Hopi Rattle Pumpkin (Siceraria lagenaria)

Hopi Rattle Pumpkin (Siceraria lagenaria): ornamental variety used to build rattles for the original rites of Native Americans, such as the famous rain dance, made by the Hopi tribe “The People of Peace”.

This pumpkin  has different shapes, one that is similar to a bottle, and one perfectly oval. It should be harvested when the right size is reached, then it is  hung, pierced, and cleared through a small cavity used to fill it with corn, dried peas, or stones. It is provided with a finely decorated handle that helps produce the notes during the ritual dance, hence please their deities.

Through this ritual the Hopi believe they can irrigate their arid lands. Pumpkins of the “Lagenaria” species are used for practical purposes, such as for making bottles, ritual containers, or artifacts.

It is easy to grow, and very productive; one plant can produce up to 20 pumpkins. It does have quite a few soil demands, but limited water needs.

Few are edible, but among these, there is our “Sicilian Snake Pumpkin”.

The Amerindian Hopi indigenous, also called the People of Peace, are the most important native farmers amongst the American tribes.

Many ecotypes are selected for their reduced water requirements, such as the Casaba Hopi, a melon amongst the most resistant to droughts and with a pleasant aftertaste of lime. There are also many others that you can find on our site, in the “Native American Seeds” section.

In addition to horticultural vegetables for consumption, you will also find some species cultivated for practical or ritual purposes.

Like the Sunflower Hopi Black Dye, a very rare ecotype of black sunflower and seeds used to dye canastas, woven baskets, and of course, the rattles made of this pumpkin.