Hopi-Survival-Kit-Book-Review

BOOK REVIEW: “The Hopi Survival Kit” A Cultural/Religious Microcosm of the Macrocosm

By Leonard Burg A Centre for the World Religions

“The Hopi Survival Kit”,

By Thomas E. Mails, © 1997, Published by Welcome Rain, Distributed by Stewart, Tabori & Chan, A division of U.S. Media Holdings, Inc., 575 Broadway, New York, NY 10012.

Our survival as a planet depends on acknowledging the universal common roots that humankind shares, in spite of differences in culture and religion. The Hopi Indians knew this, and initiated a dialogue and collaboration which we can build on today, in the form of the book.

“The Hopi Survival Kit”. Its universal message graphically depicts the sacrifices made by the Hopi to deliver a message to the world, at the risk of their very survival as a people. We can all profit from their Live-and-let-live philosophy and the gift they have shared with us. We can use it to both reconcile and honor the sovereignty of diverse religions/cultures, while in the process discovering the universal roots that bind us together as humanity.

PART I The Hopi are an Indian nation located in the Northeast corner of Arizona who ―are broadly known today as the peaceful people‖. And, ―outsiders living in a world beset with turmoil have often wondered how they achieved it. [Page 1]‖ The Hopi are renowned for having prophesized many of the catastrophic events taking place in the world in the past 100 years. They see prophecy as part of a divine mission of a humble people ―who live by the Plan laid out by the spirit, Maasaw [a Hopi Redeemer], and today hold the land in trust for him.‖ [154].

The author sees this as a reason the Hopi have survived years of domination and control stemming from having been ―discovered‖ by the invaders and conquistadors who settled in what is now called the United States. He says that because of their humility and ―their abhorrence of

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materialistic living, we can begin to envision them as servants to whom the Creator will entrust His sacred mission.‖ [48] Thomas E. Mails is one of the rare outsiders to have been entrusted with some of the sacred knowledge of the Hopi to share it with the world. Much of what he wrote came from his relationship with Dan Evehema, one of the great Hopi Elders who for half a century resisted the efforts of the American government to assimilate the Hopi.

Evehema shared with Mails details of a secret newsletter published by the Elders. ―Over an eleven year period, five of the elder Traditionalists wrote a newsletter to warn other Hopis about the consequences of abandoning the secret.‖ [7] It was called, ―Techqua Ikachi! [Which] Is the creed of the Hopi Traditionalists. In its English translation what it means is ‗blending with the land and celebrating life.‘‖ Says Mails, ―Never get the idea that what I wrote is precisely what they said or what they thought of it. It is approximately what they said and thought , supplemented with my own thoughts and explanations and when I read it back to them , I modified it until they approved of it.‖ [341] Mails is referring to Elders known as ―Traditionalists‖ --- the ones who fought to preserve the culture and resisted efforts by the ―Progressives‖ or ―Two-Hearted‖ to succumb to assimilation into to American culture. The author thus dedicated the book, ―to all of the Traditionalists who for nearly a thousand years preserved the message from the Creator that will enable the planet and us to survive.‖ Because of the wide influence and power of some of the most popular religions of the world – i.e., Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and Judaism - the role of Traditional indigenous cultures and religions in interfaith dialogue is often overlooked. Often they are seen as backward, primitive, outdated, etc. However, a closer look at their way of life and religion may reveal a closer relationship to universal spiritual principles than believed by our more modern conventional religions.

A search for this common ground is at the core of a movement today of globally minded Interfaith-conscious people; they desire to reconcile their differences with other religions and cultures without sacrificing their own integrity. Why? In order to address the threat to world peace posed by religious and ethnic wars and conflicts around the globe.

