Spiritual Values of the Piiion-Juniper
Woodland: A Hopi Perspective
Bruce K. ~ o ~ i ~ u m p t e w a '
My talk is not based on any scientific research or technical
paper, but is basically a talk from the "heart", management of
the piiion-juniper (P-J) woodlands from the heart.
The piilon-juniper woodland plays on essential role in Hopi
Indian Ceremonialism. Tribal ceremonies are a signrficant part
of Hopi culture. To the Hopi, spiritual ceremonies is considered
to be cyclic, it does not have a beginning nor an end
Before I pmceed with my talk, perhaps clarification on the
term "Religious Ceremony" or "Spiritual Ceremony" need to
be addressed here. Most people unfamiliar with Indian culture
often equate the two terms. To me, the two terms are
sigdicantly different. I have looked up the two words in the
dictionary. Here is what Webster's New World Dictionary said.
RELIGION:
1) A belief in a divine or super human power
or powers to be obeyed and worshiped as
the creator.
2) Any specific system of beliefs and worship
often involving a code of ethic and
philosophy.
SPIRITUAL:
1) Of the spirit or soul as distinguished from
the body or material matter.
To the Hopi People, ceremonies are spiritual. Spirituality is
not a belief in a divine power to be worshiped or obeyed but a
belief in a spirit or soul to have a balanced life, to be in harmony
with oneself, the Mother Earth, the plants and animals, the
universe.
Hopi Spiritual Ceremonies is about having a fulfiiled,
successful, and balanced life. Here the word "successful" does
not mean to be affluent in money or material things but simply
to be in harmony with Oneself, with the Mother Earth, Plants
and M
s and to have a happy, fidfilled, balanced life.
As indicated earlier, the piiion-juniper woodland plays an
essential role in Hopi Ceremonies, "Hopi Thinking",
philosophy, if you will is this. "All Things Are Connected, The
' District Silviculturist, Conconino National Forest, Flagstaff, AZ.
Earth, Plants, Animals, the Sun, Moon, and Stars, and Mankind.
"So-soi-he-he-muh-na-nah-me-me-yu-wah" is a Hopi Indian
word (may be incomctly spelled) as used here to describe this
unique relationship.
Because of this unique relationship, the Hopis emphasize "life
values" or "spiritual values" on piiion-juniper woodland
resource primarily for their emotional well-being, whereas, the
Euro/American philosophy is a linear type of thinking, more of
a profit motive in management of the pfin-juniper resource.
I think I can relate clearly the sigmiicance of piiion-juniper
woodland on Hopi spiritual ceremonies by telling a story.
It was sixteen days before the annual Winter Solstice
Ceremony",the Spa1 Ceremony (reestablishing pattern of life).
The elders, the young initiates (Ke-Kelt), and the manfolks were
anxious to perform this important ceremony to prepare for the
Summer Solstice, or the Nirnan Kachina Ceremony. The Man
Society or "Wu wuchim" Society had just completed the Wu
wuchim Ceremony (first ceremony of the Hopi ceremonial
cycle). Several young initiates who participated in the fmt
ceremony did not gather adequate ceremonial material from the
Tuvehqulu and Ngomap-qulu (piiion-juniper woodland) the
previous year and were quiet concerned. One particular initiate
said to his grandfather. "Grandfather", soon it will be time to
perform the Soyal Ceremony and I have no more ceremonial
material left from the Wuwuchirn ceremony to help perform thls
important ceremony. My God-father and I have taken several
trips to the Tweh and Ngomapqulu but were unable to find
many ceremonial plants, animals, and birds so vital to perform
this important spiritual ceremony. Grandfather, you do remember
when several men from the Wu-Wuchim Society and young
initiates were not successfbl too. Gmndfather, the sand grass
(Calarnovilfa gigantea) as well as the Tucum-seh (larkspur), the
Ha-seh (buttercup) and other plants were no longer p l e a .
The alder, the hopi-ve-vah (Hopi Tobacco), (Nicotniana
trigonophyla) that grow along the wash were not p l e n m .
Grandfather, you also will remember the To-cha
(Hummingbird), Slkyas-eh (yellow warbler), Keh-lau-yah
(sparrowhawk) and other birds no longer stop at the Tweh-gulu
and Ngomapqulu when they migrate from Mexico and South
America because the Pahana (whitemen) at the local Indian
agency have destroyed these areas. Grandfather, how can I
prepare the Mugh-va-ho (hunter's prayer stick) for my Brothers,
the Pahos (prayer sticks) and Prayer Feathers for my mother,
sisters, uncles, aunts, and people of the pueblo so they can start
on their journey, this Road of Life to be in harmony, to have a
happy, successfbl, and balanced life? "Grandson", yes, I do
remember, and yes, I will help you with the necessary
ceremonial materials, but, you must remember to gather enough
but never, never take all. You must remember to leave a prayer
feather as an offering for aLl the ceremonial material you have
gathered. Grandson, you see, for many years, the local
government Indian agency have cleared the Tuvehqulu and
Ngomap-qula (piiion-juniper woodland) to provide forage for
livestock. The Indian agency have planted other Tu-sah-kah
(grasses, plants), but these strange plants do not provide us
material to vital to our spiritual ceremonies. Yes, Grandson,
when the ceremonies are completed, and we've gone through
the four days of Na-nap-wala (purifying from oneself), we must
carry our message to the local Indian government agency. The
Pahana need to be aware of our concerns.
I think, due to past piiion-juniper management practices
(chaining projects) some woodlands are depleted of plants,
animals, and birds so vital to Hopi spiritual ceremonies.
The Coconino National Forest recently proposed a draft
entitled, "Guide To Native American Use Of Forest Products",
which listed various plants used by Hopi Tribal members. I am
reluctant to disclose this information to the general public for
two reasons:
The "New Age" thing is so popular around
the Flagstaff and Sedona area that many of
these "Wa-na-be" Indians have started
utilizing several key plant species that are
so vital to Indian ceremonies.
In this age of holistic herbal medicinal
practices, herbal stores are increasing at an
alarming rate. Many of these stores
"commercialize" the use of key
ceremoniaVmedicina1 plants.
It is my perception that the pifion-juniper woodlands will soon
be depleted of these key plants that are so vital to Hopi Spiritual
Ceremonies.