Pueblo Indians

Hopi Indian Children

Hopi

The Hopi still live on the same land that their ancestors lived, the Anasazi. The Hopi village called Old Oraibi is one of the oldest villages in the United States. It is on top of a high mesa in the desert.

The name Hopi means "peaceful people." In fact, they built their villages high on the mesas for protection from other Indians and from people who later came to Arizona.

Hopi Religion

The Hopi people hold many religious ceremonies. Some parts of the ceremonies are held in underground kivas. Others are held in the village plaza. The Snake Dance is a sacred rain dance. Priests hold live snakes in their mouths and dance. The priests talk to the snakes. "Go back to the gods," they say. "Tell them the Hopi are good and need rain."

Learn more about the Hopi People

Kachinas

Kachina are important to the Hopi. A kachina is a god or spirit who lives in the spirit world. There are hundreds of kachinas. There are sun kachina, snake kachina and clown kachina. A kachina dancer wears a mask, chants, and shakes a rattle made from a turtle shell. The dancer tells the kachina spirit the people's needs. The dancers give gifts like candy and dolls to the children.

View Picture of a Kachina

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