The Hopi People

Images of America: Arizona

by Stewart B. Koyiyumptewa, Carolyn O'Bagy Davis, Hopi Cultural Preservation Office

The diverse people of the Hopi, whose name means "the peaceful ones," are today united on the Hopi Reservation, which is composed of 12 villages on more than 2,500 square miles in northeastern Arizona. In fact, the village of Orayvi is considered the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in the United States, dating back more than a millennium. Often referred to as a "corn culture," the Hopis have developed dry-farming techniques that have sustained them in the harsh, arid landscape, where annual precipitation is often only 12 inches or less. The Hopi people are hardworking and spiritual, and their lifestyle has survived for centuries, only minimally changed by influences from the outside world.

128 pages, Paperback

First published May 27, 2009

Reviews

[Ray Perdue · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like the Images of America series because they give you a glimpse into the past, and provide a graphic historical context that we often forget or ignore. This one was particularly interesting to me because I have long been interested in the peoples and cultures of the American Southwest. I wish there was more written about the Hopi people, but this gives you an idea of what life was like for them between the 1880s and 1950s. Their spirit and determination is admirable because despite all the efforts of the US government to eradicate their culture, they have persevered and survived.

[Jeff Macey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bought this book in the Navajo National Monument gift shop. They didn't have a Navajo book so I got this one. Thoroughly enjoyed it and next time I have to go see the Hopi mesas.

[Anjalica · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW left me speechless in so many ways.