OUR TOUR TO OLD ORAIBI, NEW MEXICO

WHEN MY HUSBAND AND I WERE IN GRADUATE SCHOOL WE VISITEDSOME OF THE HOPI MESAS ON OUR VACATIONS FROM GRADUATE SCHOOL. ONE INTERESTING ONE WAS OLD ORAIBI IN NAVAJO COUNTY, ARIZONA. IT IS ON THE THIRD MESA. OI REMEMBER WALKING INTO THE OLD PUEBLO  AND BEING PUT INTO A TRANCE WHILE WATCHING THEIR DANCWERS FOR A COUPLE OG HPOURS DURING CHANTS AND DRUMMING.SOME WERE DRESSED AS CLOWNS AND THERE WAS A KOKOPELLI WHO WAS PHALLIC.  HE HAD A PACK ONHIS BACK AND FLIRTED WITH THE WOMEN.    SOME OF THE FOLKS TOLD US THE DANCERS HAD TO PARTAKE IN A CLEANSING IN THEIR KIVAS BEFORE AND AFTER DANCING SO THAT NO HARM WOULD COME TO THEM.

ORAIBI WAS FOUNDED SOMETIME BEFORE 1100 A D , AS IT IS ONE OF THE OLDEST CONTINUOUSLY INHABITED SETTLEMENTS IN THE U.S.
BY 1882 THE HOPI RESERVATION WAS ESTABLISHED AND MISSIONARY EFFORTS LED TO THE KIDKNAPPING CHILDRENN AND FORCED THEM TO ATTEND ANGLO SCHOOLS. THAT CHANGED THEIR OUTLOOK.

THERE WAS TENSION BETWEEN TRADITIONAL HOPI AND OTHERS OPEN TO NEW IDEAS.  THEY HAD A SPLIT AND SOME LEFT TO FOUND A NEW VILLAGE.  THE FOLKS HERE TEND TO BE VERY PRIVATE AND DO NOT ALLOW PHOTOS.