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Friday, June 17, 2016

Hopi

Introduction
The Hopi live in Arizona.  They lived there for 1500 years.  They were farmers and hunters. They lived in adobes on cliffs.   Now they live in reservations.  The Hopi have their own language, also called Hopi.  It is a member of the Uto-Aztecan language family.  Their religion is shamanic and polytheistic. They believe the world has been created 4 times before this one.  They make kachina dolls that represent the ancestors and other spirits.  They are matriarchal and matrilineal.  They are very peaceful.  The word Hopi means civilized. They are also monogamous and have 30 clans.  
History
The Hopi came from the Pueblo Americans.  They created apartments on mountains for their living quarters. They were made out of clay and straw (adobe).  They farmed corn, beans, squash, melons, etc.  They hunted deer and turkey.  They got grazing animals from Europeans.
Language
Hopi has 3 dialects.  They are First Mesa, Second Mesa, and Thrid Mesa.  English words have been incorporated into the Hopi language.  There are no gender pronouns in Hopi.  There are 6 vowels in Hopi.
Mythology
Different villages have different stories and beliefs, but they are very similar to each other.  The creator is Tawa.  He is the sun spirit.  The Spider Grandmother is the messenger of Tawa.  Masauwu is the god of death, earth, and fire.  The Hopi have many festivals and kachina dolls.
Society
Women have the most power in Hopi society.  The women pick their husband based on the way they dance. They can divorce their husband whenever they want too.  Women are supposed to become a dancing star in the sky.  Men cook, clean, and raise the children.  Children are part of their mother clan.
Conclusion
The Hopi are one of my favorite American tribes.  That's because they are so peaceful.  I like the way women are treated in this tribe.  We can learn a lot from them.
References
http://www.crystalinks.com/hopi.html
http://www.cs.vu.nl/~dick/Summaries/Languages/Hopi.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hopi
http://www.hopi-nsn.gov/
               

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