Ancestral Hopi Landscapes
- “This land at first glance appears to be of no value, mostly rock and sand, hardly any trees, hardly any water, but we came to this person (Màasaw) who will take care of us if we follow this life plan, and all will be provided for us…The land underneath us are many natural resources…this part is really the home of the Màasaw and he (the Hopi) must hold fast to this life pattern. If he does not then we may make a mistake of going off on the wrong road…which will cause us all kinds of trouble.” David Monogye: Hopi Hearings, July 15-30, BIA Phoenix Area Office Hopi Agency, pg. 45
- “It (this land) has been ours since before the white man came. We have traveled over a large area and left our ruins showing we have been there…and we have a stone tablet which provides for the settling of this land. These we still have with us and all of our religious teachings and the traditions which tell us we must never give up this land.” David Monogye: Hopi Hearings, July15-30, BIA Phoenix Area Office Hopi Agency, pg. 21
- “Paavahu, Water Resources, are highly valued by the Hopi as a main source of life in a harsh and arid environment. The central focus in Hopi ceremonial life is the propitiation of moisture in its various forms. Moisture provides for the domestic and agricultural needs of Hopi people as well as the supernatural and spiritual essence of Hopitutskwa, the Hopi indigenous lands. As a valuable natural resource to the Hopi people, water must be protected and conserved so that we may all fulfill our ultimate stewardship responsiblity: the needs of our children and future generations for this life giving resource.” Hopi Land Stewardship: An Integrated Resources Management Plan for the Hopi Reservation, U.S. Dept of Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs
- “Many years ago, we do not know how many years ago, people were living in another world, underworld, where life was good for a time but later on…they got to a place where all life was beginning to be disrupted…(They) disregarded the life of the Hopi people. The leaders..were also disregarded. People began going on their own way of doing things which brought this life to corruption. The leaders began thinking about going off to other places…
- Little Colorado River near confluence with the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. The Hopi emergence into this world, the Fourth World, took place here at the beginning of time.
Ang Kuktota: Footprints of the Ancestors, Petroglyphs, and Rock Paintings
- Large Pueblo villages that date to AD 1300s ring the edge of Perry Mesa in Aqua Fria National Monument in Central Arizona. Hopi Yellowware pottery is often found there, suggesting trade or migration between Perry Mesa and Hopi Mesas. This petroglyph represents an elk or deer and may be a clan symbol.
- Petroglyph in Chaco Canyon showing a woman holding a basket on her head and a second figure holding a seed beater. Hopi people still gather wild plant for food and the production of baskets.
- Katsina figure near Puerco Pueblo at Petrified Forest National Park. Hopi ancestors lived at this pueblo in the AD 1300s.
Baskets
- This picture shows the start of a Third Mesa basket. Third Mesa weavers gather rabbitbrush and use natural dyes and pigments.
- Hopi Burden Basket made by Hemihongnima of Shungopovi MNA catalog #OC2776 Rectangular wicker work, child’s size. Carried in Shungopovi Bean Dance, 1968. Borrowed by Henry Shelton for use in Bean Dance at Hotevilla (2/12/71-2/15/71); used then by Qolo Katsina, worn on his back filled with fresh vegetables which are given to the observers.
- Second Mesa coiled plaque red, yellow, white, black. MNA Catalog #E129
- Second Mesa coiled plaque-red, yellow, white, black. MNA Catalog #130
- This picture is a detail of a sifter basket. It depicts a turtle.
- Hopi Yucca sifter. MNA catalog #E5200 Round shallow bowl shaped, twill plaiting in an over three-under three pattern, zig-zag design in yellow and white across basket forms, open diamond with solid diamond at the center, rim finished around stick ring, ends of plaiting folded over and fasted with a twined yucca leaf. This basket was given as a gift to Mrs. Greene by katsina (Alfred) during Niman Dance at Shungopovi July 24, 1954. Was filled with piki at the time.
