The Hopi Indians
The Hopi Indians
The Hopi Indian tribe is one of the well-known tribes in our country’s history. The “white men” first discovered them in the summer of 1540. The Hopi, whose name means “peaceful ones” or “peaceful all people,” were not a kind tribe originally but soon became friendly with the explorers.
The members of the tribe appear to be of a shorter height but remain muscular and strong. They have typical reddish skin of a Native American with straight black hair. The women tend to age quickly and infant mortality is high. Children are normally married by age 15 or 16 to assume the roles of the tribe. The Hopi are faithful in their marital relations and crime is an extreme low among the tribe. Murder, theft, and lying are extremely uncommon and children have very high respect for elders. Men of the tribe are dressed in calico shirts, short pants, breechcloth, moccasins, and hair bands. In addition, they often wear a substantial amount of jewelry. Women of the tribe wear dark-blue wooden blankets that are tied with a belt and moccasins for footwear. Children often run naked while the elderly wear the most clothing.
Agriculture is the main industry of the Hopi. Main crops include corn, peach orchards, beans, melons, squashes, pumpkins, onions, chile, and sunflowers while smaller amounts of cotton, wheat, and tobacco are grown. Recently the Hopi have begun raising sheep, goats, cattle, horses, burros, and mules. Antelope, elk, deer, rabbit, prairie dogs, coyotes, and small birds are hunted for food.
Another important industry for the Hopi includes the making of various textiles and art. They are very skilled in weaving, dyeing, and embroidering products. Kachina dolls are an important aspect of Hopi life. These dolls are versions of Kachina’s that take place in religious ceremonies. These dolls are still produced and sold to the public by the Hopi today. Below are a few pictures of Kachina dolls…
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