Truth of A Hopi

The stories related in this little book represent the origin, myths and history of a group of Hopi clans. They carry us from the very beginning of things down to modern times. One might say that they are the "Old Testament" of these people. They tell of their origin, their sacred beliefs, their wanderings and their trials. The first story is one recounted only by the Priests of the "One Horned Fraternity" in the village of Shung-opovi. Edmund Nequatewa, a Shung-opovi man who recorded this story, is of the Sun Forehead Clan and is a member of the One Horned Fraternity. Clan stories are not supposed to be told by the members of unrelated clans but members of the powerful One Horned Fraternity may tell all the clan stories belonging to the clans of their village. Each society has its own group of stories and sacred songs which it may give, but no other society is supposed to know these or to relate them.


The clans concerned in this particular story are the following: the Bear Clan, Hona-wungwa; the Strap Clan, Bia-quois-wungwa; the Blue Bird Clan, Chosh-wungwa; the Spider Clan, Koking-wungwa; the Gopher Clan (extinct), Mui-wungwa; and the "Greasy Eye Cavities of the Skull Clan," Wikurs-wungwa (now extinct). Other clan stories are included in this book.