World View
The Puebloan people were never integrated into a single tribe or political system. Rather, each village traditionally acted as an autonomous political unit. The villages, however, commonly interacted with one another during trading fairs, ceremonies, and other social events.
Despite their language differences, the various Puebloan villages all tend to share a common world view. In Puebloan society cooperation is valued, and shows of individualism are condemned. All individuals are expected to participate in communal activities such as repairing communal structures or irrigation canals, or participating in communal rituals. Social control is enforced largely through the mechanisms of gossip and public ridicule.
The Pueblo people believe that there exists a reciprocal relationship between humans and nature. That is to say, the actions of humans are believed to influence those of nature, and vice-versa. Thus, humans are dependent upon nature to survive, but nature, in turn, is dependent on humans as well. If humans do not perform the right rituals and have the right attitude, this can cause disequilibrium in the universe and can, for example, keep the rains—so needed for the crops-- from coming. All Puebloan people also share a similar belief in how they came to be in this world. Athough variations exist in the origin stories, all believe that their ancestors emerged into this world from the underworld.
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Painting of Hopi dancers, wearing traditional ceremonial costumes Source - Image ID:219485458, meunierd / Shutterstock.com |
Painting of styled Hopi kachinas Source - Image ID:21948525, meunierd / Shutterstock.com |
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