In Hopi sacred tales, Masau’u, or Skeleton Man, is the chief of the dead and an important cultural hero. Masau’u was responsible, during the Hopi journey from the three previous worlds into this one, for teaching them how to be self-sufficient, primarily through agriculture. But he is also depicted as a classic “trickster,” in that stories told about him are often comic tales in which Masau’u uses subterfuge and his ability to appear as any person or animal to lure unsuspecting young women into a sexual encounter.
Masau’u is then both an important kachina, the term for the pantheon of gods that inhabit the Hopi sacred universe, and a character in the sacred stories that make up Hopi mythology. As a kachina, Masau’u participates in important ceremonies that mark the beginning of the agricultural cycle. The Hopi rely on particular horticultural techniques to harness the rainfall that comes in monsoon periods and channel it into their fields of corn, beans, and squash. In Hopi tradition it is Masau’u who brings these techniques to the Hopi, as well as the seeds that they plant and continue to cultivate. The ceremonies that mark the important stages in the seasonal cycle are accompanied by ceremonies and dances, and the kachinas are present at these ceremonies in the form of dancers in regalia that allow them to impersonate the gods. Masau’u is a key presence in the planting ceremonies and remains throughout the cycle until harvest, when the kachinas go back to their mountain home for the winter.
As a key character in Hopi mythology, Masau’u plays a prominent role in both the creation story of the Hopi and the tales told throughout the year. The Hopi creation story is one of movement from an initial world deep below this one up through three successive worlds to arrive here in the Fourth World, which the Hopi now occupy. These worlds each provide the Hopi (actually the spiritual essences of humanity) with what they need until they fall into disharmony through poor choices or the activities of nefarious beings. Masau’u meets the emerging Hopis in this world and teaches them the skills needed to live here as well as the values of hard work and dedication to the Hopi moral system.
Due to the wide variety among Hopi regions, Masau’u appears in several different ways, with some traditions holding that Masau’u is hideous, while others describe him as handsome. Still others view him as hiding his attractive looks behind a scary mask. In addition, there are stories that place Masau’u in the role of the trickster, having adventures that display a mischievous nature and are comical in nature.
As a trickster character, Masau’u possesses an unusually high libido, a voracious appetite, and a taste for the comic. The trickster concept is a complex one and often applies to a wide variety of character types in American Indian sacred tales. The key characteristics of the trickster include the ability to shape-shift, a tendency toward mischievous behavior, and outsized appetites for both food and sex. Masau’u stories contain these elements and are frequently told alongside other tales that have instructive intent, told to explain and/or reinforce the proper Hopi social order.
In one such story, Masau’u appears as a handsome young man to a young woman who refuses to marry and convinces her to marry him. She makes the proper gifts to his family and he to hers, uniting the community in preparations for marriage. He then reveals himself (after consummating the marriage) and reminds the young woman about how much she enjoyed the courtship, strengthening the family ties, and being a young newlywed. Masau’u then leaves her and she awakens, realizing that Masau’u came to her in a dream. She then begins entertaining her suitors, eventually choosing a young man who is a suitable match, and the two wed and live happily.
For the Hopi, as with other Pueblo groups, the need to maintain balance and harmony in this world provides the foundation for the entire religious system. The creation tales of these communities share the common theme of emergence—moving from a succession of worlds below this one. Each of the worlds provides settings for tales associated with the important lessons regarding the nature of the universe and the role of the people in it. Proper relationships between people and between the people and the sacred maintain balance and harmony in the universe, and it was Masau’u that ultimately invited the Hopis to occupy this land, the Fourth World, giving them a sack of seeds, a gourd full of water, and a digging stick. Masau’u, then, taught the Hopi the self-sufficiency, work ethic, and appreciation necessary for a simple life that constitutes the Hopi ethos.
This world, having been given to the Hopi by Masau’u, is theirs to live in as long as they maintain the beauty and balance within it, using the techniques taught to them by the complex and powerful kachina. In addition, the stories of Masau’u’s own exploits and antics provide informative lessons regarding proper behavior in this world, often using humor to convey moral concepts such as frugality, moderation, and propriety.
Kate Stockton Kelley
See also Creation Stories of the Native Americans; Culture Heroes of the Native Americans; Kachinas; Tricksters, Native American
Further Reading
Erdoes, Richard, and Alfonso Ortiz, eds. 1999. American Indian Trickster Tales. New York: Penguin.
Tyler, Hamilton A. 1964. Pueblo Gods and Myth. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press.
Vecsey, Christopher. 1983. “The Emergence of the Hopi People.” American Indian Quarterly 7: 69–92.
Weaver, Jace. 2001. Other Words: American Indian Literature, Law, and Culture. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press.