The Hopi Death Kachina is Maasaw (Masauwu or Masau). He is an Earth God who is All Powerful. Maasaw stays at Hopi year round and is responsible for the Earth's surface, fire, and the underworld.
Death was an important part of hunting and war. Hunters, warriors, and shaman all called upon Maasaw for assistance. Hunters sought food, and called upon Maasaw to guide the spirit of the animal into the underworld where it could enter the cycle of rebirth. Warriors sought power for battle or the death of his enemy. Shaman sought to heal the sick, and Maasaw had power over death.
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