- Hopi Yucca sifter. MNA catalog #E2939 Large, irregular shape. Twill variation, diamond pattern. Rim element wrapped with cloth. Base flat. Made by Amy Poliwisnima
Carving
- Hahay’iwùuti – This is the first doll a baby receives as a gift from the Katsina. She is always smiling. This doll has a body with corn markings, qa’öveni, and a robe made of a corn husk.
- This doll has corn markings called qa’öveni.
- Edward Seechoma displays his katsina doll carvings at the 2006 Hopi Show.
- Carving with butterflies and flowers, about six inches long by Jonah Hill, a carver represented by Winter Sun Trading in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Foodways and Farming
- The colored corn represents the six directions
- “Many years ago, we do not know how many years ago, people were living in another world, underworld, where life was good for a time but later on…they got to a place where all life was beginning to be disrupted…(They) disregarded the life of the Hopi people. The leaders..were also disregarded. People began going on their own way of doing things which brought this life to corruption. The leaders began thinking about going off to other places…they finally came to this person who was living here at this time. His name was Màasaw…there were other persons with him, the Spider Woman who keeps the fire going and two nephews, Pakonghoya and Polinghoya. The people (the Hopis) came and asked for permission, if they would be allowed to come and live, and Màasaw said he would be very glad but he said it would be up to them if they would be willing to live according to his way of life…So in this way after agreeing and making an oath that they would live this life and never abandon it at any time, they came to this land” Andrew Hermequaftewa: Hopi Hearings, July15-30, BIA Phoenix Area Office Hopi Agency, pg 79
Murals
- ThisThis panel is about Hopi emergence and migration. Panel One, Journey of the Human Spirit by Michael Kabotie and Delbridge Honanie panel is about Hopi emergence and migration. Panel One, Journey of the Human Spirit by Michael Kabotie and Delbridge Honanie
- This panel is about the Pueblo Revolt of 1680 Panel Two, Journey of the Human Spirit by Michael Kabotie and Delbridge Honanie
- This panel is about germination, growth, and fertility. Panel Three, Journey of the Human Spirit by Michael Kabotie and Delbridge Honanie
- This panel is about the unhealed side of humankind, represented by strip mining of Hopi lands and the human tragedies of suicide, drugs, alcohol, obesity, and diabetes. Panel Four, Journey of the Human Spirit by Michael Kabotie and Delbridge Honanie
- The Hopi Water Serpent returns to teach the brother/sister twins the responsible truths necessary to unify all humankind including all religions. The computer resting on the ancient Mexican pyramid refers to the positive healing potentials of technology. Final Panel , Journey of the Human Spirit by Michael Kabotie and Delbridge Honanie
Pottery
- Tusayan Polychrome Bowl Rim Sherd, 1200AD Migrating clans left broken pottery as messages to us that they were here. Hopis include pottery fragments among kinds of footprints of thier ancestors.
- “The cross is called Tuuwanasavi in Hopi. The earth center. The cross, it’s literally called nahoylèetsi, but it’s where the center is, the spiritual center. And then the four cardinal directions…the clans eventually migrated and returned back to center. So the cross, in many cases, represents what you call the earth’s spiritual center.” -Leigh Kuwanwisiwma, January 23rd, 2006
- This ladle is used for scooping water. IT has a design of spattered paint and tadpoles representing water.
- MNA Babbitt Collection, Walnut black on white bowl, AD 1200’s This bowl has a design that resembles cotton textiles.
- Kawaika-a Polychrome Bowl, University of Colorado Museum The hand has multiple symbolic meanings, including the idea that farming is done by hand, as well as pottery.
- Houck Sherd; White mound black on white bowl fragment from NA8939 pithouse 3 near Houck Tree ring dates range from AD785-AD837 at this site. This bowl depicts figures wearing butterfly hair whorls, poli’ini. This hairstyle is still worn today by young women when they complete their traditional Hopi puberty ceremony.
- Seed Jar This Garrett Maho seed jar depicts a variety of Katsinas. Hopi Show, 2006.
