AISES Conference notes
Cultural and Physical Survival

For Immediate Release
Contact: Vernon Masayesva (928) 734-9255

How can Hopi, considered the oldest living civilization, survive in the midst of a rapidly progressing technological society.

The impact of modern socio-economic influence has already taken its toll, 90% of Hopi children in grades K-12 no longer speak Hopi fluently. Most of them have become monolingual English speakers. With loss of language come lost of the meaning of words, metaphors, symbols, which we use to explain and understand Hopi world view.

Throughout all villages fewer and fewer men are farming as people find it more convenient to buy farming products in local supermarkets. As a result, the rich seed diversity, called “three sisters” (corn, squash and beans) is at risk.

“Whatever you do, never, never abandon your fields, never forget your language, for it you do, you will lose your Hopi identity” is the advice given to us by our elders.

One way to preserve our cultural identity is to identify the richness of Hopi ancient wisdom and knowledge (wuyonavoti, hisatnavoti), Hopi knowledge about world view and how it can relate to modern sciences and religions throughout the world.

Commonalities do exist, for example the Hopi concept of pairing, exemplified by legendary twin warriors; Pöqanghoya (weaver), and Palöngaawhoya (echoer). They, along with Spider grandmother, are the key characters in Hopi creation stories.

The twins are the metaphor for humankind. With our hand, (the weaver) we can create, with our larynx and vocal cords (the echoer) we can create words and language including mathematics. The Spider Grandmother is the commander. She is the caretaker of the twins (they do not have parents) and instructs the twins what to do. She is the mind. Hence, the three characters represent unique abilities of humankind. We are twins gifted with special abilities to carry out the mission of the Divine. We are also burdened with responsibility to follow moral law, taught to our ancestors by Ma’sau, the spiritual, earth guardian our ancestors met when they arrived on Black Mesa several thousand years ago.

Moral law is represented by intertwining black and white yarn which katsinam wear in the ceremonies. It represents opposites, like war and peace, night and day, good and bad, etc. We are told bad is necessary for us to understand and appreciate what good means. It teaches us to become stronger morally and spiritually, this way we come closer to Ma’sau, who is the only true Hopi. By learning from bad experiences we must vow not to repeat the mistakes.

Paring or twining is also prevalent in the sciences and mathematics. For example, the dash and dot called Morse Code used in telegraph, the original telephone; the binary numbers 0, | which is what makes our computers produce words and calculations: the plus and mines, the north and south poles on magnets, electricity and magnetism (electromagnetism); protons and neutrons; mass and energy, etc.

Now the cutting edge science has come out with mathematical theory of unifying the atom and universe called “string theory.” According to this theory particles called atoms are separated into two groups: bosone and fermions. Bosone’s are particles that transmit energy. It can occupy the same space with other particles at the same time. Fermions, on the other hand can only exist by themselves. They can only occupy one space at any given time. They are particles that make up matter. We are matter made from particles called atoms.

Hopi katsina ceremony teaches paring with particles that make up the natural and cosmic worlds, and historic figures with unique traits. I call this “befriending”. Kwikwilyaqa is my favorite. It represents the scientist, with their tunnel vision.

Through our songs and ceremonies we become one with forces, like lighting, stars, butterflies, plants, reptiles, etc. In other words we can unite with the world of those deities during our katsina ceremonies at a specific space (kiva or plaza) at a given time become ourselves until the next ceremony. When the ceremony is over we come back to the world as we now know it.

This brief insight into our world and the world of science shows there are commonalities and that we need to intertwine indigenous wisdom and knowledge with the sciences and religions. When we come together to combine our knowledge, skills and energy we can bring holiness back to Mother Earth.

This can be proven by a Hopi interpretation of Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity which he expressed as E = MC2. With this simple and elegant equation scientist are able to figure out how the universe was created. They can even predict when it will end! Scientist, engineers and technicians then used it to create sophisticated technologies, which controls our lives. We used it to light up our homes, run our computers, televisions, lasers, x-rays, and so on. It was also used to make the atomic bomb that killed over 100,000 Japanese during WWII. Today nations have a frightening array of nuclear bombs, much more powerful than the atomic bomb, that if unleashed will destroy our world.

Hopi uses the same idea to release the energy that is in our bodies. In Hopi E is energy, M is mankind, and C is cooperation and consciousness. It means that if we combine our minds and hearts we can create and generate enough energy to achieve our objective. This lesson of paring or intertwining with the katsina deities is to create peace, good health, and harmony for the world.

In other words, we can attract rain people if we carry out our prayers properly. Rain people will resonate with energy coming from us and they will respond by bringing us life-giving rain. If our minds and hearts aren’t together, only the wind will come.

One final thought. All of us come from water. We are water people living on a water planet. Up to 75% of our bodies consist of water. Water is represented as H2O, meaning it consists of 2 parts hydrogen and one part oxygen. Hydrogen is fuel that powers the sun. It was used to create the atomic bomb.

This means each one of us has within us enormous power. Releasing our energies for peaceful purposes to make sure no child dies of hunger and lack of fresh water is what it means to be a true “hopi”. Becoming “hopi” should be the goal of every scientist, engineer and every human being.

Thank You. Kwaq kwa

For more information about Black Mesa Trust, visit www.blackmesatrust.org.

Jerry Honawa, astronaut John Herrington, and Vernon Maseyesva.