Book about tribal history is the result of a decades-long collaboration with the Hopi Tribe

Truly collaborative work between archaeologists and Native American tribes has been regrettably rare, says Professor of Anthropology Wes Bernardini. Partnerships that span multiple decades are virtually unheard of, which makes Bernardini’s work with the Hopi tribe over the past 20 years all the more remarkable. His long-running collaboration with the Hopi Tribe has recently culminated in the publication of Becoming Hopi: A History (The University of Arizona Press, 2021).

The book combines archaeology, oral tradition, ethnography, and historical documents to present 2,000 years of the tribe’s history. Using dozens of color illustrations and photographs, it was written with multiple audiences in mind, including academics, tribal people, and the general public. “The full story of Hopi history can’t be told or known without tribal input,” he says. “Archaeology and historical records only go so far, and no one record can stand on its own. There are multiple threads that weave together to tell the story.”

Two Hopi editors participated in each step of the book’s research process, and Hopi coauthors contributed to every chapter. One hundred free copies of the book were distributed to Hopi villages and schools, a purchase made possible by the U of R Farquhar Professor of the American Southwest Endowment. A 30-page magazine version of the book was also distributed to every Hopi household.

Bernardini hopes that Becoming Hopi encourages younger generations of the tribe to explore their own history more deeply and perhaps even consider careers in heritage preservation.