The Navajo use the word Anasazi, which means ancient enemies. As Hopi they have lived in the Four Corners area for at least 1,000 years. Oraibi, AZ was settled in 1050 and is the oldest consistently occupied community in North America. Wherever they have lived, the Hopi have always been the Hopi. It is the scientists who use other names.
A division of the Hopi, first of three prophesied, took place in 1906 when Chief You-kew-ma and his followers were forced out of Oraibi by a pushing contest and began the new community of Hotevilla.
| The meaning of the name Hopi |
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| Origin | Journey | Language | The Hopi Way | Religion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ceremonial Calendar | Snake Dance | Flute Dance | Clowns | Today |
|
A Hopi Prophecy
50,000 years old? | Villages | Hopi Check List |
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| Hopi Declaration of Peace | Essence of Hopi Prophecy |
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This is a very long story, so here are the basics.
When the Hopi were first created they had no name. They were created with everlasting life and placed upon the earth to live as one, spiritually.
All was provided for them; they did not work for their food, there was no illness, and they were to live forever.
They were given laws to live by, but they broke them. For this disobedience they were changed into body and soul, sickness came into their bodies, and they became mortal.
Some wanted to live simply, but others used cleverness to make things that were not good for them. Those who wanted only peace emerged into a new world. In this new, beautiful world the Great Spirit, Maasau'u, came to visit them and to test their wisdom.
The people were divided into groups, each with their own leaders that they had chosen. Then Maasau'u placed ears of corn of different lengths in front of each leader.
As each leader pushed forward to grab the biggest ear of corn the Great Spirit gave that group a name and a language.
The humblest leader picked the shortest ear of corn, and the name "Hopi" was given to those people: the little ones.
Hopi means to be humble and peaceful, but if the people do not live the Hopi way the name will be taken from them.
The Hopi base their existence on faith only, and their story is a fascinating tale of that faith sustaining them: "White men come, white men go, but we shall always be here."
According to Hopi beliefs, this is the fourth creation of life; the three preceeding ending in destruction. Each time conflict, which is not a part of The Hopi Way, came about as men forgot or denied the plan of the Creator. The faithful were protected underground with the ant people, and the kivas of today are representations of those anthills.
The Hopi creation story is about a succession through underworlds and each of these is associated with a specific direction, color, mineral, plant, and bird.
The story of the Hopi journeys shows knowledge that is a study in itself. They speak of struggling through jungles, of building cities and leaving ruins behind. We continue to trace these connections.
The Hopi say that their ancestors migrated from many places and settled near the Grand Canyon. Their story is an interesting one that is also partly covered in the Chaco Canyon article.
The cliff paintings at Chaco Canyon and Mesa Verde are guides for Hopi clansmen to follow, and they claim to have built the snake-shaped mounds in the eastern United States.
A common thread weaves its way across this continent to lend substance to this amazing story: The "putting on of the horns," which is the phrase used by the Iroquois to denote attaining chief status, is also of the Hopi, and many other tribes.
An interesting note to all these connections: Tibet is exactly on the opposite side of the planet from the Hopi Reservation. The Tibetan word for "sun" is the Hopi word for "moon." The Hopi word for "sun" is the Tibetan word for "moon."
There are many relationships with other peoples, both in the area, and
afar, that can be traced by the language. The Hopi language is of the
Uto-Aztecan family, which is closely related to the Northern Paiute and
the Aztecs of Mexico, and the Hopi dialect is Shoshone.
Many Pueblo people along the Rio Grande speak the Tanoan languages,
which are of the second branch of the Azteco-Tanoan group. This is
also the language of the Kiowa. Others in the same area speak Keresan
languages, which belong to the Hokan-Siouan group. The Hopi recognize
a distant relationship with all the peoples along the Rio Grande as
well as with the Pima and Papago. The Kiowa-Apache share
a language group with the Hopi, which leads full circle
to the Navajo. An article connecting all these peoples
by language is forth-coming, and far-reaching research
has led to Ireland. There will be many family trees shaken.
A continuing mystery of the area are the Zuni, whose way of life is very
like the Hopi, but who speak a language unlike any other
Native American Indian
peoples. Strangely enough, research of the Zuni has led to a Libyan
connection. More to follow.
