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Hopi Tribe Facts

Hopi Tribe Facts
The Hopi Indian tribe live on the Hopi Reservation in Arizona, in a region where their ancestors have lived for many thousands of years before the Europeans arrived. The Hopi Reservation is an area referred to as the Black Mesa, which they consider to be the center of the universe. The Black Mesa is a plateau rising 1,000 feet above the grasslands surrounding it. The Hopi Reservation is surrounded completely by the Navajo Indian Reservation. The Hopi tribe are a peace loving society, and their name Hopi means "behaving one, one who is mannered, civilized, peaceable, polite, who adheres to the Hopi way", according to the Hopi Dictionary. 'Hopi' is a shortened version of Hopituh Shi-nu-mu, which means 'the peaceful people'.
Interesting Hopi Tribe Facts:
The Hopi have always been a peaceful tribe, but if necessary would use their bows and arrows to defend themselves.
When Europeans first encountered the Hopi, they already used wooden farming tools, and had looms, and spindles which they used for weaving wool and cotton.
The Hopi were expert farmers and had crops of tobacco, cotton, squash, corn, and beans.
The Hopi were also hunters, with the men hunting antelope, small game, and deer for food. They used tools such as traps, and large sticks as weapons to hunt.
The Hopi women were gatherers, and spent time searching for nuts, berries and fruit, and herbs.
Hopi artists are talented in pottery, basket weaving, making jewelry, including silver jewelry, and are famous for carved Kachina dolls.
Kachina dolls represent spirits of natural elements, animals, or deities, which are believed to be able to bring good fortune such as rainfall, protection, healing, and even fertility to the Hopi people.
Kachina's most famous spirit is Kokopelli.
The Hopi have a major ceremony called the Soyal Solstice Ceremony, lasting 16 days amd ending with a feast and Kachina Dance.
One of the Hopi ceremonies involves carrying live rattlesnakes in their mouths and performing the 'snake dance'.
Before the Europeans arrived in North America with horses the Hopi relied on dogs to pull sleds when they needed to transport heavy loads.
The Hopi originally lived in adobe houses. Adobe is a type of dried clay and straw that has been baked in the sun into hard bricks.
The Hopi language is a descendant of the Aztec language, and about 5,000 people today can speak it. Most Hopi Indians can speak English too.
The Oraibi is one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements located in the United States, believed to date back to 1100 A.D. It is one of four original Hopi villages. In 1540 the population of Oraibi was estimated at between 1500 and 3000 Hopi Natives.
The most famous Hopi Indian Chiefs include Chief Tuba, and Chief Dan.
Because the region in which the Hopi have lived is hot and dry, they had to learn how to irrigate their crops.
The Hopi believe in Animism. This belief that all animals, and natural objects such as trees, rocks, and plants have a spirit or soul.


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