Book

The Oraibi Marau ceremony

Field Museum of Natural History • Chicago • Published In 1912 • Pages: 88 , plates

By: Voth, Henry R..

Abstract

This is a detailed, day by day account of the Marau ceremony in the village of Oraibi. The ceremony takes place every alternate year, once in January and once in September. Each is described separately, though they are essentially the same (p. 12). The description is based on partial observations of the event on a number o foccasions between 1897 and 1903. Since the ceremnoy goes on 24 hours a day for nione days, Voth never witnessed all of it at once. The Marau Society is one of the “women's fraternities” in Oraibi. The ceremony serves partially to initiate new members, but it has other functions which include inducing agricultural and human fertility and assuring rain. Unfortunately, Voth never discusses the purposes or significance of the ceremony.

HRAF PubDate

2000

Region

North America

Sub Region

Southwest and Basin

Document Type

Book

Evaluation

Creator Type

Missionary

Document Rating

5: Excellent Primary Data

Analyst

Martin Malone ; 1975

Field Date

1897, 1901, 1903

Coverage Date

1893-1903

Coverage Place

Oraibi Pueblo, northeastern Arizona, United States

Notes

Heinrich R. Voth

LCCN

12015549

LCSH

Hopi Indians