Not all religions maintain scriptural consistency, like Christianity (hehe, did I say consistency? Typo). The Hopi perpetuate a complex religious and mythological tradition stretching back over centuries which is communicated orally, between villages. The most fascinating trait of this culture is the inherent secrecy that is apparently possessed by the Puebloan (Native Americans) and the Hopi. Stories that are communicated to persons of alienation to the tribe, are not acknowledged by the listener to be either genuine stories of Hopi tradition, or fabricated ones. This would seemingly be in the hopes of keeping their sacred doctrines low-key and/or unknown to others outside their culture.
As the story usually goes with oral tradition, purple monkey dishwasher is the ultimate conclusion. But with most accounts of story telling from the Hopis, there is a consensus to some extent. It is believed that European Christian traditions also may have been adopted by the Hopi culture, even though historically, the underlying tradition predates European contact. It has also been suggested by scholars as to whether Kachinas (spirits) were an indigenous creation or imported from Mexico.
And this is how the beginning, begun for the Hopis...
The are 5 Worlds (Earth, reborn 4 times, 5th to come) in Hopi legend. Tawa (Taiowa) is the creator of the First World, which was formed out of Tokpella (Endless Space). Another accepted belief has Tawa creating a nephew which he named Sotuknang whom was then sent to create the 9 universes and Spider Woman, where she served as an intermediary between deity and humankind and possessed the power to create life.
As the legend goes, Spider Woman took dirt from the Earth, mixed it with her saliva, created the first two human vessels and sung a Creation Song to animate them. These twin earth brothers (Poganghoya & Palongawhoya) were ordered to do, each, a separate task. One to go over the earth and solidify it and the other to send out sound to resonate throughout the Earth so that it vibrated with the energy of the creator. After this, they were dispatched to the North and South Poles in order to keep the Earth rotating. Then, with the Creation Song melodically sung, Spider Woman creates flora and fauna, like magic.
After the Earth started to look more like an Earth, She creates humans by mixing yellow, red, white and black earth with her saliva, followed by the Creation Song, and with that, 4 men and 4 women are given life. They were originally created with soft spots on their foreheads, through which, they could hear the voice of Sotuknang and the Creator. The forehead was strengthened over time but left a space for communication, spiritually. These people were given 4 languages by Spider Woman.
As these people spread across the Earth and multiplied, they were united as one because of the (let's call it) Chakra. Eventually people started to divide from the animals and each other, all the while focusing on differences - not similarities, until only a minority were left from the four groups that remembered their creator. Sotuknang informed the faithful that he will destroy the world, that the elect must follow a cloud and a star to find refuge within an ant mound. He opened up the mound, hasted them inside, closed the lid and destroyed the world with fire. The ants were hospitable to the humans and fed them for the long duration that followed.
The Second World that Sotuknang made was inhabited with wild animals, so the people could not be at one with fauna (as in the previous World's). They built roads, villages and soon thereafter, trade was born, followed by greed as the being the norm, wars fought over petty differences and resources becoming limited. This time (after safely admitting the few that still remembered the Creator, into the ant mound, again), Sotuknang ordered the Two Brothers to abandon their posts, which spun the World upside down. Mountains tumbled, rivers gushed over the landscape and the Earth froze to Ice.
This is where it becomes comparatively interesting...
The Two Brothers were ordered back to the North & South Poles. The Ice melted and ecological utopia returned. Rising from the ant nest the third time round, humankind was hasty to get back into business as usual. War, famine, corruption - even flying shields blowing up cities. Sotuknang once again destroyed life and cast upon the Earth a great flood. Before doing so, Sotuknang put the select few believers inside hollow reeds, which acted as a boat, rationed some food - and let them float to safety.
Another flood story? Yes, there are a few, from different parts of the globe - all perceived differently. The Hopis (mainly Oraibi) have passed oral tradition of a great flood, just as Christian theologists have professed, but with a twist. Instead of a dove as a Christian would rightfully remember, along with a wooden Ark occupying over 300,000 species of life, the Hopi were guided by Spider Woman, over island "stepping stones" and met by the Creator at the eventual arrival on land where he told the lucky survivors, that the world would be a harder environment to live in, hotter and less worldly beauty, featuring mountainous ravines and cataclysmic Earth shattering events (who invited this guy?). This was the emergence into the Fourth World (Today's age).
The clans were to migrate across the land and learn the Earth's ways, although
some grew weak and stopped in the warm climates or rich lands along the
way. The Hopi trekked far and wide, and proceeded through the cold and
icy country to the north before finally settling in the arid lands
between the Colorado River and Rio Grande River. They chose that place
so that the hardship of their life would always remind them of their
dependence on, and link to, their Creator.
The true Pahana (Bahana), the lost brother of the Hopi, is said to return again, bringing with him a piece of the tablet which is in possession of the Fire Clan. And when he arrives, will be dressed in red. Traditionally, Hopis are buried facing eastward in expectation of the Pahana who will come from that direction.
The only wish the Hopi Creator had, was for His people to respect and live in harmony with Him. Wouldn't that be nice, if that's all the Christian God demanded of you?
References not listed above;
http://www.gly.uga.edu/railsback/CS/CSFourCreations.html
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