The Hopi Tribe

           "Caretakers of the Land" is what they were called. The Hopi Native American tribe is well known but there are plenty of things you don't know about them. In this entry, you will learn about their culture, entertainment, food, climate, and other interesting facts. So expect the unexpected and LEARN!
      
             The Hopi culture is very important.  Their unique language comes from the Aztec language. They were also naturally good at making silver jewelry, pots, weavings,  and baskets. They descended from ancient Pueblian Peoples. They lived in pueblos and preformed ceremonies in the underground rooms called kivas. Only men performed ceremonies. Women did housework and made things while men did hunting and planting and harvesting. The men wore short kilts and when it was cold, they wore leggings. They also wore sandals made from the yucca plant. When a Hopi man would dress traditionally, he would wear a headdress (aka manta), woven belt, traditional white moccosins, and a woven wearing basket. 

          The Hopi didn't just work all day, they had fun too.  They sang songs, played games, and did crafts. The songs they sang were different than the songs we hear now. The songs had words with no meaning and usually were dedicated to a spirit. The games they played were made from natural materials and/or did not involve materials. Two examples of games are The Square Game and a game called Hunting Animals. The square game is played on a  board and uses wooden pegs. it is also Known as Indian Checkers. Hunting animals is also played on a board. The pieces are made in the shapes of animals. One of the crafts they enjoyed was making baskets out of desert grasses.

         The Hopi's religon was very important to them. One of their beliefs is that their Creator led them to the Southwest. They belived that their Creator was the sun. An example of a ceremony they did was the Bean Dance. This dance was performed so that they would have a good harvest in the upcoming year.

             The climate the Hopi lived in affected their lifestyle. It was very hot there and still is. They lived in the Painted Desert and Northern Arizona. Water was very scarce, so when it rained, it was wonderful. The averge amount of rainfall per year is 10-12 inches, which isn't very much.  It was scalding in the day, but very chilly at night. Their pueblos had thick walls to keep them cool in the day and warm at night.

             The Hopi's food was delicious despite the harsh climate. Some of the crops they grew were beans, squash, melons, and pumpkins. Corn is their staple food. They grew twenty-four different kinds of corn. There was a lack of water so they used irrigation from the nearest water source or they collected the water in pots and brought them back to  the pueblo to use on the crops and to drink.
      
         Hopi means peaceful, good, or wise, and that is how the Hopi people acted. They were some of the first people to fire their clay pots which made them clever, and they figured out how to how to do the almost impossible by growing food in the desert.  I hope you expected the unexpected and learned something about the Hopi!