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The Hopi Indians are a Pueblo tribe living in northeastern Arizona known for their terraced farms and deep spirituality. They have lived in the same region for over 1,000 years and are matrilineal. They wear traditional clothes and live in pueblos. Hopi spirituality intertwines stories, songs, dances, and celebrations. The Hopi have had conflicts with Europeans and neighboring Navajo, and they now live on a reservation. They honor their traditions while navigating modern American life and many make a living as artisans. Visitors are allowed, but documenting Hopi life is prohibited.
The Hopi Indians are an American Indian tribe living in northeastern Arizona on a reservation near Black Mesa. The Hopi belong to the Pueblo people of the southwestern United States. They are known for their terraced farms and deep spirituality. Their name means “people of peace” in the Hopi language. The Hopi are generally proud of having lived in the same region for over 1,000 years and claim to be the most deeply rooted of all North American peoples.
The tribe grew corn, beans, melons and gourds in terraced fields. They also raised cotton, tobacco and turkeys. Hopi men hunted deer for meat and used their hides and bones for clothing and tools. Women baked cornbread and gathered fruit and herbs.
Traditionally, Hopi men wore knee-length breeches or shorts, and women wore cotton robes strapped over one shoulder. These clothes were called mantas. Missionaries thought this style too revealing, and towards the end of the 20th century, some women began wearing blouses under their cloaks, a style that persists to this day. The Hopi wore buckskin moccasins. Men tied their hair in buns, while married women wore braids.
The Hopi Indians lived in pueblos, compact, apartment-like structures built of mud and stone. Pueblos stay cool even in the hot summer months. The first pueblo village, called Oraibi village, was built around 1050 and has been continuously inhabited since its founding.
These people are matrilineal, meaning that each traces their lineage through their mothers. The women owned the fields and their pueblos and ran the household, while the men were hunters and warriors. Traditionally, the head priest of each village also served as the village chief. A council of elders now leads the Hopi nation.
Hopi spirituality intertwines stories, songs, dances and celebrations. Both men and women performed religious ceremonies. Hopi Indians worship their gods in shrines and ceremonies and draw insights from the movements of the stars.
The first Europeans made contact with the Hopi in 1540. Spanish explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado led a party of soldiers and missionaries among them. The arrival of the Spanish sparked tensions in the region, and the Hopi began sporadically fighting with the Spanish and neighboring Navajo until 1824, when Mexico took over Hopi lands. In 1870, the US government claimed Hopi territory, sparking further conflict. American soldiers drove the Hopi onto a reservation, where they remain today.
This tribe works to honor its traditions while navigating modern American life. Many Hopi make their living as artisans, creating and selling items such as traditional Kachina dolls and fine pottery. Others live and work off the reservation. Visitors are allowed on the Hopi Indian Reservation, but taking pictures or documenting Hopi life is prohibited. The tribe tries to maintain a cultural core that is untouched by outsiders.
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