OLD ORAIBI IS A HOPI VILLAGE IN NAVAJO COUNTRY IN THE NORTHEASTERN PART OF ARIZONA. IT IS ON THE THIRD MESA OF THE HOPI RESERVATION. IT WAS FOUNDED BEFORE THE YEAR 1100 A.D. MAKING IT ONE OF THE OLDEST CONTINUOUSLY OCCUPIED SETTLEMENTS IN THE U.S. ARCHAEOLOGISTS THINK THAT THERE WERE SOME SEVERE DROUGHTS IN THE 13TH CENTURY AND THE HOPI WERE FORCED TO CONSOLIDATE TO A FEW POPULATION CENTERS. HOWEVER, OLD ORAIBI WAS A SURVIVING CENTER THAT GREW CONSIDERABLY AND BECAME AN INFLUENTIAL SETTLEMENT. BY 1890 THE POPULATION WAS 900. MY HUSBAND AND I VISITED THIS CENTER WHEN WE WERE TRAVELING DURING GRADUATE SCHOOL AT ASU. THERE WERE NO OTHER NON HOPI FOLKS THERE. THE BEATING OF THE DRUMS AND THE DANCING PUT THE AUDIENCE INTO A TRANCE!
IN 1890 A NUMBER OF RESIDENTS MORE RECEPTIVE TO THE CULTURAL INFLUENCES MOVED CLOSER TO THE TRADING POST TO ESTABLISH NEW ORAIBI SPLIT. BETWEEN THOSE WHO WANTED TO PRESERVE THEIR TRADITIONAL WAYS AND THOSE WHO OPPOSED THEM. TRIBAL LEADERS DECIDED THAT THE TRADITIONALISTS WOULD MOVE TO A NEW VILLAGE CALLED HOTEVILLA.
OLD ORAIBI HAS RESISTED THE ADOPTION OF THE MORE MODERN CULTURE. THESE FOLKS ARE VERY PRIVATE. THE SETTLEMENT IS ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES.
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