In view of the tenacity with which the women of Hano have clung to their language, even when married to Hopi men, it seems strange that the _Asa_ lost their native dialect during the short time they lived in Tsegi canyon; but the _Asa_ men may have married Navaho women, and the Tanoan tongues become lost in that way, the _Asa_ women being in the minority. There is such uniformity in all the legends that the _Asa_ were Tanoan people, that we can hardly doubt their truth, whatever explanation may be given of how the _Asa_ lost their former idiom.
In 1782 Morfi described Hano,[14] under the name "Tanos," as a pueblo of one hundred and ten families, with a central plaza and streets. He noted the difference of idiom between it and Walpi. If Morfi's census be correct, the pueblo has diminished in population since his time. Since 1782 Hano has probably never been deserted, although its population has several times been considerably reduced by epidemics.
In return for their aid in driving the Ute warriors from the country, the Hopi chief gave the Tewa all the land in the two valleys on each side of the mesa, north and east of a line drawn at right angles to _Wala_, the Gap. This line of demarcation is recognized by the Tewa, although some of them claim that the Hopi have land-holdings in their territory. The line of division is carefully observed in the building of new houses in the foot-hills, for the Hopi families build west of the line, the Tewa people east of it.
A casual visitor to the East Mesa would not notice any difference between the people of Hano and those of Walpi, and in fact many Walpi men have married Tanoan women and live in their village. The difference of idiom, however, is immediately noticeable, and seems destined to persist. Almost every inhabitant of Hano speaks Hopi, but no Hopi speaks or understands Tewa. While there are Tewa men from Hano in several of the Hopi villages, where they have families, no Tewa woman lives in Walpi. This is of course due to the fact that the matriarchal system exists, and that a girl on marrying lives with her mother or with her clan, while a newly married man goes to the home of his wife's clan to live.
There are differences in marriage and mortuary customs, in the way the women wear their hair,[15] and in other minor matters, but at present the great difference between the Hopi and the Tewa is in their religious ceremonials, which, next to language, are the most persistent features of their tribal life. Hano has a very limited ritual; it celebrates in August a peculiar rite known as _Sumykoli_, or the sun prayer-stick making, as well as the _Tûñtai_ midwinter ceremony, the altars of which are described herein. There are also many _Katcina_ dances which are not different from those performed at Walpi. One group of clown priests, called _Paiakyamû_, is characteristic of Hano. Compared with the elaborate ritual of the Hopi pueblo, that of Hano is poor; but Tewa men are members of most of the religious societies of Walpi, and some of the women take part in the basket dance (_Lalakoñti_) and _Mamzrauti_, in that village.