The Lalakonti Ceremony

The Lalakonti Ceremony The old women gathered To look at the stars above Orion was their greatest prize It hung there as if to realise It was time for the Lalakonti Hopi girls lift your baskets First to the left breast Then to the right touching so Then my Hopi's down it goes To the prize of brave young men Round and round the fire you go The Great Spirit will hear you so We will make an altar to you Prayer plumes more than a few A sand picture drawn true Bring us that Winter hail anew The Hail that rests the soil That in the Spring we toil Making our crops grow We need soft earth and water so Our dance is led by our mother Who places the prayer plumes There in the sacred Sipapu hole Two men used to make it so We thank you Mother Earth For all the gifts you bestow Our baskets thrown lets you know That we the Hopi love you so A scramble ensues of the young To find a maiden, join in the fun Many hours of loving life our way Wish it would return to me today