The Hopi Survival Kit book reveals the Hopi as model “Live-and-Let-Live” collaborators with a unique gift to share in this interfaith dialogue. Said the Traditional Hopi Elders, ―there is only one Great Spirit, our maker, and ….we, as His children, should be one happy family. But instead of equality, we practice caste systems and class struggles, glaring at each other in greed. Most religious groups boost their particular method of attaining perfection, while down grading and undermining others in order to govern territories and people who wish to live in peace through their own inherent beliefs.‖ [321]

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In spite of this philosophy, it is difficult for many to believe what they perceive as a dying, decimated culture having anything useful to offer to those who are struggling to survive the 21st Century. Did the army of hunters, traders, trappers, soldiers, government officials, White anthropologists, etc. who ―invaded‖ HopiLand believe, ―that no people who lived as simply and poorly as the Hopi could possibly offer anything worthwhile to the burgeoning outside world, let alone a message of greatest magnitude?‖ [5] Because many of the Hopi themselves surrendered to the forces of colonialization and assimilation, the author raises the rhetorical question: ―Who wanted to pursue a religion that was not strong enough to overcome White people…could it be that the Hopi religion was a false one that was a product of archaic superstition and legends?.‖ In spite of the eventual control exerted by the United States government over the Hopi, largely through the Bureau of Indian Affairs and it‘s handpicked ―Council‖, and the attempted emasculation of their religion and culture, The Hopi Traditionalists have prevailed, though much less in number. They have sacrificed themselves in order to share a universal message that we all can rally around and delve more into as focal point of interfaith dialogue. At every turn they saw themselves thwarted by the White invaders and their hand picked Hopi allies. The author conveys the feeling that ―the basic motive of the Two-Hearteds and the forces of evil has been to keep you and me from obtaining and implementing the great message needed to save ourselves and the planet.‖ [129] The question is, what was their message and what universal principles inherent in it are useful to interfaith dialogue and collaboration? The book outlines: An original covenant given to the Hopi by their Redeemer, Maasaw; His laying out of a ―Pattern of Life‖ to follow to live in peace and harmony with the divine; Prophecy of events that would threaten that way of life; and Instructions and warnings on how to avoid the impending catastrophe.

The Hopi Survival Kit shares the details of this roadmap and how, along the way, the Hopi Traditionalists had to battle and overcome evil forces in order to bring this universal message to the world.

Maasaw – Hopi Redeemer ―Maasaw is the Savior of the Hopi, just as Jesus Christ is the Savior of the Christian World.‖ [138] (His name is alternately spelled MAASAW, MASAW, MASSAU, MAASAU‘U).

Maasaw told the Hopi that, ―He would take over the control of the world at the end of the Fourth cycle.‖ (The Hopi identified four main cycles of existence, ―They normally illustrate this as a circle that is divided like a pie chart into four equal parts.‖) [25] ―As a Helper Spirit serving the Creator, his assigned task is to be the Guardian of the earth.― He will take ―full control as the fifth Cycle of the world begins.‖ [After the climax of prophesized calamities befalling the planet] [137]

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Hopi Elders do not confuse him [Mausaw] with the Creator. Instead they know he serves the Creator.‖ [56] ―Or is it that Maasaw is really Jesus Christ who has come to the earth in a different guise?

The Hopi do not say so, but some Native Americans teach that Jesus once walked the Americas and ministered to the natives….[says the author] As a Christian, I cannot accept that there is any other Savior than Jesus Christ. Yet at the same time, Maasaw fills this role for the Hopi Traditionalists who are not Christians…If and when it is necessary, the true Creator will do whatever He must to reconcile Christianity and Maasaw.‖.‖ [139] PART II Maasaw’s Covenants – Pattern of Life Maasaw provided the Hopi their Covenants or Pattern of Life and ―Traditionalists are the ones who follow and keep these covenants.‖ [57] The Pattern of Life was an organized, rational succession of repetitious experience. ―In this method, inner peace and understanding come as specified duties are performed.‖ [33] ―Except for the Hopi themselves, the Pattern of Life is not a religion. The Traditionalists do not pass this information on to seek conversions. They do not want you to wish you could even become a Hopi.‖ [270] However, ―There are jewels in his Pattern of Life that are universal.‖ [135] At the crux of the Hopi Pattern of Life are Divine Laws and Ceremonies to be observed.

These same Divine Laws constitute the essence of the Instructions and warnings given to the Hopi (to share with the world) in order to escape the wrath indicated by the Hopi prophecies.

