HOPI

 

 

Taiowa, the Creator.

(Clint Lomadaugva Lucas) Hopi Nation, Arizona, USA

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The supreme god is Taiowa, a Sun God who created the First World out of infinite space.

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Sótuknang, the Creator's nephew

(Evan Lomayaktewa), Hopi Nation, Arizona, United States

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"But first, they say, there was only the Creator, Taiowa. Everything else was infinite space. There was no beginning or end, no time, no form, no life. Only an immeasurable void that had its beginning and end, its time, its form, and its life in the mind of Taiowa, the Creator. Then he, the infinite, conceived the finite. First, he created Sótuknang to make it manifest, saying to him, "I have created you, the first power and instrument as a person, to carry out my plan for life in infinite space. I am your uncle. You are my nephew. Go now and arrange these universes in the proper order so that they may function in harmony with each other according to my plan."

Sótuknang did as he was commanded.

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Sótuknang was happy to see how beautiful everything was: the earth, the plants, the birds and animals, and the power that worked through them all. Joyfully, he said to Taiowa, “Come and see how our world is now!” “It is very good,” said Taiowa. “It is now ready for human life, the final touch to complete my plan.”

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Kokopelli, the storyteller

(Evan Lomayaktewa). Hopi Nation, Arizona, USA.

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Kokopelli is a key figure in the Hopi pantheon, a hunchbacked flute player associated with fertility, both for humans and plants. He is believed to nurture the unborn and distribute seeds for abundant harvests. Kokopelli's flute is linked to music, happiness, and the arrival of spring, the melting of winter snow, and the invocation of rain.

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Maasaw, the handsome man

(Edwin Lomayaktewa), Hopi Nation, Arizona, United States.

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Maasaw is a giver and guardian of life, and a defender of the Hopi way of life. He is the aboriginal owner of the Earth and the owner of fire. He is responsible for the underworld and guides the spirits of the dead. Hunters and shamans invoke him to guide the spirits of animals toward rebirth or to influence the outcome of battles. He is considered a guardian who granted the Hopi permission to emerge into the Fourth World and gave them vital instructions, especially about agriculture. Maasaw also embodies the archetype of the trickster figure, often depicted in humorous and even scandalous stories. He is a dualistic figure: he possesses a diverse and multifaceted nature, representing both the terrifying aspects of death and the benevolent aspects of a protector and provider. Despite his fearsome appearance, he is ultimately a benevolent companion to humans, entrusted with the protection of their afterlife. His influence is so pervasive in Hopi reality that some believe he is a direct representation of the hills and the very topography of the land.

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Palöngawhoya and Pöqánghoya, the first twins

(Evan Lomayaktewa). Hopi Nation, United States.

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"Spider Woman took some dirt, mixed it with some túchvala (mouth fluid: saliva), and molded it to create two beings. Then she covered them with a layer made of a white substance that was creative wisdom itself, and sang the Song of Creation over them. When she uncovered them, the two beings, twins, sat up and asked, 'Who are we? Why are we here?

To the one on the right, Spider Woman said, “You are Pöqánghoya, and you must help maintain order in this world when it is given life. Go now throughout the world and place your hands on the earth so that it may solidify completely. This is your duty.”

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The Spider Woman then said to the twin on the left, "You are Palöngawhoya, and you must help maintain order in this world when life is established in it. This is now your duty: travel throughout the world and send out a sound to be heard throughout the earth. When it is heard, you will also be known as ‘Echo’, because every sound is the echo of the Creator."

When they fulfilled their duties, Pöqánghoya was sent to the north pole of the world's axis and Palöngawhoya to the south pole, where they were jointly ordered to keep the world spinning correctly. Pöqánghoya was also given the power to keep the earth in a stable form of solidity. Palöngawhoya was given the power to keep the air in smooth and orderly motion, and was instructed to send his call for good or warning through the vibratory centers of the earth. "

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Palöngawhoya, the Echo

(Evan Lomayaktewa), Hopi Nation, Arizona, United States

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"Spider Woman then said to the twin on the left: 'You are Palöngawhoya, and you must help maintain order in this world when it is given life. This is now your duty: travel throughout the world and make sounds so that they can be heard across the land. When they are heard, you will also be known as ‘Echo,’ for all sounds are the echo of the Creator.'"