The Hopi Way is one of peace and is holistic; their name
Hopituh Shi-nu-mu, can be interpreted as "The Peaceful Little
People." All of daily life is part of their religion, and their belief
is to help others improve their life.
Twelve clan groups, called phratries, have many clans within
them, each with its own ceremonies and sacred fetishes. Though men are
the religious leaders, the children inherit the clan of their mother.
Though the men own the livestock and the fruit trees, the women own all
the land, even that under the fruit trees. As many as 24 varieties of
corn are grown and due to arid conditions the roots may grow 20 feet
down. Each plant has many ears of corn. To supplement the staple of
corn the Hopi gather more than 100 wild plants.
Kivas are the center of religious life and are mostly used by the men.
Stone walls line the underground chambers and a hole sipapu in
the floor of the kiva symbolizes the exit from the ant people's domain.
Religion is life for the Hopi and binds the village into a solid community.
Most ceremonies relate to
rain.
Katsinas or kachinas, of which there are about 350, are
the guarding spirits that come down from their world at winter solstice,
remaining in the people until summer solstice.
Instruction in the Hopi religion begins at an early age for the children.
Dolls called tithu are given them to represent the
katsinum. These are not toys, but reminders. First of these
given to the child represents Hahai'i wuhti, the mother of the
katsinum.
Through childhood obedience is instilled by rewards and
punishments, which includes whippings administered by men in katsina
masks. To the children these are the true katsinas. Somewhere between
the ages of 8 to 13 the men behind the masks reveal themselves
to the child and so begins their initiation into the adult
world; they will become the men behind the masks.
The religious dances also feature men wearing masks to portray these
katsinas, with the snake dance as the final ceremony.
There is a prophecy tied to the katsina dancers: When the
Saquasohuh (Blue Star) katsina removes his mask in front
of the uninitiated all Hopi ceremonies will end and faith will
end also. A renewing will take place in Oraibi, beginning a new cycle
of Hopi life.
Saquasohuh is believed by some to represent the
Hale-Bopp
comet. The Wuwuchim ceremony includes a song that tells of this,
and this song was sang in 1914, preceeding WWI, in 1940, pre WWII, and
again in 1961. The Hopi say that the emergence into the Fifth World of
the future has begun.
There are nine prophecies connected with the nine worlds. Four
have been fulfilled by the previous three worlds and the present
world; the Fifth is being fulfilled. The future prophecies are
of the worlds to come, and the world of the Creator, Taiowa,
and Sotuknang, the Creator's nephew.
The Hopi wear their hair in bangs as a window
to recognize the True White Brother, and also as
a sign for him to recognize them.
Editor's note: I have a viewpoint on this and
express it in the Clamor Seven:
Preparation for the ceremonies begins in the kivas, some of which are
rectangular, with the eastern
pueblos kivas being round or oval.
Prayer is offered before the altar, and sacred cornmeal, tobacco,
and feathered prayer-sticks are used in this offering. Tobacco
smoke is rain clouds.
The ceremonial dancers send a prayer to the spirits below by
stamping on a cottonwood covering of the sipapu before coming out
to dance.
The Crier Chief comes forth to announce all ceremonies. Kachina
dances begin with the dance leader following "grandfather" into the
plaza. Drummers join in and all move in a counter-clockwise direction,
with the dance leader in the center. In the social dances the singers
and drummers remain apart.
The Snake Dance requires two weeks of ritual preparation, and the
snakes are gathered. They are kept watch over by children until
time for the dance. By percentage of the local snake population most are
rattlesnakes, but all are handled freely.
The dancers then take an emetic and dance with the snakes in their mouths,
with an Antelope Priest in attendance. He strokes the snakes with a
feather and sometimes helps support the weight of the larger snakes.
After the dance the snakes are released to carry prayers.
According to people who have investigated, the emetics are not an
anti-venom.
The Flute Dance is a nine-day ceremony that begins at the main village
spring, with the Flute Boy and the Flute Maidens followed by the Flute
Priests.
Then the Flute Society enters the plaza walking over sacred cornmeal,
which represents rain clouds. This group is led by the
Kaletaka, the warrior.
The sacred clowns of the Hopi have a unique function in their society
and the religious right to enact by negative example what should not be
done. Humiliation and ridicule are their methods, and no one is immune
to their rudeness. Stripping another naked is not going too far.