They can be summed up as follows: [238] 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

making your own covenant with Maasaw Living simpler, as Maasaw Himself lives Practicing self-denial practicing Self-sufficiency Changing your priorities Recognizing that it is the Creator‘s wish to rescue us and that together with the Hopi we can rescue the world

In addition to the latter general principles for living, the Hopi ―Elders tell us Hopi believe all life on our earth lives and goes by life cycles. Therefore all must rest and renew for the coming cycle….and repeat annually in the Hopi language all of the information pertaining to the Life Pattern.‖ [167] The two main seasonal (cyclic) ceremonies the Hopi observe are: [243]

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1. The ―Soyal‖: Preparation, Purification, Consecration, Thanksgiving; Kachinas come to dance 2. Planting, Cultivation, Harvest and Thanksgiving In order to preserve and meet threats to this way of life, Maasaw provided the Hopi prophecies because, ―People are lost and looking for direction. The Creator has known that this time would come, and uses the prophecies to get our attention. Then He calms our fears as He presents us with the way to handle whatever comes.‖ [212] Hopi Prophecy The Survival Kit presents about 100 prophecies, many of which have or are coming to pass, and some which are on the horizon. Prophecies tell why, give instructions and warnings, signs and hope. The author stresses that ―Hopi prophecies substantiate themselves in that every one of them that should have been fulfilled by now has been.‖ [172] Some of the more notable prophecies are: The Bahanna or White race, ―will come in large numbers. They will be cunning and sly with forked tongue and sweet Tongue. By deceit and fraud they will take over the land of the Native People.‖ [181] ―People with the Cross will appear in our land‖, and the Hopi nation will become split as they Lose their culture and assimilate The ―Gourd of Ashes‖(Atomic Bombs dropped during WWII) Advent of the ―House of Mica‖ – the United Nations Four Attempts will be made [and were] by Hopis to take their case to the UN Advent of Airplanes, trains, cars, utility lines, radios Hurricanes, acid rain, volcano eruptions, Florida Swamp creatures mutating, Hantavirus (infected mice in Navaho/Hopiland) Population explosion, Deforestation, Revolutions, Global warming, Flooding, Melting polar ice caps, Water shortages, Greenhouse effect; and yet to come: THE GREAT DAY OF PURIFICATION Returning Ice Age, War of retaliation against terrorism, Food shortages, Money becomes worthless, ―Tropical land could become a land of ice. But this need not happen if we the people get our leaders to do something about the harmful things being done to the environment.‖ [212] Warnings And Instructions: The Spiritual Ark ―The Creator told the Hopis what could happen, but at the same time told them how they could survive these things. The WARNINGS are stern and uncompromising, yet they are also meant to rescue us in times of peril. But the INSTRUCTIONS which teach Hopis to do certain things on both ceremonial and daily life hold a whole new way of deliverance from catastrophes and evil forces.‖ [57]

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Though these instructions may seem related to a specific cultural context, the Hopi always stress the underlying universal principles: ―How wonderful…that, for the Hopi and us, the Creator and Mausaw have provided a Spiritual ARK that consists of carefully chosen thoughts, words deeds and promises. Together these make up the manner of life that will be led on the Ark.‖ [226] ―Traditionalists tell us today, that the only thing that will save us is to achieve new attitudes by immersing ourselves in the Spiritual Ark which is the workroom of the Creator.‖ [344] By this they are not saying you have to convert to the Hopi Religion: ―As you board the Ark, make your own covenant with the Creator and Maasaw. That does not mean you will exchange what you are going to do on the Ark for your own religious faith. While the Ark does function in relationship with the Creator, it is not a place of religion, nor does it recognize any religion as superior to others.‖ [269] ―As we follow the INSTRUCTIONS we will feel the connection. The spirits of Dan [Evehema] and others will come to be with us and urge us on.‖ [375] The universal space they are talking about can connect you with all the great spirits that have come to the planet to redeem humanity. These ―beings‖ function by the same universal divine laws.

