Volume I Issue I 1997-98 MAY 1997
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The Hunger Site.
Feed one person for one day - free!
Bookmark for daily routine. And then come back and see us! |
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New Discoveries About Hisatsinom | Cannabalism: A Strange Possibility | The Times Are Changing |
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Hale-Bopp In Hopi Prophecy | Sheep Cloning | Navajo - Hopi Land Partition |
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The Bennett Freeze | Visit From Navajo Tribal Gods | Peyote In The Military |
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Two teenage researchers from the Four Corners, working independently
and unknown to each other, have made significant contributions to a
better understanding of the ancient
Hisatsinom
civilization.
Dylan Schwindt of Cortez, CO, spent a year analyzing samples of
wood from living Juniper trees growing in different types of sandstone
in Sand Canyon near Cortez. He tested them for barium, calcium,
magnesium, manganese, strontium, and zinc.
Ann Seiferle-Valencia of Farmington, NM has analyzed previous
studies of the Hisatsinom in
Chaco Canyon. During four years
of research she studied corn cobs found at
Aztec Ruins
and
Salmon Ruin,
two major outliers of the Chaco Culture center. She has shown
that corn was hybridized at these two sites, and that the resultant
seed was used at Chaco Canyon for more efficient feeding of a
growing population.
Both of these young people are at this writing among the 40 finalists
in the annual Westinghouse awards competition.
There have been new discoveries about the Hisatsinom at the famous
site called Cowboy Wash.
Evidence relating to an event in about 1150 AD has become a subject
of controversy. Bones of at least seven people were found scattered
among pottery remains. Cuts on the bones and darkened flesh suggest
that these people were butchered and cooked.
Theories among archaeologists are: Cannibalism took place, or these
are the remains of suspected witches, or the bodies were left as part
of a religious ceremony.
The two most involved scenarios are:
By a vote of 61-1 (somebody might be in trouble) The Navajo Nation
Council has voted to privatize The Navajo Times, and radio station
KTNN, which are owned by the tribe and paid for by tribal funds.
Albert Hale, president of the Navajo nation, has been accusing these
two news operations of reporting half-truths.
The Navajo Times is a national newspaper for the Navajo People and
is very out-spoken. This has been brewing for quite a while as Hale
has been having many personal and administrative difficulties.
Concern has been expressed by the radio station that non-Navajo
investers would not continue to program in the Navajo language for
economic reasons.
Hopi legend speaks of the "Yellow Star" or "Blue Star" and Hale-Bopp
has been described as fitting the prophecy. For centuries the Hopi
have been expecting this and here is the ancient story.
An older brother takes a sacred stone to the "rising sun." Upon arrival
at his destination, a sign in the sky - a great white star - signals
his return to Hopi land in seven seasons. At this time all people who
have done wrong to the Hopi will be destroyed and all land taken from
the Hopi will be returned.
Interpreting a season as a year, the appearance of Hale-Bopp signals
this end of time as May 10, 2004.
Hopi prophecies are given great credence. 200 years ago elders of
the tribe predicted:
Here is an easy one: Women would wear men's clothing.
Related prophecies: Aztec agrees with the Hopi date. Mayan says
last day of Earth and humans will be December 21, 2012.
And the
Hopi Prophecy
was indeed sent to me.
Another prediction of impending disaster comes from the Navajo.
Sheep are a sacred symbol to these people, for they were given by
White Bead, a much-loved deity of the Navajo, to make their lives
easier. Other than the economic benefits sheep are revered when
praying for health.
The Navajo say that sheep have only one life and one soul, and
that the unnatural interference by cloning can only come to no good.
Since the U.S. government's "solution" in 1882 which created a Hopi
reservation
In a 1976 Congressional Action the Hopi and Navajo living on each
others land were relocated.
Now the 1991 Appeals Court decision has brought us to this moment
that requires Navajo to sign leases with the Hopi. Several extensions
have been granted. Time's up.
Demonstrations have taken place in Flagstaff, AZ, San Francisco,
CA, (nine arrests), and the United Nations.
