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"The Hopi"

1/22/2017

T H E H O P I
By Kenseth Park, 10 years old
October 2016

(Note: Kenseth and his wonderful volunteer-spirited family helped to pack grocery boxes and also traveled with us to the Hopi reservation to help us distribute food and supplies)

Did you know there are over 50 Indian tribes who live on reservations? There are thousands of people living on reservations. I might teach you more than one, but now I am teaching you about the Hopi tribe.

So the Hopi live on a reservation in Arizona. The Hopi are made up of clans and have their own language. Some of the clans are called Water, Spider, Tobacco, and Rabbit. I bet now you’re wondering, how do they decide what clan people go in? Well, actually, whatever tribe your mom is in, that's the tribe you’re in.

I'm going to teach you some Hopi words. Rain is Oma, Hello is Coloma, Food is Nuseiwka, and Eat is Cocoy.

A lot of us like December but the Hopi doesn't. December is the scariest month of all for them. No jumping, no whistling, no cracking nuts, and most of all, no bouncing balls. If, you do one of those things, they believe the evil spirits will rise and go into your bodies.

They eat lots of bread, blue corn, and stew. You know we have corn, too, but they have to wait a year after harvest before eating it. That's with all the kinds of corn. They have Blue corn, Red corn, Yellow corn, and White-Kerneled sweet corn. They also have Piki and Fry bread. Then they don't use irrigation so they rely on rain to water their crops.

So in conclusion, I told you clans, Hopi words, their food, and about December. So when someone asks you, “Do you know about Indians?” you can say, “Yes, I know about the Hopi Indians.”

There are so many more tribes and maybe I will teach you some. But for now you just know about the Hopi. So I hope you enjoyed learning about the Hopi Indians.

My sources were: The Hopi Indians in person

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October 2014 BUFFALO BLESSINGS Food Delivery Blog by Mr. Mike O'Brien

12/10/2014

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So for the past several weeks it has been "all about me"...well, "us," anyway. Now, for a refreshing change. This past weekend we had the pleasure of helping our friends Anna M. Bennett and husband Rod, deliver food and clothing to the Hopi reservation in northern Arizona. This is my second trip with them as their truck driver. Also, this year, I was happy that Kaye could come along to keep me company in the cab and to help out.

Some years ago, Anna and Rod established the Buffalo Blessings https://www.facebook.com/buffaloblessings/posts/880056248674096?fref=nf a charity dedicated too providing food and clothing help DIRECTLY to the Hopi and Navajo peoples. They do this out of the kindness of their hearts, and with the help of volunteers. There are no administrative costs, paid staff, or any other superfluous expenses. 100% of the money raised is used to purchase food and other needed items for the people. Other donated items are also given directly to the people. They do not work through the tribal bureaucracy or any other governmental agency. Anna and Rod are extremely adept at squeezing the maximum value out of every dollar given to the charity so that the people derive the maximum benefit from the largess of others. We could use them in D.C. to help balance the budget.

Kaye wanted to come along because her service organization, ZONTA, had decided to help out Buffalo Blessings this year. I think that she also wanted to keep an eye on me. Probably, deservedly so. Anyway, ZONTA has helped out the charity, and I know that Anna & Rod are extremely appreciative.

This year's experience began in ernest on Thursday when I met Rod to pick up the biggest rental truck we could get. It was 26' long and 13' high, and had a 12,000 lbs capacity. We over-filled it, but Rod didn't tell me that until after I had driven it down to the reservation. Sneaky! We couldn't get a bigger truck because the village areas are too small to accommodate a bigger rig. Also, you'd probably need a commercial driver's license to handle anything bigger...I don't know.

The next stop was at a local supermarket where they loaded on four heavy pallets of potatoes, onions, and carrots. We then went to a storage facility where other volunteers helped with more loading of barrels of food bags and clothing. We also loaded Rod's large trailer with even more barrels. The truck was full...the trailer was full...and everyone was happy. No injuries were reported.

Early Friday morning, Kaye and I left for the approximate 500 mile, 10&1/2 hour drive down to the Hopi Cultural Center on Second Mesa in northern Arizona, our base of operations for the next couple of days. The poor truck strained under the heavy load and steep hills, but we made it. After checking in, we had dinner at the nice little Hopi restaurant attached to the Center's small motel, and then "crashed."

Saturday morning, the crew of eight headed to the village of Old Oraibi for the first food drop. Old Oraibi is purported to be the oldest continuously inhabited village in the US. The Hopi residents have opted to live there, as much as possible, in the manner of "the old ways." By choice, they do not have utilities in the village. Having dealt with my own domestic plumbing problems over the years, I have often felt that we erred in ever bring water into our homes in the first place. They may be on to something. But I digress. The Hopi people have asked that pictures not be taken in their villages, so what I have posted are from Google. We were able to provide sacks of potatoes, onions, rice, beans, oatmeal, clothing, storage bins, a few tools, and other items to 100 or so families in Old Oraibi. The Hopi people seem to be inherently happy, and they have a kind gentle manner. The appreciation they expressed to us is genuinely heartfelt and very touching.

