Dan Katchongva (1865-1972),
Hopi
From "The Hopi Story: Teachings, History, and Prophecies of the Hopi People:
as told by Dan Katchongva, Sun Clan" Translated by Dan Agyumptewa
This talk was recorded on 1/29/70 and was published because Mr. Katchongva
hoped that those causing this tragedy could not persist if they had an idea
of the purpose behind Hopi resistance to foreign control. Dan agreed to the
publication of this booklet on condition that it never be sold, insisting
that to sell Hopi teachings would be like selling his own mother. In addition
to the prophecies fulfilled during his lifetime, Dan was told by his father
that he would live to see the beginning of the final event of this era, the
Great Day of Purification. Dan Katchongva died in 1972.
Arrival of Another Race Foretold
Time passed on, people passed on, and the prophecies of things to
come were passed from mouth to mouth. The stone tablets and the rock writing
of the life plan were often reviewed by the elders. Fearfully they waited
as they retold the prophecy that one day another race of people would appear
in their midst and claim our land as his own. He would try to change our
pattern of life. He would have a sweet tongue or a forked tongue and many
good things by which we would be tempted. He would use force in an attempt
to trap us into using weapons, but we must not fall for this trick, for then
we ourselves would be brought to our knees, from which we might not be able
to rise. Nor must we ever raise our hand against any nation. We now call
these people Bahanna.
The Forces of Purification
We have teachings and prophecies informing us that we must be alert for
the signs and omens which will come about to give us courage and strength
to stand on our beliefs. Blood will flow. Our hair and our clothing will
be scattered upon the earth. Nature will speak to us with its mighty breath
of wind. There will be earthquakes and floods causing great disasters, changes
in the seasons and in the weather, disappearance of wildlife, and famine
in different forms. There will be gradual corruption and confusion among
the leaders and the people all over the world, and wars will come about like
powerful winds. All of this has been planned from the beginning of
creation.
We will have three people standing behind us, ready to fulfill our prophecies
when we get into hopeless difficulties: the Moha Symbol (which refers to
a plant that has a long root, milky sap, grows back when cut off, and has
a flower shaped like a swastika, symbolizing the four great forces of nature
in motion), the Sun Symbol, and the Red Symbol. Bahanna's intrusion into
the Hopi way of life will set the Moha symbol in motion, so that the four
great forces of nature (the four directions, the controlling forces, the
original force) will rock the world into war. When this happens we will know
that our prophecies are coming true. We will gather strength and stand
firm.
This great movement will fall, but because its subsistence is milk, and
because it is controlled by the four forces of nature, it will rise again
to put the world in motion, creating another war, in which both the Moha
and the Sun Symbol will be at work. [My note: apparently referring to the
swastika-like Moha (Germany) in conjunction with the Rising Sun (Japan)]
Then it will rest in order to rise a third time. Our prophecy foretells that
the third event will be the decisive one. Our road plan foretells the
outcome.
This sacred writing speaks the word of the Great Spirit. It could mean
the mysterious life seed with two principles of tomorrow, indicating one,
inside of which is two. The third and last, which will it bring forth,
purification or destruction?
The third event will depend upon the Red Symbol, which will take command,
setting the four forces of nature (Moha) in motion for the benefit of the
Sun. When he sets these forces in motion the whole world will shake and turn
red and turn against the people who are hindering the Hopi cultural life.
To all these people Purification Day will come. Humble people will run to
him in search of a new world, and the equality that has been denied them.
He will come unmercifully. His people will cover the Earth like red ants.
We must not go outside to watch. We must stay in our houses. He will come
and gather the wicked people who are hindering the red people who were here
first. He will be looking for someone whom he will recognize by his way of
life, or by his head (the special Hopi haircut) or by the shape of his village
and his dwellings. He is the only one who will purify us. The Purifier, commanded
by the Red Symbol, with the help of the Sun and the Moha, will weed out the
wicked who have disturbed the way of life of the Hopi, the true way of life
on Earth. The wicked will be beheaded and will speak no more. This will be
the Purification for all righteous people, the Earth, and all living things
on Earth. The ills of the earth will be cured. Mother Earth will bloom again
and all people will unite into peace and harmony for a long time to come.
But if this does not materialize, the Hopi traditional identity will vanish
due to pressure from Bahanna. Through the white man's influence, his religions,
and the disappearance of our sacred land, the Hopi will be doomed. This is
the Universal Plan, speaking through the Great Spirit since the dawn of
time.
The Hopi have been placed on this side of the Earth to take care of the
land through their ceremonial duties, just as other races of people have
been placed elsewhere around the Earth to take care of her in their own ways.
Together, we hold the world in balance, revolving properly. If the Hopi nation
vanishes, the motion of the Earth will become eccentric, the water will swallow
the land, and the people will perish. Only a brother and a sister may be
left to start a new life...
We know certain people are commissioned to bring about the Purification.
It is the Universal Plan from the beginning of creation, and we are looking
up to them to bring purification to us. It is in the rock writings throughout
the world, on different continents. We will come together if people all over
the world know about it. So we urge you to spread this word around so people
will know about it, and the appointed ones will hurry up with their task,
to purify the Hopi and get rid of those who are hindering our way of life.
I have spoken. I wish this message to travel to all corners of this land
and across the great waters, where people of understanding may consider these
words of wisdom and knowledge. This I want. For people may have different
opinions about some things, but because of the nature of the beliefs upon
which this Hopi life is based, I expect that at least one will agree, maybe
even two. If three agree it will be worth manyfold.
