Hopi Tribe

Jessica Puchalski

Location

 Live in Southwestern part of the United States(present day Arizona and New Mexico)  Lived on top and under mesas, in Pueblos

Climate

 Land was a low, flat desert with some high plateaus  It was dry so not much wildlife  Hot during the day and cold at night

Resources

 Raised sheep for meet and wool  Used straw, clay and water to build their homes  Coal, sheep dung, wood for cooking and chairs  Used horses for transportation

Economic Lifestyle

 In the beginning they were a hunting and gathering group divided into numerous small bands that lived in pit houses  Around 700 A.D. the Hopi became agricultural people growing corn using runoff from the mesas

Decline or Rising Status

 Hopi lived on a 1.5 million acre reservation in northeastern Arizona  Have longest history of occupation of a single area by any Native American tribe  Lands were drastically reduced and their current reservation is only 9% of their original land  Originally occupied almost all Northern Arizona from California to parts of Southern Nevada

Migration of Culture

 Originally walked  Europeans brought horses to America  The Hopis used the horses and could now travel more quickly than before

Government

      Had a theocratic government with a head priest (Kikmongwi) of each village Today, each Hopi village still has its own kikmongwi, but he is primarily a religious leader The Hopi nation is now led by an elected tribal council Hopis live on a reservation, which is land that belongs to them and is under their control Hopi Nation has its own government, laws, police, and services, just like a small country Still US citizens and must obey American law

Relationships

 Traded with other tribes Southwest (Pueblo tribes for the most part)  Navajos were trading partners at times, but also enemies and invaded Hopi villages

Culture

      Hopi children hunted with their fathers Hopi woman were in charge of their family Men were in charge of the tribes politics, agriculture and war Hopis are matrilineal (trace their family through their mothers) Political leaders and warriors were traditionally always men Both genders took part in storytelling, music and artwork

Contributions to Society

 Came up with dry Farming Method(farming without irrigation)  Developed techniques and practices used by farmers to adapt to the lack of moisture/rainfall

Religion

 Held special ceremonies in an underground room called a kiva  Believed in over 300 spirits called Kachinas  They carved Kachina dolls to teach their children the names and powers of spirits

Music

 Sang about the kachina  Played drums and flutes

Literature

 Hopi is a complex language with long words  Distant relative of the Aztec language  Not related to other Pueblo languages at all  Hopi people speak English today, but still speak their native language as well  Ha’u (hah-uh) means "hello" in Hopi.

Art

 Carved Kachina dolls  Made pottery and baskets

Clothing

 Girls wore a manta(blanket you wrap around yourself)  Woman also wore cotton robes with a embroidered belt  Hopi men wore breechcloths  Men often wore a sleeveless shirt worn like a poncho, leggings cut off just above the kneees and moccasins made of deer skin

Customs

 Held Kachina ceremonies in July  Marriage was a major event in their lives  Weddings take place over six to ten days (include elaborate gift exchanges between the bride and groom’s families)  Each part of her outfit is woven by the groom and the men of his family and given to her as a gift.

Cuisine

 Ate crops such as corn  Bread, beans, melons, gourds, pumpkins and some fruits  Lots of space to plant, but there wasn’t much rain  Hunted meat products such as elk, deer, sheep, rabbit, buffalo  Farming was necessary and a lot of foods came from crops

Education

 Passed down legends and fairytales through storytelling (very important to their culture)  Father taught son how to hunt  Children learn from parents

Technology

 Hunters used bows and arrows  During wars fired their bows or fought with spears  Tools included wooden farm implements, spindles and looms for weaving cotton (and later wool), and pump drills for boring holes in turquoise and other beads.

Works Cited

 http://www.bigorrin.org/hopi_kids.htm

 http://www.folkways.si.edu/albumdetails.aspx?ite

mid=813  http://exhibit.juncanoo.com/p/highlights-of-the galleries/hopi%20wedding%20manta/  http://www.theinnovationdiaries.com/2110/hopi dry-land-farming/