From BIGMTLIST

As many of you may know, many of the traditional Hopi people and elders
do not agree with policies made by the Hopi Tribal government. The following
is a message to clarify that matter. I hope that some of you will not
quibble over whether or not this person has the right to represent the
Hopi traditionals. If you listen to the words, I think that your heart
will tell you that they are true.

From: Kc4behopi@aol.com
Date: Fri, 9 Jul 1999 17:23:14 EDT
Subject: Re: SUNDANCE WILL BE HELD DESPITE HOPI BAN
To: redorman@theofficenet.com

Message from the Traditional Hopi Elders:

Asquali, In the name of the Traditional Hopi Elders that have gone before
-
Thank you for hearing me:

Dear friends and relations,
After reading the following report on the "Sun Dance" and the Hopi Tribal
Council I feel again the need to clarify the Hopi Tribal Council is an
Government Organization and DOSE NOT represent The Traditional HOPI and
Spiritual Leaders of Hopiland.

Sometimes these restrictions occur due to a (inner) struggle of the Hopi
council peoples who honor more modern religions. They have difficulty
reconciling our ancient ways with new beliefs and want to change these
ways
to fit that foreign structure or dismiss them all together.
Or they do not want to have witness to what they are doing to the land
and
their own people.

This is creating much division at Hopiland and many hardships on all the
peoples. Also making us look bad in the eyes of the world and this is not
the
right way to act. According to all I have learned from the Elders.
Our Very Own Hopi Spiritual Leaders and Traditional Peoples are under the
same restrictions with
Permits that are either impossible to obtain or denied on purpose. Permits
for picking herbs for medicine,
Gathering wood or rabbit hunting for certain Kachina ceremonies all now
require a permit at a price
Often out of reach for our traditional peoples. Our planting and harvest
journeys are denied to help our elders. As wisdom keepers we have the
understandings not to be charging for what the Mother Earth freely gives
for
her children's happiness and well being.

I know if my Grandfathers were still alive they would submit a statement
so I
will do it for them at this time and my prayer is that you will accept
that
under NO circumstances are prayers ever discouraged by
A Traditional Hopi, they honor all peoples and have a welcoming heart to
everyone. The very name
Hopi means kindness, gentleness, and truthfulness… The Hopi have been
instructed by Massau to
Receive everyone kindly and bring them happiness and good thoughts. This
is
what all our ceremonies are about and soft genteel rain so the peoples
of the
world will be happy and live fruitfully. It is my understanding that the
prayers are similar for the "Sun Dance" so the peoples will live in
commitment to
"Creator" by whatever name.

These divisions must stop between us. We must be brothers and sisters all
religions say the same thing if you really read what is said in those "Black
and Blue Books" and scriptures. The time is late and the idea here is Pray
doesn't cause trouble for other seekers. Put away your guns and angry words
and pray.

Our words are not to make a difficult situation worse but many peoples
on
these lists do not know the
Difference of what is happening and why, between all the layers. But for
the
record again it is not the traditional Hopi Spiritual Leaders or Elders
doing
this to the "Dineh or the Sun Dance".

In service to the Holy Ancestors,
Asquali, dep see mana - Hotevilla Traditional Village
Greasewood, Roadrunner, Spider and Fire Clan
Daughter to Nelson Mononge, Granddaughter to Dan Evehema and Grandfather
Martin
AKA,
Katherine Cheshire
Kc4behopi@aol.com
http://www.timesoft.com/hopi