Telling Stories Through Objects - Brooklyn Children's Museum

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How the Hopi Indians Reached Their World A traditional Hopi tale When the world was new, the ancient people and the ancient creatures did not live on the top of the earth. They lived under it. All was darkness, all was blackness, above the earth as well as below it. There were four worlds: this one on top of the Earth, and below it three cave worlds, one below the other. None of the cave worlds was large enough for all the people and the creatures. The people increased so fast in the lowest cave world that they crowded it. They did not know where to turn in the blackness. Whenever they moved, they jostled one another. The people filled the place with their complaints and disgust. Some people said, "It is not good for us to live in this way." "But how can it be made better?" one man asked. "Let it be tried and seen!" answered another. Two spirit beings known as the Two Brothers decided to help the people. They pierced a hole in the roof of the cave and planted a cane tree, which grew so tall that it rose through the opening in the roof, and was so strong that men could climb to its top. Up this cane many people and spirit beings climbed to the second cave world. When some of them had climbed out, they feared that this cave also would be too small, so they shook the cane tree and caused those who were coming up it to fall back. Then they pulled the cane tree out. After a long time, the second cave became filled with people and spirit beings, as the first had been. The people complained and wrangled as they had in the beginning. Again, a cane tree was placed under a vent in the cave’s roof, and once more men and beings entered the next cave world. But the same thing happened in the third cave world. Although larger than the others, it was just as dark as the first two. TELLING STORIES THROUGH OBJECTS 38 The people longed for light and sought once again an escape from darkness. They climbed to the fourth world, which was this world, the Earth. But it too was dark, for it was closed in by the sky, just as the cave worlds had been closed in by their roofs. Men went from their lodges and worked by the light of torches and fires, which the Two Brothers gave them. The world was damp and dark, and people did not know what to do. With the people were five spirit beings that had come forth with them from the lower cave worlds: Spider, Vulture, Swallow, Coyote, and Locust. The people and these spirit beings consulted together, trying to think of some way of making light. Spider was asked to try first. She spun a mantle of pure white cotton. It gave some light but not enough. Then the people found and prepared a white deerskin, which they made into a shield case and painted turquoise. It shed such brilliant light that it lit the whole world, and made the light from Spider’s cotton mantle look faded. So the people sent the mantle to the east, where it became the moon. Down in the cave world Coyote had stolen a jar that was very heavy. He was curious to see what it contained. Now that light had taken the place of darkness, he opened the jar. From it many shining fragments and sparks flew out, singeing his face. That is why the coyote has a black face to this day. The shining fragments and sparks flew up to the sky and became stars. By these lights the people found that the world was indeed very small and surrounded by waters, which made it damp. The people appealed to Vulture for help. He spread his wings and fanned the waters, which flowed away to the east and to the west until mountains began to appear.
How the Hopi Indians Reached Their World (continued) Across the mountains the Two Brothers cut channels. Water rushed through the channels, and wore their courses deeper and deeper. Thus the great canyons and valleys of the world were formed. The waters have kept on flowing and flowing for ages. The world has grown drier, and continues to grow drier and drier. Only a small number of people were able to climb up from their secret hiding places and emerge into the Fourth World. Legends reveal the Grand Canyon is where these people emerged. From there they began their search for the homes the Two Brothers intended for them. These few were the Hopi Indians that now live on the Three Mesas of northeastern Arizona. TELLING STORIES THROUGH OBJECTS 39
Page 1 and 2: Portable Collections Program Tellin
Page 3 and 4: ■ CHECKLIST: WHAT’S IN THE CASE
Page 5 and 6: ■ INFORMATION FOR THE TEACHER ■
Page 13 and 14: Hold Emerge Hope Fix Listen Enter I
Page 15 and 16: PREDATORS AND PREY 13 What color or
Page 17 and 18: MASKS 15 What color or colors is th
Page 19 and 20: ACTIVITY 4 All Grades Related Objec
Page 21 and 22: A Fragmented Story: The Blue Willow
Page 23 and 24: ACTIVITY 7 Additional Activities an
Page 25 and 26: ■ RESOURCES AND REFERENCE MATERIA
Page 27 and 28: ■ RESOURCES AND REFERENCE MATERIA
Page 29 and 30: The Myth of Osiris An Ancient Egypt
Page 31 and 32: Cupid and Psyche (continued) By thi
Page 33 and 34: The Necessity of Salt An Austrian f
Page 35 and 36: The Dreaming Prince (continued) sev
Page 37 and 38: The Game Board (continued) "Here,"
Page 39: How the Kiwi Lost Its Wings (contin
Page 43: Acknowledgments Beth Alberty Chrisy

Telling Stories Through Objects - Brooklyn Children's Museum

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