Written by: Ingrid Anderson
In the mountains of northeast Arizona, the Hopi tribe holds a sacred ceremony known as Soyal. This ceremony occurs during the winter solstice, December 21, which is the shortest day of the year. They welcome new life, and celebrate all things that nature has created. Sacred rituals are held in special chambers, called kivas, which are often square-shaped and underground. With the rituals, they honor their guardian spirits, kachinas, which come down from their realm onto Earth and visit their people during the period of Soyal. These spirits are shaped like humans and are considered benevolent beings. They can be either male or female, and represent multiple creatures in nature, and are associated with natural occurrences like healing the ill, rain, and plant growth. When they appear, they are said to leave behind gifts for children in their wake.
Exactly 16 days before the winter solstice, one of the chief kachinas appears in their village. It is a spiritual event that holds a lot of importance for the Hopi tribe. It is said that he walks with a stagger, and it seems as if he’s just awoken from a deep sleep. When he arrives, he makes his way into the central plaza, and performs a dance and song that is regarded as too sacred for the villagers to hear him. The main point of this ritual is to bring the sun back from its winter-long sleep, which is why it happens on the winter solstice.
Before the kachinas arrive, Hopi tribe members prepare for the ceremony by creating pahos, which are special prayer sticks designed specifically for this ceremony. They’re commonly made out of feathers and pinyon needles, which come from a type of tree that is native to their area.
When the kachinas arrive, the leaders of the Hopi tribe perform special rituals where they use a decorated shield to enact the sun being attacked by malevolent forces, and how it still perseveres. At the end of the entire celebration, they perform a public dance for the kachina. The protective spirits will remain with the tribe until their season is over halfway through the year, and from there return to their home in the mountains.