- Seed Jar (Close up) This Katsina is Hahai’iWuuti, mother of the Katsinas. Hopi Show, 2006.
- Jeddito Black-on-yellow bowl, MNA catalog number NA1019.27, ca. AD1350-1450, from the site of Kokopnyama, near Jeddito, Arizona. This bowl depicts two parrots. The parrot on the right has a prayer feather on its beak. The one on the left has a pattern on its body that some consultants associate with the Water Clan, which migrated to the Hopi Mesas from the south. One type of parrot used to live in southern Arizona; many types live in Mexico. These figures may depict macaws, a large parrot native to tropical parts of Mexico. Archaeologists have found macaw skeletons in many Puebloan sites such as Chaco Canyon great houses, ca AD1100, and Homol’ovi sites near Winslow, ca. AD1300 to 1400. Hopi ancestors probably traded for parrots, whose brightly colored feathers are still important today for ritual use. Parrots depicted on pottery and in petrogylphs might refer to the migrations of the Parrot Clan. © 2006 Museum of Northern Arizona, photo by Gene Balzer
- Jeddito Black-on-yellow bowl, MNA catalog number NA1019.27, ca. AD1350-1450, from the site of Kokopnyama, near Jeddito, Arizona. This bowl depicts two parrots. The parrot on the right has a prayer feather on its beak. The one on the left has a pattern on its body that some consultants associate with the Water Clan, which migrated to the Hopi Mesas from the south. One type of parrot used to live in southern Arizona; many types live in Mexico. These figures may depict macaws, a large parrot native to tropical parts of Mexico. Archaeologists have found macaw skeletons in many Puebloan sites such as Chaco Canyon great houses, ca AD1100, and Homol’ovi sites near Winslow, ca. AD1300 to 1400. Hopi ancestors probably traded for parrots, whose brightly colored feathers are still important today for ritual use. Parrots depicted on pottery and in petrogylphs might refer to the migrations of the Parrot Clan. © 2006 Museum of Northern Arizona, photo by Gene Balzer
- Jeddito Black-on-yellow bowl, ca AD 1350-1450, MNA Catalog number A728 The spiral pattern here reminds Hopi consultants of migration. As the clans migrated, they learned more about their desert environment. The pattern of parallel straight and stepped lines represents water running through agricultural fields. © 2006 Museum of Northern Arizona, photo by Gene Balzer
- Jeddito Black-on-yellow jar, ca. AD 1350-1450, MNA Catalog number A760 This small jar has a design of rain clouds. Putting clouds on a jar to hold water is fitting, because Hopi farmers rely on rain from summer thundershowers to grow their crops and on snow from winter storms to moisten the soil before spring planting © 2006 Museum of Northern Arizona, photo by Gene Balzer
Songs
- Túwati, túwati O’omawkiikiinawita tukwunangwmamantu Paayoy nguman’iniy angqw pew na’sasayyungwa Yang puma umuu’uyiy put ang yoknayaniqe’e Yan’i yan’i uma’a naawakinaya Oovi, umùu’uyiy anga’a yooyokvaqö’ö ang paatalawvaqö’ö Tuvevakwatu, mösivakwatu ang puma’a töötökimakyangw sosonkiwyani’i ——— For their part, for their part Throughout the dwelling places of the clouds The Cumulus Cloud Maidens have their rain as corn flour mounded on a tray prepared for here. Because they are going to make that as rain along your planted fields. For this, you have been praying. So, when it rains along your fields and when they shimmer and sparkle with rainwater, The different kinds of toads, the food-laden toads, as they move along there with their calls, they will make pleasing sounds. Late twentieth century song sung by the Tsa’kwayna Katsina. Translated by Emory Sekaquaptewa.
Weaving
- This embroidered kilt by Wanda Kahe Fong depicts bufferflies and clouds.
- This embroidered kilt by Wanda Kahe Fong depicts bufferflies and clouds.