John Kootswatewa
Great Horned
Owl
12" total
height
"The Great Horned Owl
[Mongwa] is best noted for his incessant war on the clowns. As
the clowns follow their usual pattern of un-Hopi-like behaviour,
a single silent figure will drift into one corner of the plaza
and watch these uncouth fellows."
"When the clowns next
appear, growing ever more boisterous in their actions, the Owl
again appears and hoots solemnly. With each appearance he gets
closer until he ends up talking with the clown chief who promptly
blames all misbehaviour on the other clowns."
"But at the last performance,
the Owl is joined by other Warrior Kachinas. They leap upon the
clowns, douse them with water, beat them vigorously with willow
switches or yucca blades, and leave them howling with remorse
in a pile in the middle of the plaza."
- Barton Wright, Kachinas: a Hopi
Artist's Documentary (91)
Another characteristic of
the Owl is that of a messenger. He comes to warn the village
and to call them to repentance. Perhaps this is why he carries
on that way with the clowns - as a symbol. He comes to warn them
of the bad things that can happen if they are not living right.