The Navajo claim ancestral rights and fear eviction. The pending
agreement requires permits for the Navajo to perform certain religious
ceremonies and forbids burial on Hopi land. Many Navajo are already
buried there.
A further complication in this is that both the Hopi and the Navajo
claim to be the first people created on earth.
An interesting result of this is the possibilty of the Hopi Tribe
receiving as much as $50 million from the federal government if 85
per cent of the Navajo on their land will sign leases.
Are you ready for the irony? The Hopi plan to use the money for the
expansion of their reservation, possibly up to 500,000 acres. (See
previously held thought.)
Here is another example of big decisions affecting the lives of the
little people. In 1966 Robert Bennett, who was the head of the Bureau
of Indian Affairs, put a freeze on all construction on the
still-contested Hopi Partitioned Land.
This has prevented growing Navajo families from building additions
to their homes - including indoor plumbing - or providing new homes
to the newly married. No new roads (the Hopi claim some roads as
sacred) or water or power lines have been built in the past 31 years.
A recent U.S. Supreme Court decision has lifted the freeze on 800,000
acres, but 700,000 acres are still contested by the Hopi, and a
judgement is pending.
Poverty of the Navajo will limit any improvements soon.
On May 5, 1996 the tiny town of Big Mountain in NE Arizona became
a focus of religious ferver. A 96-year-old Navajo woman said she
was visited by tribal gods in the form of two old Navajo men.
Official sanction of the event was shown by allowing Navajo tribal
employees a special four hour leave to visit the site, and by
declaring May 17-24 as Spiritual Unity Week. Since then thousands
of Navajo and uncounted tourists have visited.
Big Mountain is on land declared by Congress in 1974 to be Hopi
land, but at this time 250 Navajo families live there and much
bitterness is involved.
Intrigue: Some claim that this is a hoax perpetrated by the Hopi
to stir up a confrontation. Some say that the Navajo family living
there only wants publicity to help with their claim to the land.
Others state that if the site is sacred it should be restricted to
only medicine men.
Here is a personal account from our friend, Mark Silversmith,
as told to me:
The footprints of the two messengers are deeply imbedded into
the hard ground. Corn meal offered as respect does not blow away.
Mark also said that he and others were considering letting their
hair grow long as part of returning to the old ways.
Footnote: The terms "Hopi land" or "Navajo land" in this forum are
used as quotes from the sources, and always depend on who is doing
the talking. I don't know.
Now what does that say to you? Join the Army and see all possible
worlds?
The official decision is to allow members of the Native American
Church who are in the military to attend services while on leave,
and to use peyote in the rituals. The guidelines are no use of
peyote 24 hours before returning to active duty.
Previously some church members who admitted to peyote use were
dishonorably discharged, and the policy was "don't ask, don't tell."
The new agreement is based on the understanding that peyote is
not a drug, and its use is allowed under the American Indians
Religious Freedom Act. Now if any member of the Native American
Church is asked if they use drugs they are advised to "Just Say No."
Is this a great country or what?
Email:
Mike and Sheilah Smith
Back to
Four Corners Postcard.
a name which was given them by the
Navajo.)
Schwindt devised a method for determining how far the Hisatsinom
in the Crow Canyon walked to gather wood for construction of their
roof beams. His research could be helpful in finding out if
deforestation was a factor in the decline of the Hisatsinom
civilization.
While previous estimates of the Chaco population have been from
2000 to 3000, she used a mathematical model based on current pueblo
use of space to show that there may have been as many as 27,000
people in Chaco Canyon at the peak of the population.
Fill in the blanks.
and reminded that you may be quoted directly. I will not use your
e-mail address unless you request me to do so.
(See Map)
entirely surrounded by Navajo (hold that thought), this
decision has pitted religion against law.
"U.S. Defense Department Rules On
Peyote Use for Military"
and events concerning Native American Indians.
Mark Silversmith Gallery.
Mark researches the tribes and portrays their lives of then and now.
crafts, and enterprises. For quality creations
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Business Directory
for listings and contact information.
© Copyright 1997 by L. Michael Smith. Fair use granted.