Issue Number 43

ELDERS SPOKE TO CHAIRMAN

Greetings. It is getting pretty tough to write about Hopi these days because Hopi thoughts are all tangled up with different ideas. Also most of us are fearful of involving ourselves in anything we don't understand. Here is a glimpse of the latest event. Just a month ago people of three villages met with the newly elected progressive Hopi Council Chairman to voice their concerns about programs and proposals the Council has forced upon Hopi in the past and are continuing to do so today. The leaders and people stressed strongly their objections against their, the Council's, methods of doing things against their wishes and without approval by the religious leaders. All these wrong doings, since the Council's creation by the BIA, were to be the tool by which to demolish traditional leadership, our traditions and culture. This was done so as to make inroads into Hopi land in order to explore for mineral resources. The people also expressed their concern about the Council's lack of respect for the communities and their elders.

Traditionals do not recognize the Council because of their behavior and attitudes which are not our Hopi ways. Therefore the Council does not deserve to be recognized by the outside world as being part of the Hopi tribe. The Council should find another name or action will be taken in terminating them should they make more problems. Or they should move somewhere, they have no land of their own for they were created only yesterday. Traditional people have more right to the land for being first. As always the Council will ignore and dismiss our words. All we can do is wait and see unless the pressures continue.

UNITED NATIONS

No doubt most of you are wondering how our efforts are faring with the UN Human Rights Commission. We think it is safe to say, hopefully, we are making some headway.

We are working and following the knowledge of our elders according to the prophetic instructions regarding the United Nations. It was said this is where the final or decisive judgment will be made for us in reaching our goal, a full independence or autonomy.

We Believe the UN Commission on human rights will understand and help fulfill our prophecy., This could be our last and most important step because it will be in the House of Mica (UN) that we will find our position, if we are worthy of existence. This will fulfill and conclude the prophecy we have been pursuing, with the help of our Great Creator.

Hopi will attend the gathering of indigenous people from different parts of the world around July in Geneva. We find that most every country has been creating problems by violating the human rights of indigenous minorities. We think the Commission on Human Rights is doing a great job. They support and believe we were born free and equal in dignity and rights. That we should be protected against genocide and discrimination. That we have the right to preserve our culture and tradition, the right to pursue our own cultural development, the right to practice our own religion, the right to protect and use traditional lands. These rights among many other things which are encouraging and produce hope. But one thing is lacking, the Commission has little power, but they have influence which has helped indigenous peoples in some countries to regain their independence. So we will pray and keep strong for that day of Independence.

SELF-SUFFICIENCY

Let us take a look into the future through the eyes of our prophets. They say that along the way the industrialized world will have certain problems. Throughout the world people will be uncomfortable because of the changing times. The worldly woes people will be going through. People will have to make adjustments to fit themselves into new life styles and environments.

The industrialized nations will become careless in getting more of the resources they need out of the earth, oil, coal, etc. Believing all these things will last forever. Soon natural resources will be depleted. Fuel shortages will occur, industrial machinery will come to a standstill. The machinery used for planting, harvesting and transport will become useless. Supermarket shelves will become empty of farm produce. The farmers and those who grow their own food will not sell their produce. Money will become worthless. The white man (bahanna) with all his intelligence and technology will not be able to repair the damage.

Now let us pursue more of grandpa's logical knowledge. He says there are higher laws than mankind makes for himself. The spiritual and universal laws which apply to everything in the universe, to all the people and to the world. One of the principles of these laws is the law of self-sufficiency. We must try to take care of as much of our own needs as possible so that when other people here and in other countries have problems their troubles will not affect us so much.

Most of the Hopi are still working their fields and are not so far removed from their traditions. We must understand that the higher principles have sustained the Hopi through centuries. Since these principles don't change, they are still as good as they were in the past. We think our position is much better than that of people in the cities to survive a critical shortage of food and the necessities of life. We have land, we understand our land and know how to use it and the crops we know how to grow. We have fuel for cooking and keeping warm (coal and wood).

At one time the Government tried to move us from these mesas. Our elders refused to move, saying "We were put here spiritually to protect the land. The land is dry but we get enough water from the springs to drink and cook. We pray through our ceremonials to get water from the cloud spirits to grow our crops."

Grandpa knows there is another principle in universal law. The key to this is spirituality. If one learns this there is no one who can prevent one from making this work.

We see the world worry about what civilization has done. Today our land is being threatened by developers. But we come from a spiritually devoted people. Hopefully spiritual power will help us survive just as it did our ancestors for thousands of years.

Yes, the money system is one way of self-sufficiency, but it is not stable and can break down at any time. We are forgetting what we receive from the earth. The higher system of principles is stronger and can continue to work in providing for us as long as we don't forget to apply them.

Have a pleasant day.