I am forever looking and praying eastward to the rising sun for my true
white brother to come and purify the Hopi. My father, Yukiuma, used to tell
me that I would be the one to take over as leader at this time, because I
belong to the Sun Clan, the father of all the people on the Earth. I was
told that I must not give in, because I am the first. The Sun is the father
of all living things from the first creation. And if I am done, the Sun Clan,
then there will be no living thing left on the Earth. So I have stood fast.
I hope you will understand what I am trying to tell you.
"I am the Sun, the Father. With my warmth all things are created. You
are my children and I am very concerned about you. I hold you to protect
you from harm, but my heart is sad to see you leaving my protecting arms
and destroying yourselves. From the breast of you mother, the Earth, you
receive your nourishment, but she is too dangerously ill to give you pure
food. What will it be? Will you lift your father's heart? Will you cure your
mother's ills? Or will you forsake us and leave us with sadness to be weathered
away? I don't want this world to be destroyed. If this world is saved, you
all will be saved and whoever has stood fast will complete this plan with
us, so that we will all be happy in the Peaceful Way."
The people will corrupt the good ways of life, bringing about the same
life as that from which we fled in the underworld. The sacred body of the
female will no longer be hidden, for the shield of protection will be lifted
up, an act of temptation toward sexual license will also be enjoyed. Most
of us will be lost in the confusion. As awareness that something extraordinary
is happening will develop in most of the people, for even their leader will
be confused into polluting themselves. It will be difficult to decide whom
to follow. Those gifted with the knowledge of the sacred instructions will
then live very cautiously, for they will remember and have faith in these
instructions, and it will be on their shoulders that the fate of the world
shall rest.
People everywhere must give Hopi their most serious consideration, our
prophecies, our teachings, and our ceremonial duties, for if Hopi fails,
it will trigger the destruction of the world and all mankind. I have spoken
through the mouth of the Creator. May the Great Spirit guide you on the right
path.
[The above drawing is an interpretation of the carving on Prophecy Rock.
Both the drawing and the explanation below come from Thomas Banyacya, Hopi
Elder. There are other interpretations; most are similar to this one.]
Our Hopi history tells us that at the time of emergence we met the spirit
who owns this world. He met us, and we asked him to be our leader. He refused,
saying that we had our own mission to fulfill before he would consider becoming
our leader. He set this life out for us. He gave us instructions. This is
symbolized by his figure holding the line.
Now the circle at the bottom of the drawing symbolizes the physical world
and creation. We went forth into our journeys. We reached a certain point
in time, who knows, maybe a thousand years. There we were met by Massau’u
again. Here he gave us more instructions. To the Hopis he gave a path of
life to follow. This is shown by the straight line that goes across. To the
white brother he gave different instructions. The white brother went up,
and the Hopis went another direction.
Now at this second meeting with Massau’u, he told us that within
the life of this current world, there would be three phases of life where
the whole world would be shaken up. Three nations would rise up and shake
the world. This we interpret to mean world wars. Now up at the left side
we see a symbol. This is what is painted on the Hopi ceremonial rattles that
are given to children.
The rattle symbolizes the world. The painting on the rattle shows the
symbols of the countries that would shake the world three times. I think
that the swastika in the middle symbolizes the German people, who had that
for a symbol. They brought the United States into the First and Second World
Wars. The sun symbol signifies the Japanese people who brought the United
States into the Second World War. Pasivaya, an old religious leader from
Shipaulovi, told me that the third nation to rise up would have its national
symbols in red. The people would wear red caps or red robes. The world has
been shaken up twice already. There is one more war left.
So after the second meeting with Massau’u the white brother went
on his way, and we went on our way, according to instructions. But it was
told that we would meet again some day, that this white brother would come
back to purify us so that we would become one people again. So on the top,
the line means this -- it shows the journey of this white brother. In the
life of the white peoples, they would show themselves to be clever and gifted.
They would invent many scientific things.
So the first three figures shown on the top line symbolize the stages
of the white people, their scientific advancement, from the carriage to the
automobile to the airplane. The circles right underneath the figures prophesy
the three gourds of ashes that would fall on earth. The first and second
circles are interpreted to mean the bombs that fell on Japan in WWII. The
four headless figures on top show our Hopis who have become like the white
people. These are Hopis who have forsaken their Life Plan and who have become
like the Pahana [whites]. They have fallen for the white way of life -- the
easy life, the modern conveniences -- and do not care for Hopi life anymore.
These Hopis will say to other Hopis to follow their ways. Now if all Hopis
fall for this trap, then life will be like the jagged line going up, toward
the upper right corner. It will be up and down, turmoil, earthquakes, floods,
drought. The old people say we are at this stage of life now.
But it is prophesied that a phase of life will come when those Hopis who
have become like the white people will realize their wrongdoings and attempt
to join again the Hopis who are holding on. This is symbolized by the line
going down, back to the Life Plan of the Hopis. Now if this happens, then
there will be times of unity, of all Hopis working together. We would have
then come back to this Life Plan set out by the Great Spirit for us. This
is symbolized by the circle and the corn.
Now it is foretold that we would meet up with Massau’u one more time
as symbolized by the figure on the right. He will judge us and, if we are
deserving to go with him, he will accept to be the leader of the Hopis. And
thereafter we will have a happy life.
As you see, the simple drawing that I have explained to you talks about
the whole world from the beginning to the end. (From Hopi Mental Health
Conference Report, 1982, p. 40.)
Books recommended by the Prophecykeeper for in-depth study of
the Hopi Prophecy
Hotevilla: Shrine
of the Covenent by Thomas E. Mails and Chief Dan
Evehema
The
Book of the Hopi
by Frank Waters
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Native
American Prophecies
by Scott Peterson
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Read
The
Hopi Survival
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by Thomas E. Mails & Chief Dan Evehema
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Here to go to a website where you may purchase any of these books at a 20%
Discount!
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