Hopi

The Hopi Indians live in the Southwestern part of the United

States, in the present day states of

Arizona and New Mexico.

The land that they lived on

was a low, flat desert with some high plateaus

called mesas.

The climate was very dry, so dry that few trees grew there. It

could get very hot in the daytime and very cold at night.

Even though it was difficult, the

Hopi were farmers. They

used irrigation to water their crops of beans, corn and squash.

They also raised sheep for meat and wool.

The Hopi had no method of transportation other than

walking.

The built and lived in homes called pueblos. Pueblos were made of

adobe, which is a mixture of straw, clay and water. The doors to their

pueblo was so high that you needed a ladder to get into the house!

The Hopi made their clothes from cotton and wool. They were

expert weavers.

They also made beautiful pottery.

The Hopi were also skilled at making jewelry. They used shells, beads, and a beautiful stone called turquoise. Later the Spanish taught

them how to work with silver.

The Hopi were very religious and held special ceremonies in an underground circular room

called a kiva.

They believed in over 300 different strong spirits that control nature called Kachinas.They carved Kachina dolls to teach their

children the names and powers of the different spirits.