Rattle

Associazione Amici del Castello D'Albertis 1999

XX - 1941 - 1960

A.D.V.21

Arizona (U.S.A.)

Cerimoniale/accompagnamento nelle danze. Agitato. Cerimonie.

Ai confini del deserto dipinto. Gli Indiani Hopi e la collezione Dalla Volta-Finzi - Genova, Palazzo Ducale - Centro culturale Primo Levi, 1998

Rattle made from a spheroid gourd with an inserted handle consisting of a wooden board painted red on the part that protrudes from the top of the gourd. The gourd is painted yellow and has various designs symbolising: cumulus cloud, corn plant above the earth, thunderbolts, sprouted gourd flower 'siveni'. The spheroidal gourd represents the world and the handle passing through it symbolises the axis of the earth This gourd rattle is used in various Hopi ceremonies. The Hopi practice dry farming, so everything involving their religion is meant to increase soil moisture. A rain-bearing cumulus cloud is painted on the rattle, with a thunderbolt on either side at the top and two more at the base of the cloud. The black lines represent the dark lines at the base of a cumulus cloud. The rain falls on the corn plant, symbolizing a bountiful harvest for the year. The base of the plant is the earth, the Fourth World of the Hopi. The round gourd represents the colorful earth on which we live. The top end of the handle generally bears prayer feathers because it represents the upper axis of the world, while the handle represents the other axis of the world.