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Chief Dan Evehema's

Message to Mankind

I am very glad to have this time to send a message to you. We are
celebrating a time in our history which is both filled with joy and sadness.
I am very glad that our Hindu brothers have given us this opportunity to
share these feelings with you because we know many of you are having the
same troubles.
We Hopi believe that the human race has passed through three different
worlds and life ways since the beginning. At the end of each prior world,
human life has been purified or punished by the Great Spirit "Massauu" due
mainly to corruption, greed and turning away from the Great Spirit's
teachings. The last great destruction was the flood which destroyed all but
a few faithful ones who asked and received a permission from the Great
Spirit to live with Him in this new land. The Great Spirit said, "It is up
to you, if you are willing to live my poor, humble and simple life way. It
is hard but if you agree to live according to my teachings and instructions,
if you never lose faith in the life I shall give you, may come and live with
me. "The Hopi and all who were saved from the great flood made a sacred
covenant with the Great Spirit at that time.

We Hopi made an oath that we will never turn away from Him. For us the
Creators laws never change or break down. To the Hopi the Great Spirit is
all powerful. He appeared to the first people as a man and talked with them
in the beginning of this creation world. He taught us how to live, to
worship, where to go and what food to carry, gave us seeds to plant and
harvest. He gave us a set of sacred stone tablets into which He breathed all
teachings in order to safeguard his land and life. In these stone tablets
were made, instructions and prophecies and warnings. This was done with the
help of a Spider woman and Her two grandsons. They were wise and powerful
helpers of the Great Spirit.

Before the Great Spirit went into hiding, He and Spider woman put before the
leaders of the different groups of people many colours and sizes of corn for
them to choose their food in this world. The Hopi was the last to pick and
then choose their food in this world. The Hopi then choose the smallest ear
of corn. Then Massauu said, "You have shown me you are wise and humble for
this reason you will be called Hopi (people of peace) and I will place in
your authority all land and life to guard, protect and hold trust for Me
until I return to you in later days for I am the First and the Last."

This is why when a Hopi is ordained into the higher religious order, the
earth and all living things are placed upon his hands. He becomes a parent
to all life on earth. He is entitled to advise and correct his children in
whatever peaceful way he can. So we can never give up knowing that our
message of peace will reach our children. Then it is together with the
other spiritual leaders the destiny of our future children is placed.

We are instructed to hold this world in balance within the land and the many
universes with special prayers and ritual which continue to this day.
It was to the Spider woman's two grandsons the sacred stone tablets were
given. These two brothers were then instructed to carry them to a place the
Great Spirit had instructed them. The older brother was to go immediately to
the East, to the rising sun and upon reaching his destination was instructed
to immediately start to look for his younger brother who shall remain in the
land of the Great Spirit. The Older brothers mission when he returned was
to help his younger brother (Hopi) bring about peace, brotherhood and
everlasting life on his return.
Hopi, the younger brother, was instructed to cover all land and mark it well
with footprints and sacred markings to claim this land for the Creator and
peace on earth. We established our ceremonials and sacred shrines to hold
this world in balance in accordance with our first promise to the Creator.