Hopi

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Hopi


Total population
Regions with significant populations	United States (Arizona, California)
Language	English, Hopi
Religion

Hopi woman dressing hair of unmarried girl.

The Hopi are a Native American nation who primarily live on the 6,557.262 km² (2,531.773 sq mi) Hopi Reservation in northeastern Arizona. It had a 2000 census population of 6,946 persons. Its largest community is First Mesa, Arizona. The reservation is surrounded by the Navajo reservation.

1 Overview
2 See also
3 Further reading
4 External links
5 References

[edit] Overview

Cliff-perched homes, by Edward S. Curtis, 1906

The name Hopi is a shortened form of the title to what they call themselves, "the people of Hopi". Hopi is a concept deeply rooted in the culture's religion, spirituality, and its view of morality and ethics. To be Hopi is to strive toward this concept, but no one ever achieves it in this life. This concept involves a state of total reverence and respect for all things, to be at peace with these things, and to live in accordance with the teachings of maasaw.

A few Hopi live on the Colorado River Indian Reservation on the Colorado River in western Arizona; for information, see Mohave.

The traditional Hopi are organized into matrilineal clans. When a man marries, the children from the relationship are members of his wife's clan. The Bear Clan is one of the more prominent clans.

The Hopi, more than most Native American peoples, practice and continue to practice their traditional ceremonial culture. However, like other tribes, they are severely impacted by the ambient American culture. Traditionally the Hopi were highly skilled subsistence farmers. With the installation of electricity and the necessity of having a motor vehicle and the other things which can be purchased, the Hopi have been moving into a cash economy with many people seeking and holding outside jobs as well as earning money from traditional crafts, particularly the carving and sale of Kachina dolls, highly crafted low fire pottery, and other kwaa traditional crafts such as silversmithing.

The Hopi have been affected by missionary work by several religions and also by consumerism and alcoholism. However, as touched on above, the impact of missionary work has only slightly impacted the Hopis cultural and religious practices. Hopis still practice most of their traditional ceremonies to this day. These ceremonies are centered around a religious calendar and are observed in most of the villages within the Hopi reservation.