Meditations with THE HOPI
A Centering Book By
Robert Boissiere
Copyright © 1986 Robert Boissiere
Publisher: Bear & Company, PO Box 2860, Santa Fe, MN 87504
ISBN 0-939680-27-0

Chapter 1 / MAS-KI: The Underworld

Excerpt:

TOKPELA, The First World

Amidst the bellowing of the Volcanoes, the roaring of the
earth masses, carousing in a huge tidal wave, was the laughter
of the unchained winds, disheveled but released.
It was nature, at its best, and at its worst.
Flashes of the lightning, roaring of the thunder -
earth was being born, like a new babe, crying, demanding,
flowing in a giant faucet of lava. Like all births
like all mutinies - it was an explosion!

Among the noises of creation, but abreast of it;
disciplining the winds, modulating their tonalities,
shaping the sounds: Taiowa, god of creation, spoke at last
          in a loud voice:
"I have funneled the noises of the wind,
in a powerful music of sounds," he said.
"I brought forth the dynamics of the forces of creation,
          like a work horse to its labors.
The currents of the dark lava are staring to congeal.
I need a helper, a supervisor, a foreman,
          To bring things to order."

So Taiowa, the creator, created Sotuknang,
And he called him his nephew. Sotuknang said:
"To make Tokpela, the first world, to shape these currents,
to enchain the forces unleashed by Taiowa,
I need a companion, a mother to this world to come."

From the sheer power given him by the creator, Sotuknang
willed a being, a force an energy, to give succor;
Woman Spirit, Kokyang-Whuti, "Spider Woman."
Together they will shape the bubbling hot and fuming mass
          called the Earth.

"Now," said Taiowa, "We have the Earth,
we have the waters to cool it, from the heat of creation.
I made the air, to coordinate the two.
So now we have the first world. But …no one is to be in it,
          And witness its marvels."

So, Spider Woman said:
          "Sotuknang and I thought about that."
This is how Pokan-Hoya and his brother, Palongo-Hoya came to
The first world; the twin brothers who were to look after it,
          and protect it, inhabit it.

"Evava!" aid the first twin to his brother.
"Ansai!" he answered. "Lolamai! Everything is beautiful."
- Which are the Hopi formal greetings.

Sotuknang, Spider Woman, and the twins, were created out of
the will of Taiowa to participate in the creation of mankind.
But they have to have a song to do it;
          the Song of Creation.
A song mankind shall not forget in order to survive;
a song they must keep inside of themselves,
          lest they lose the way.
It was decided the younger of the twins, Tuvko,
"younger brother", as they called him,
          should make the song.

The Song of Creation

From the four corners of the universe:
          From the East, for red is its color;
          From the North, for white is its color;
          From the West, for yellow is its color;
          And from the South, for blue is its color;
In the counterclockwise motion of Tawa Taka, the Sun Father,

Come the four colors of the races of humankind,
          each with its leaders,
          each with its destiny.
Soon they will fight, as it is prophesied,
but someday they shall unite.
          Then they will remember
          that Taiowa is their Spirit Father;
          that Sotuknang is their adoptive one;
          and that Spider Woman is the web
          which unites them all.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Robert Boissiere comes to Native American culture through an international odyssey. Born in Paris, France, he narrowly survived the hardship of World War II. He subsequently came to the Untied States where he followed an inward journey, one which led him to the mesas of North Arizona and his adoption by a Hopi family.

Through his continued involvement in Native American culture, Robert Boissiere observes and participates in a tradition which he shares with us in this, his third book.

Support your Local Independent Online Book Stores:
BookSense.Com
Return to Start of Excerpt
Back to Spirit Index