Artists
The Hopi people are the native inhabitants of the northeastern Arizona and northwestern New Mexico. Hopi traditional lifestyle was centered around nature's cycles where every aspect of the natural world was seen as an influence on human life and therefore is attributed a spirit or Kachina. The Kachina doll tradition aims to represent each of these spirits in a tangible form.
Kachina Dolls are made out of cottonwood roots and decorated according to the spirit they represent. Kachina doll artists intend to represent the spirits, however, the dolls themselves are not seen to be the spirit or to contain the spirit, rather, Kachina dolls are made to remind the beholder of nature's many factors, and each person's dependance on these factors.
Kachina Dolls are made out of cottonwood roots and decorated according to the spirit they represent. Kachina doll artists intend to represent the spirits, however, the dolls themselves are not seen to be the spirit or to contain the spirit, rather, Kachina dolls are made to remind the beholder of nature's many factors, and each person's dependance on these factors.
Momo in Hopi Mythology
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Poli Taka in Hopi Mythology
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Gene Meany Hodge captures the essence of Momo symbolism in her book Kachina Tales which describes the significance of bee's work and how the production of honey is seen as analogous to the human practice of sowing seeds and waiting for rain.
The Momo is an important part of Hopi rituals and traditions. During winter and summer festivals, a dancer will imitate the buzzing of the bee and shoot rounded arrows at the spectators, an allusion to stinging, and squirt water on the "wounds" of any children that may have been surprised by the flying arrows. Honey is used in prayer when asking the spirits to attract rain "as thick as honey" to soak the earth and make crops grow. |
As in the case of the Momo, Poli Taka is associated with rain and good harvest. Poli Taka Kachinas are often a part of thanksgiving ceremonies after the harvest. In these dances, men dressed like Kachinas, will hand out Kachina dolls to spectators in honor of the butterfly spirit.
Hopi culture highly values the role of butterflies in the pollination and success of crops. Poli Taka is therefore the symbol of bounty and is credited with providing the natural elements, such as pollination and favorable weather, that humans cannot create on their own. |
Honey Bee Biology
Honeybees belong to the order of clear winged insects Hymenoptera; which also includes other bees and wasps. The scientific name for the honey bee is Apis mellifera Life Cycle: These insects undergo complete metamorphosis, that is, their life cycle includes: egg, larvae, pupae and adult stages.
Most of a worker bee's life is spent in the collection of pollen, which is possible thanks to the many hairs that trap it in the "baskets" of their hind legs; and nectar, which is collected through a tongue-like structure. When pollen becomes scarce, older bees will begin to die off, until the spring when population is replenished. Types of Bees in a Colony: There are three types of bees that distribute the labor in a colony; the queen, drones and worker bees. The queen is in charge of laying eggs in the colony, while workers find pollen and nectar to feed on and produce honey to feed the young workers and drones, which are male bees in charge of fertilizing the queen. Diet: Young bees worker bees are fed honey. Bees eat nectar and pollen, which makes them pollinators. Nectar is later used to produce honey for nutrient storage in the hive. |
Butterfly Biology
Butterflies belong to the order Lepidoptera of scale-winged insects, which they share with moths.
Life Cycle: They undergo a complete metamorphosis and are invertebrates, meaning that they have an exoskeleton rather than a backbone. Diet: As larvae, caterpillars are herbivorous and rely on soft plant tissue for sustenance. During the weeks of this stage caterpillars need to grow and retain enough nutrients for the pupal stage. Adult butterflies rely primarily on nectar for sustenance, which makes them natural pollinators; the main reason Hopi peoples highly regard butterflies. Habitat:Butterflies can be both beneficial and damaging to their environment. While adult butterflies are essential to plant development and reproduction through pollination, larvae can be quite harmful if overpopulated, since they can be born in the hundreds at a time and are voracious eaters. |
Insects in Culture
Regardless of what culture you belong to or how much you have acknowledged it, insects have played a valuable role in your life. The Hopi symbolism attributed to insects emphasizes one important aspect of insect-human interactions; namely that insects play an important role in the well being of human populations through processes that only they can carry out. Even with modern technology it is impossible to substitute the role of butterflies and bees in pollination, which is essential for the cultivation of many agricultural products.
The Hopi, noticing the role that butterflies and bees played in maintaining their food supply, have incorporated these insects into their spirituality drawing from them inspiration and moral teachings as well as the belief that not all things are in the hands of humans rather that we depend on other natural and supernatural forms of aid in order to achieve our goals. The creation of Kachina dolls is a reminder of these beliefs. For the Hopi people, these dolls are a physical sign of a natural reality that can easily be forgotten in day-to-day life.
The Hopi, noticing the role that butterflies and bees played in maintaining their food supply, have incorporated these insects into their spirituality drawing from them inspiration and moral teachings as well as the belief that not all things are in the hands of humans rather that we depend on other natural and supernatural forms of aid in order to achieve our goals. The creation of Kachina dolls is a reminder of these beliefs. For the Hopi people, these dolls are a physical sign of a natural reality that can easily be forgotten in day-to-day life.
Sources:
http://kachina.us/
http://books.google.com/books?id=iKawBdLJFeoC&pg=PA57&lpg=PA57&dq=Momo+kachina+mythology&source=bl&ots=E2rjh5U7yZ&sig=O1OVCbwblu9xeBHumZpDqLM52rs&hl=en&sa=X&ei=g4eDU82OBcn7oATr6ICgCA&ved=0CDsQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=Momo%20kachina%20mythology&f=false
http://www.insects.org/ced4/mythology.html
http://www.wilderutopia.com/traditions/hopi-butterfly-dance-ceremonial-gratitude/
http://www.uky.edu/Ag/Entomology/ythfacts/4h/beekeep/beebio&s.htm
http://blogs.cornell.edu/naturalistoutreach/files/2013/09/Butterflies-I-1em8d6o.pdf
http://books.google.com/books?id=iKawBdLJFeoC&pg=PA57&lpg=PA57&dq=Momo+kachina+mythology&source=bl&ots=E2rjh5U7yZ&sig=O1OVCbwblu9xeBHumZpDqLM52rs&hl=en&sa=X&ei=g4eDU82OBcn7oATr6ICgCA&ved=0CDsQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=Momo%20kachina%20mythology&f=false
http://www.insects.org/ced4/mythology.html
http://www.wilderutopia.com/traditions/hopi-butterfly-dance-ceremonial-gratitude/
http://www.uky.edu/Ag/Entomology/ythfacts/4h/beekeep/beebio&s.htm
http://blogs.cornell.edu/naturalistoutreach/files/2013/09/Butterflies-I-1em8d6o.pdf
