Angwusnasomtaka
Encyclopedia
In Hopi mythology
, Angwusnasomtaka is a kachina
(a spirit represented by a masked doll
). She is a wuya, one of the chief kachinas and is considered the mother of all the hú
and all the kachinas. She led the initiation rites for new children, whipping them with yucca
whips. In English, she is known as Crow Mother.
Hopi mythology
The Hopi maintain a complex religious and mythological tradition stretching back over centuries. However, it is difficult to definitively state what all Hopis as a group believe. Like the oral traditions of many other societies, Hopi mythology is not always told consistently and each Hopi mesa, or...
, Angwusnasomtaka is a kachina
Kachina
A kachina is a spirit being in western Pueblo cosmology and religious practices. The western Pueblo, Native American cultures located in the southwestern United States, include Hopi, Zuni, Tewa Village , Acoma Pueblo, and Laguna Pueblo. The kachina cult has spread to more eastern Pueblos, e.g....
(a spirit represented by a masked doll
Doll
A doll is a model of a human being, often used as a toy for children. Dolls have traditionally been used in magic and religious rituals throughout the world, and traditional dolls made of materials like clay and wood are found in the Americas, Asia, Africa and Europe. The earliest documented dolls...
). She is a wuya, one of the chief kachinas and is considered the mother of all the hú
Hú
In Hopi and Zuni dance rituals, Hú, also known as Huhuwa and Tithu, is the Kachina of the hummingbird.The Hummingbird was, and is, an important bird in puebloan cultures. Hopi legend speaks of the Hummingbird as intervening on behalf of the Hopi people to convince the gods to bring rain...
and all the kachinas. She led the initiation rites for new children, whipping them with yucca
Yucca
Yucca is a genus of perennial shrubs and trees in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae. Its 40-50 species are notable for their rosettes of evergreen, tough, sword-shaped leaves and large terminal panicles of white or whitish flowers. They are native to the hot and dry parts of North...
whips. In English, she is known as Crow Mother.