July 20, 2009

Indian-head maize maze

Wild west maze is no cowboy effortThe maize labyrinth, which has a Wild West theme, has been cut out of the gigantic maize field to form a remarkable figure of the head and shoulders of a Native American Indian.

The head is 150 metres in diameter and includes five kilometres of pathways.

Native American Indian Que Vato Cosio Da, who launched the event, is a member of the Hopi Nation of the Eagle Clan.

He dressed in his traditional Indian clothing and wore a colourful headdress as he performed a traditional cleansing ritual using eagle feathers and walking through the trails of the maze, facing north, south, east and west and saying the traditional blessing to ‘cleanse’ the maze and bring good fortune to all who visit.
Comment:  It should be the Eagle Clan of the Hopi Nation, not the other way around.

I don't know what kind of name Que Vato Cosio Da is, but it isn't a traditional Hopi name. It doesn't sound like any Indian name I've ever heard. It sounds Italian or Latin.

The guy is dressed like a stereotypical Plains Indian, which has nothing to do with Hopi culture. He has a stereotypical Indian maiden by his side. The article says the costume is his, which implies he wasn't forced to wear it as part of the gig.

In short, I'm not convinced Que Vato Cosio Da is a real Hopi Indian. Let's hope he's not another Iron Eyes Cody pretending to be an Indian.

For more on the subject, see O'odham Myth Inspires Mazes and Indian Wannabes.

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