Article April 1, 1998
Hopi Lore
The westernmost of the Pueblo (village-dwelling) tribes of North America, this deeply religious people (the name 'Hopi' means 'peace') have inhabited the desert region of Arizona since early times. Even their neighbours, the Navaho, are relative newcomers, said to have entered the continent via the 'Back Door' (Bering Strait).
The Hopi creation myth tells of three worlds before this, the Forth World (as in Hindu cosmology). In the beginning Taiowa the Unmanifest made Sotuknang to create the material universe. He created Spider Woman, Mother Earth, who gave birth to the people of the First World (Tokpela, 'Endless Space'). The door in the top of their headswas open to wisdom; they know no sickness. But language was invented; animals drew away from them and they from each other. So Sotuknang destroyed Tokpela with fire, but the people survived underground with the ants. Entering the Second World, Tokpa (Dark Midnight), they found it not so lovely, nor was the door atop their heads so open. They began to trade; evil spread, so Sotuknang told the twins of the North and South poles to leave their posts. The earth rolled over twice: the sea invaded the land. Again the folk survived with the ants, to enter the Third World (Kuskurza). Building cities, they become materialistic. There was a great war. Flying machines (patuwvotas) attacked enemy cities. So Sotuknangsent the Flood. Continents sank, but the folk survived in hollow reeds floating on the seas. Seeking land, they sent out birds which returned, exhausted. But Spider Woman brought them to the Forth World, Tuwaqachi (World Complete): they landed on the pacific coast. The giant Masaw, guardian of the lands, said they could stay, but must make a pilgrimage. Masaw broke in four pieces a tablet of stone. Each piece sent the white, black, yellow and red races in different directions, one day to reunite. So they went their ways. first to return and find the desert homeland, the Hopiawaited the prophecy's fulfilment. But when White Brother (Pahana) returned, he had forgotten. He brought fire, sword and cruelty. he had forgotten everything. This too was in the prophecy.
The Hopi have long foretolda war begun by 'old countries, which first received the light of knowledge' (Middle Eastern nations?). This will be a 'spiritual conflict with material matters'. A 'Gourd of Ashes', dropped from the sky, will boil thye oceans and burn the lands. then Hopi ceremonial will cease. Yet in the dire time of the Great purification, marked by the appearance of the 'blue star', Pahana will return, bringing the dawn of the Fifth World to the 'safe' lands of the Southwest.
The Hopi prophecies are carved on Black Mesa in the Four Corners area. The petroglyphs are dated to at least 2,000 years ago. Three signd -swastika, sun and the colour red- were given to signal the approach of the Great Purification. Then the Hopi would release their prophecies and teachings in a final effort to avert disaster. this has now been done.
The basis of Hopi religion is the kult of the kachinas, 'Cloud People', beings embodying the spirits of living things and those of Hopi ancestors. Ensuring soil-fertility and said to posses powers over the weathers, over 500 have been identified. Carved kachina dolls are used to teach children about these spirits, invoked by dances in which those impersonating the kachinas are said to become the kachina involved. Fetishism? This depends on whether or not the kachina dolls are seen to be imbued with the kachina-spirits, or merely as representating them- perhaps academic.
If you wish to read previous article of myth, click below: