Kilted Hopi Buffalo Dancers

**Riverkilt** · 2nd October 06, 10:48 AM

I don't think anyone would walk up to one of these men and ask about their "skirt."

The picture was from a dance at the Hopi Healthcare Center in Polacca, AZ on the Hopi Reservation last Friday. Hopi kilts are usually white. The buffalo dancers wear black.

I asked about how Hopi got to be buffalo dancers since there weren't buffalo on the Hopi lands. They explain that they encountered buffalo in their wanderings to buffalo country and traded other tribes for buffalo furs etc.

And, for the purists, while these may not be kilts as we think of them they are a men's unbifurcated garment that when Hopi scholars and linguists translate from Hopi to English they choose the word 'Kilt' to most accurately describe this sacred ceremonial garment.

My kiltwearing is openly accepted on the Hopi Reservation. At a dance the weekend before this Buffalo Dance I was kilted on First Mesa for their fall festival. A Hopi guy saw me and said, "Hi Mike." Told him my name was Ron and that Mike is the teacher at Hopi High School who wears kilts.

Ron

**Kilted KT** · 2nd October 06, 11:32 AM

Great pic.

**switchblade5984** · 2nd October 06, 12:55 PM

love the kilt!

**Ialtog** · 2nd October 06, 01:08 PM

Originally Posted by Riverkilt

My kiltwearing is openly accepted on the Hopi Reservation. At a dance the weekend before this Buffalo Dance I was kilted on First Mesa for their fall festival. A Hopi guy saw me and said, "Hi Mike." Told him my name was Ron and that Mike is the teacher at Hopi High School who wears kilts.
Ron

That is really cool. Does the teacher wear tartan kilts? A good friend of mine's daughter participated in her first dance recently (Butterfly dance). Sadly I wasn't able to attend, but the pictures nearly made my heart stop. I know kids have to grow up and all, but I can't believe how fast they do it! We were awfully proud of her.

**Riverkilt** · 2nd October 06, 01:30 PM

The teacher has stopped and talked to me when he wasn't kilted...he lives in the same govt housing complex as my lady. But guessing he wears tartan kilts since that's what I had on and he talked a lot about clan tartans.

My lady just did her first butterfly dance last Friday. She was chosen. Quite and honor...her Hopi friends made her headdress, dress, etc. and she had to practice the dance moves for weeks. These kilted buffalo dancers danced at the same event.

Ron