Religion and Hopi Life

Religion in North America

by John D. Loftin

Religion and Hopi Life tells the story of Hopi religious life in a way that makes sense to both Hopis and outsiders. In his interpretation of Hopi religion, John D. Loftin does not subject religious meaning to secular analysis. While not the Hopi's own story, his account attempts to honor and do justice to the way in which the Hopi embody religious meaning through the living of their lives. The second edition of this highly praised book keeps scholarly debates and theories to a minimum, except when they help illuminate the understanding of Hopi religious orientation and worldview. Several important studies of the Hopi have emerged since the book's first publication, and their findings have been incorporated. The book also includes new material on shamanism, death, witchcraft, myth, tricksters, and kachina initiations. This updated edition incorporates other minor corrections and additions to the text, and revises and expands the footnotes and the annotated bibliography.

Genres: Anthropology

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

Reviews

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this book for an Anthropology course (Indians of the Southwest with Dr. Carmichael at the University of Texas at El Paso [UTEP]). It's a pretty interesting and relatively quick read. This book is loaded with information and I thought it was put together well. I learned a lot that I didn't know about Hopi (I didn't know much to begin with) and it made me come up with even more questions to seek out answers to. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to know about Hopis or Southwest indians or indians in general.

[Xarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Required text for Anthropology 615: Southwest Ethnology - Pueblo at Northern Arizona University.