Here are some final thoughts from the Hopi Elder Elders on this point: ―We must neither lose sight of our prayers or the Divine Laws of our Creator, Laws which never change or break down, that often bring miracles when one meets obstacles which seem impossible to pass.‖ [368] Implicit is that these laws are the same for all religions and all cultures, although they may speak of them is culturally different ways. So the Hopi say, ―Review with yourself and these same close ones [loved ones] the Divine Laws. These laws will vary with different cultures and religions.‖ Do your own version of the 2 cycle ceremonies. [275] So we can see by this that the Hopi do not claim to hold the exclusive key to survival of the planet. ―For all people on earth are responsible for hold the key to survival.‖ [199] In spite of the fact that it has been the destiny of the Hopi to suffer many trials and tribulations that have nearly made their culture extinct, the essence of it lives on, in the form of the Elder Elders and Traditionalists, many of whom, ―commonly live into their 90‘s and ―in the case of the most deeply committed and spiritual, past 100.‖ [239] Furthermore, ―It is worth noting that this priceless information was placed in the keeping of the very Naïve American people who would outlast all of the other tribes in North America in preserving their traditional ways and vows.‖ [179] The physical place where this last vestige of Hopi wisdom resides is called HOTEVILLA village – ―a stronghold for the Traditionalists ….. known as ‗The Shrine of the Covenant‘.‖ [74]

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According to the author, the Village of Hotevilla ―had begun as the place where the Covenant was preserved, and, among other things, the cycle of yearly activities kept the world in balance with enough harmony to survive. It became a Mother Village, a shrine, a microcosm of the world, and the home of the last keepers of this Covenant of greatest magnitude.‖ [17] As a result, this village and its inhabitants, largely Elders and Traditionalists, has been the target of attempts throughout the years to modernize the Hopi, thus exacerbating a rift between the ―Progressives‖ and the ‗Traditionalists‖. The elders have warned that, ―As soon as something begins to happen at Hotevilla, the microcosm clock begins to tick‖. [61] The Hopi Traditionalists see events at Hotevilla as a possible harbinger of things to come on a broader level in the world. The author raises the question, ―Are there things in the works that would propel us into Armageddon? ―Factionalism is the mode at Hotevilla Village today.

[1997] The prophecies predicted another split like that of 1906 and the split has occurred." [301] It behooves Interfaith-conscious people of good will to consciously reach out to and include indigenous cultures like the Hopi in dialogue about how to heal the divisions among religions and cultures that exacerbate the calamities occurring in the world today. In doing so, there are several key questions we can pose and deliberate on that might bear fruit to nourish our efforts to bring peace to the world: Where does the material end and the universal spiritual begin in the Hopi culture—i.e., what are the specific spiritual values and practices that transcend Hopi religion/culture and are applicable to all humankind?

What are the universal spiritual truths and realities underlying the rituals and ceremonies of the Hopi; how do they compare to those of other religions; and are there ways to access that reality through practices that can be common to all religions and cultures?

What is the fundamental cause for the suffering experienced by the Hopi and other indigenous religion/cultures around the globe?

Has the Hopi religion/culture helped avoid an even harsher fate?

What role did the Hopi‘s steadfast identification with their Traditional culture play in being vulnerable to oppression at the hands of the invading ―civilization‖?

Are there ways in which the Hopi could have been more open to the more positive aspects of the dominant culture, without compromising their own integrity, security or development?

How do the teachings of the Hopi Redeemer Maasaw compare to the saviors in other religions? And what is the possibility that such a living savior exists today?

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Although I raise these questions in reference to the Hopi as depicted in the book The Hopi Survival Kit, they raise concerns that apply to all religions and all cultures. Given the proof that the Hopi have been chosen to alert mankind to some of the pitfalls and calamities we face as a planet, they might be a good place to focus a serious interfaith dialogue. #####################################################

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Hotevilla, Hopi Shrine of the Covenant, Microcosm of the World book by same author, Marlow & Co., 632 Broadway, 7 th Floor, New York, 10012, 800-788-3123 Pathways Foundation, 30491 Longhorn Drive, Canyon Lake CA 92587, 909 2442737 Hotevilla, Don‘t Waste Arizona, Inc., 6205 so. 12th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85040, 602-268-6110

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