Issue Number 34

HOPI VISIT THE U.N.

We came to bless the Torch of Peace with our prayers. We entered the Kiva of Great World Leaders with our message of peace with harmony to give to their thoughts. We blessed the torch spirit on his journey to distant lands to deliver our message of peace to all mankind. Let our message enter their hearts so that they will come forth and cleanse all the evil hearts of mankind through purification so that all life will continue on and have everlasting peace.

CHANGING TIMES IN HOPI LAND

Dear Readers, harvesting time is here again. Because of the dry summer months we were doubtful of getting very much from our crops but it turns out that most of us have our fill.

The total harvest in Hopi land will be less this year. Many of the able Hopi farmers have let their fields lay idle in exchange for a wage salary base. This is gradually erasing our culture and the regard for the spiritual laws of nature for rain and corn are the main important bases in all Hopi ceremonials.

As we look on something is brewing within the progressive Hopi society which is becoming "born again" to Hopi tradition. This means they feel that they, the progressives, can participate in Traditional ceremonials and other activities which are a part of Hopi life. This is to keep the identity of a Hopi tribe.

This idea is nil because most of the children, even grown ups, are forgetting their language. Intermarriage with other tribes and races are depleting the identity of what we are. All these things have been foretold repeatedly by our elders and have taught us to beware of this. That bahanna education would lead us into pitfalls from which we will never escape.

The following is an article of a Hopi Chairman's dream which may be late in coming.

RETURN TO TRADITIONAL LIFE STYLE

It is Hopi Tribal Chairman Sidney's view that once Hopi reclaim their land from the Navajo the Hopi will return to their traditional life style. That in taking the lead on new land they have to respect the traditions of the Hopi people. He claims this message was relayed to him by numerous Hopi people and village leaders. The young people who are moving to 900,000 acres of land are the beginning. That someday there will be another village. The blue print of the design will be drawn in the near future.

The tribal government will provide the people with guidelines and aid in financial assistance. The Hopi tribe has over 200 applicants for homesite use of the Hopi partitioned lands. presently they are being effectively denied the use of this much needed land by the BIA and the Navajo tribe.

The Hopi tribe needs the use of the land for the purpose of agriculture, grazing, homesites, and other forms of economic self-sufficiency. The Hopi are a growing tribe and we need our land in order to continue to survive as a people and culture. The tribe will attempt to preserve their culture and religion, a belief system that is tied to our land. Land is food, family and the Great Spirit. The impact of intrusion will never be erased.

In another statement Chairman Sidney made in his keynote address, "The Hopi have been traditionally self-supporting. We do not want to rely on the Federal Government. I want to be the first Chairman to say to President Ronald Reagan, 'The Hopi people are self-sufficient. Thank you but we don't need your Federal Funds, social programs. Give these funds to those that do.'"

What do we think of Mr. Chairman's statement? We admit the statement is good because in some ways it goes along with the traditional views so it sounded good to us. Then as we see it from another side, we think it is a cunning way of getting support for his fight against the Navajo. A political tactic to sway Hopi and others to his side. It could be just a dream so we don't buy it. There is a danger for him in opening this Pandora's box.

Restlessness and complaints are now in evidence because of the strict rules coming out of the Tribal Council. One cannot own livestock without a permit and paying the fee for each head. The number one can own is controlled by a limit on the number of heads one may have.

Reclaimed land will not be free to the applicants for homesites. The land and other things will be leased to them and this spells money. Large numbers of Hopi view this as not a traditional life style.

The Hopi system is that the land is free, open for those with ambition to make a livelihood from the land. But progressive Hopi claim that Traditional Hopi have never contributed anything of benefit to the Hopi people. Instead they prevent the Hopi from progressive with the material world.

This is true in some ways, but it seems it is the progressives who are blind to the Hopi traditional system. This is a way of holding and protecting the land for the people and children to come so that they can have land and use it freely. The traditional system is best because it can last forever. The best food that the land can offer. The health, happiness for a better life which only land can provide. These are the benefits Traditional Hopi contribute. These and many more are the benefits by which Hopi have survived for thousands of years. Therefore Hopi need not add a new ingredient which might not harmonize with what Hopi have had in their possession for ages. A proof that this system must be good.

Hopi prophecy says that if we link ourselves with a culture not of our own the situation will develop that it will become difficult to regain what we discard in the name of progress. Of course we can continue to practice what we lose, but it will have lost its value. What happens toward the end will be the consequences for our carelessness. Upon this view we foresee no positive guideline to give for their future.

JOURNEY OF HOPI TO U.N.

On September 16th, 1986 Hopi elders were invited to the U.N. to present their message of peace and to participate in a spiritual ceremony.

Many people, old and young, were there to take part in this special day of International Day and Year of Peace.

The Hopi elders were honored to participate in a special fire ceremonial with other Native Americans. Exactly at sunrise the fire was kindled on the grounds of the U.N. by Iroquois Indians who blessed the fire with Native tobacco, with prayers to all directions. Hopi elders blessed the fire with corn meal and with their own prayers.

From this fire the Torch of Peace was lighted. This torch will be carried around the world, passed from hand to hand by people of all races, ages, and beliefs until it is returned to the U.N. on December 11, 1986. This will be called the First Earth Run.

Later the Hopi elders presented the message of hope and love to the children of the world.

In the late afternoon the Hopi met their appointment time with the Secretary General of the U.N. Our message of peace was presented to him to be shared by other countries around the world. Since we were given an hour's time not all the message was delivered. However, we left with them our video tape of our message so this will speak the rest.

All the mess that did not fit within the time and which is too political to be heard in the House of Mica will be put together in the near future for printing. Watch for it.

We were received with respect. Also our sponsors took care of us like VIPs which we appreciate. This made our trip very exciting and interesting.

We pray our message will produce power and be heard throughout the lands. Perhaps along the way our voice will do wonders, that our struggle is not in vain.

Thank you.


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  • The shield symbol with its four
    circles in four quadrants means:
    "Together with all nations we
    protect both land and life, and
    hold the world in balance."