Hopi Creation Myth: The Four Creations

Hopi Creation Myth: The Four Creations

The creation myth excerpted is from the Hopi people of northern Arizona. The people that collected this myth were Oswald White Bear Frederick and his wife Naomi. The myth was told by older Hopi at the village of Oraibi. According to Wall and Masayesva, the Hopi used a farming method, “… known as “dry farming” because it relies strictly on precipitation and runoff water (along with hard work and prayer), has kept the Hopi culture intact for nearly a thousand years” (1). This type of work that the Hopi did had a great impact on the myths they told. “The Four Creations” myth is a reflection of the lives of the Hopi. The Myth has many insights including aetiological, historical, and anthropological insights.

One of the aetiological insights in this particular myth is how ants came to have thin waists. In the myth, “As the ants' food ran low, the people refused the food, but the ants

kept feeding them and only tightened their own belts, which is why ants have such tiny waists today” (Oswald). This tiny little detail could easily be dismissed as a quirky part of the myth but it has a much deeper meaning. The first insight that could be gained from this detail is that the Hopi are resilient. The ants seem to represent the Hopi. Instead of refusing to give the Hopi food, the ants stay kind and feed the Hopi. This could mean that the Hopi valued the sharing of resources especially in time of hardship. Ants often symbolize strength and order. The inclusion of ants could also represent the Hopi as a community. Ants are highly organized and work together for a common goal. This could mean the Hopi value working together for the better of the tribe. Another aetiological insight is why the planet rotates. In the story, “Poqanghoya and Palongawhoya were dispatched to the poles of the earth to keep it rotating” (Oswald). This detail gives the reader the insight of the scientific understanding of the earth at the time. This detail also reinforces the idea of teamwork that we get from the ant insight. There are two beings working together to bring harmony to the earth.
An anthropological insight from the myth is the fact that, “…Spider Woman made all the plants, the flowers, the bushes, and the trees.

Likewise she made the birds and animals, again using earth and singing the Creation Song” (Oswald). The fact that the creator of life on earth is a woman says a lot about the Hopi people. Woman must have been respected for their ability to create life in the form of babies. Another anthropological insight from the excerpt is the way Spider Woman brings about creation, though song. This gives the reader the impression that song was very important to the Hopi. Song could have been sacred to them. A third insight into the culture of the Hopi is the way the creator acts towards his creations. In the myth, the creator saves the people that still remember him and then proceeds to kill off the rest through the use of fire, water, and ice. This tell the reader that the Hopi believed in a god that was both caring and vengeful. The reader can also see that the Hopi believed that regular appreciation of the gods was

important.
The Hopi myth also has many historical insights. In the myth, the humans migrate from place to place. According to Oswald, the four clans migrated to different places. This could possibly be accurate and be an account of the migration patterns of the Hopi ancestors. The Hopi ended up, “settling in the arid lands between the Colorado River and Rio Grande River” (Oswald). This is a very specific fact that gives the reader is good idea of the area that the Hopi inhabited. It validates the myth making it more credible for both the reader and the Hopi people.
Even though some of my ancestors were Native American, it is very unlikely that they were the Hopi people. The reason I chose to analyze this myth is because it resonates with my very recent family history. My family emigrated from Mexico, more specifically, my parents. They had to go though many obstacles to get to where they are today. It is though their hardships that I have a life with more opportunities here in America. The Hopi myth has many elements that make it relatable. The struggles of the different tribes migrating all the time is a struggle my family has gone through.