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DINE (Navajo)

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Tsohanoai, the sun

(John Michael), Diné (Navajo) Nation, Arizona, United States

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Tsohanoai is the Sun Bearer, a cosmic figure representing the source of life, warmth, and order, whose daily journey ensures the cycles of light and darkness essential to the world. Tsohanoai is a central and benevolent deity, father of the cultural heroes Nayenezgani and Tobadzischini, and his worship through rituals and prayers is vital to maintaining Hózhó (harmony and balance) in Navajo culture.

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Asdzaa Nádleehé, the changing woman

(Verna Yazzie), Diné (Navajo) Nation, Arizona, United States

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She is a fundamental goddess in Navajo (Diné) mythology, symbolizing the cycles of nature and life, fertility and constant transformation, never dying but rejuvenating and changing age. She is the mother of the twin heroes who freed the world from monsters and is revered in all Navajo ceremonies. She represents the cyclical nature of life, being born in spring, maturing in summer, aging in autumn, and dying in winter to be reborn each spring. She is closely associated with the earth and nature, and is the creator of corn and the first Navajo people, which is why she is considered a fertility deity. Her ability to continually change from young to old and vice versa links her to rebirth and vitality.

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Haashchʼééshzhiní, the Black God

(Merril Simpson), Dine (Navajo) Nation, Arizona, United States

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Haashchʼééshzhiní is a deity from Diné (Navajo) mythology who presides over fire and is the creator of the stars, responsible for placing light in the night sky. He is part of the pantheon of the Yéii, the Navajo deities, representing a counterbalance to the White God and symbolizing the harmony and balance necessary between opposing forces in nature. He is recognized by a crescent moon on his forehead. He is responsible for the creation and arrangement of the constellations, and his fire illuminates the stars.

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Nlagaynezgani and Thobadjischeni, the sacred twins

(Delton Katso), Dine (Navajo) Nation, Arizona, United States

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"These are the sacred brothers, the Dioscuri, who appear in the myths and legends of so many peoples, not only on this continent, but also in the Old World. Comparative mythologists often consider the sacred brothers to be myths of night and day, of light and darkness. Both brothers are honored as gods of battle, but Nalgaynezg-ani is considered the more powerful of the two. It is to them that men offer their sacrifices and prayers when they are about to go to war. Nagaynezgani is clearly an Indian god of war, and the god of a particularly cunning and crafty tribe, even among the Indians. Like Thor, he is the terror of evil spirits, but unlike Thor, evil spirits never mock him. He also has lightning bolts as weapons, but he does not have an unlimited supply of them. He must save the ones he has, just as the Indian saves his well-made arrows. His main weapon is a large stone knife, but he does not rely so much on his weapons as on his presence of mind, his cunning, his power of dissimulation, and above all, his “medicine.” He is neither cowardly nor hesitant; once he has set out on his journey, he never returns without success, but to achieve his purpose, he shows more of the character of the cunning Ulysses than of the bold Hercules.

 

W. Matthews

Some Deities and Demons of the Navajos

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Tse' bighanilini

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For the Navajo people, Antelope Canyon, called “Tse' bighanilini” (“the place where water runs between the rocks”), is a sacred site where the physical and spiritual worlds intersect, embodying the harmony and power of nature and the passage of time. It is considered a gift from Mother Nature and a place of reflection and respect, where rays of light are interpreted as a spiritual language. They believe that the canyon serves as a bridge where the physical and spiritual worlds interact, harboring the spirits of ancestors and wildlife.

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