Misbehavior of people in the community is dramatized, and the culprit
takes the hint.
The clowns are the ultimate tradition keepers. If work needs to be done
the clowns recruit the workers. They cannot be denied.
White ways, such as money, missionaries, and teachers sent to
the Hopi have been the subject of the clowns' derision.
In the 1960's an unusual drama was inspired. An eerie
sound was made by twirling a piece of hose, and two aluminum
pie tins were thrown over the houses. The clowns came down from the clouds
(over the rooftops) dressed in shiny silver and painted green,
demanding to be taken to the leaders. All this was done to make fun of
a leader at a nearby village who was making a public uproar about UFO's.
In 1882, President Chester A. Arthur "settled" the land dispute
with the
Navajo/Hopi Partition
and the Hopi reservation was established along the southern end of
Black Mesa, where families had lived at least 650 years ago (circa 1340).
Now they are completely surrounded by the Navajo Reservation.
SEE:
MAP
What the map does not show is there is a small Navajo
Reservation
inside
the Hopi Reservation.
Because land is part of each tribe's religion complications arose
concerning the use of land by people living on land that is considered
to be holy. And so came about
The Bennett Freeze.
Nobody is happy.
All tribes have factions. There has always been the
concept of "friendly" as opposed to "hostile." Here are
generalized definitions of those:
This is on-going research and far from complete:
There are eleven Hopi villages in NE Arizona on Black Mesa, a rock
land table, and the major ones are on three high mesas. The current
Hopi population is between 10,000 and 12,000, and some information
says that there are 12 villages. We will have further information
on the origin and development of these villages.
Each Hopi village is independent, with its own style of government.
Style of crafts vary by village, but Kachina dolls (tithu)
are made by all. Any dolls that are sold always have errors in them,
as the true tithu are not for sale.
First and Third Mesa are separated by 15 miles, with a total land
area of about 500 square miles. The names in parentheses are the
commonly used Anglo spelling according
to pronunciation.
First Mesa: Their craft specialty
is polychrome pottery.
Many of the villages are now closed to visitors for the religious
ceremonies and it is best to inquire first. Photos, sketching, and
video and sound recording are prohibited, and questions are disrespectful.
The Hopi share some religious beliefs with other tribes, but there is
no world like the Hopi and it must be seen first-hand.
Anthropologists agree that the Hopi are "the real thing."
My research on the above page is a bare glimpse at the Hopi Way, and
much of it is through eyes that are not Hopi. As with all of
The Four Corners Postcard, research on these pages continues,
and updates are forthcoming.
The True White Brother
(It is my opinion that these monsters represent
hunger
and the lesson of preparing for winter is well-taught.)
In photos I have seen these men are fully dressed in leggings, footwear,
and robes. They are wearing masks with long beaks
and many teeth, and headdresses of feathers. Each was carrying
a bow. In the kivas beans are sprouted and this is the
proof of life in the middle of winter.
(Another opinion: Perhaps these beans are sprouted by
holding them under the armpits. Sprouting seeds doubles
their nutrition and this is a clever way to survive
without firewood.)
Many Hopi ceremonies were photographed in 1904 - 1906, but
beginning in 1911 all cameras were forbidden. This now includes
recording and sketching of Hopi villages and ceremonies. At last
report 10 of the villages no longer allow visitors for religious
ceremonies. Some are closed entirely.
The Hopi and Navajo have these beliefs in common:
This has changed, and peoples from all around the planet are
coming forth with
ancient teachings.
With that in mind you will understand these figures better:
The Hopi annual budget is about $28 million, with one-half of that
coming from the U.S. Federal Budget, and the other main revenue is
from the
Peabody Coal Company.
Second Mesa: Craft specialty is silver overlay jewelry and coiled basketry.
Third Mesa: Craft specialty is wicker and twill
basketry.
Also
Techqua IkachiThe Official Hopi Newsletter
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Hopi Tribe's Office of Public Relations: Box 123, Kykotsmovi, AZ 86039 Telephone 520-734-2441 Ext. 190 or 191. |
Hopi Cultural Center: Box 67, Second Mesa, AZ 86043 Telephone 520-734-2401 |
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