Our next stop was at the Senior Center where we were able to provide them with some specially requested items, as well as a small barrel of salt and several heavy bags of an oatmeal type food supplement. Thereafter it was on to another village for our third food delivery of the day. This time it was on First Mesa, and located way up a winding road that clings to the edge of sheer cliffs. Truck driving fun...but the view is impressive. Again, we deftly unloaded a few thousand pounds of food and clothing to the village inhabitants. Some of these folks are elderly and/or have some physical limitations. In such instances, the volunteers carry their food bags for them to their respective homes. And again, we were the recipients of their warm appreciation.

After our third drop of the day, our "guide" and main contact guy, Aaron, invited all of us to his trailer for a late lunch. His wife and other family members had been up until the early morning hours preparing a feast for us. The eight of us sat down to a great meal of Hopi tacos, Hopi tea, and pumpkin pie. The base for a Hopi taco is a large piece of fry bread that you top with beans, lettuce, tomato, cheese, onions, and salsa. Damn...I want another one!! All of this was washed down with Hopi Tea...a brew made from boiling and steeping a local plant, and then adding a touch of sugar to take away any bitterness. Another winner! NOTE: There is no alcohol allowed on the reservation...hence, no wine. Not a problem...we all survived, believe it or not.

So after that good day's work, we went back to the Cultural Center, grabbed a couple of hot showers, tried to read a bit, but faded away into our clean sheets and comfortable beds.

On Sunday morning, it was back to Another village on First Mesa where we made our final delivery to a village elders' home. Willis and Ina run a tight ship when it comes to making sure that the donations get delivered fairly throughout their village. This delivery is also a bit easier for us in that we don't have to hand out the individual bags of food. Rather, we unload it in bulk into Willis' poFch area, and then he and Ina take care of the distribution. Still, it took considerable effort to get everything off of the truck and to where it belonged. I note though, that the lifting, rolling, sliding, and carrying always seems to be a bit easier when I consider the purpose.

Ina wanted to have everyone stay and have lunch, but Kaye and I had a big breakfast just a couple of hours before hand, so we begged off. We also explained to Ina that we still had a 10 hour drive ahead of us, and that we didn't want to get home too late. She gave us some homemade bread to take along, and a couple of tamale style desserts that contained a sweet blue corn filling. Both of them wished us a safe journey, and hoped that we would return again next year. I think that will happen.

The 500 plus mile drive home was uneventful...which is just what we wanted. We got home about 2100 hours...almost an even 10 hours from when we left our Hopi friends. The last couple of days of hard work and exercise has finally gotten me back on track with my sleeping pattern. Our recent return from France had me all screwed up, as usual...but last night I got a good uninterrupted eight hours. Just what I needed. We are now well rested...and rejuvenated...in more ways than one. Thanks Anna and Rod for the opportunity to help out. We received much more than we gave.

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Letter to our Supporters, June 2014

8/4/2014

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Thank you, thank you, thank you! The support we have received from so many of you during the past year has been absolutely awesome! You allow us to fulfill our intentions of bringing food, clothing, supplies of daily living and other necessities to the Native American people living on the Hopi and Navajo reservations.

It is quite astonishing to realize that in 2014, a majority of homes on the reservations do not have indoor plumbing, and that many families live in one or two-room dwellings. In fact, approximately half of all Hopi families live in substandard housing units, and more than half of those families live in overcrowded conditions. The same conditions exist for a great number of Navajo families as well. According to the most recent statistics that I’ve been able to research, unemployment stands at an average of 44% and 62% on the Navajo and Hopi reservations, respectively.   Needless to say, many of these proud families survive on incomes that are well below the poverty level.

Because of your generosity, during last October’s visit to the reservations, 700 Hopi and Navajo persons each received a 15-pound bag of fresh potatoes, and a grocery sack filled with 5 pounds of onions, 4 pounds of beans, 2 pounds of rice, 2 pounds of oatmeal, a can of coffee and a can of baking powder. And in addition to many other items, we gave away 60 barrels filled with like-new, warm clothing, new shovels and saws, dozens of storage bins, school supplies, personal hygiene supplies, toys, and 70 gorgeous handmade quilts which were distributed to the elderly!

Prior to our visit, Buffalo Blessings was featured on KUTV Channel 2’s Pay It Forward segment where we were awarded $500 from Mountain America Credit Union!   It was incredibly exciting to have received this media exposure and ensuing support from the community.   We were blessed with amazing donors who provided goods and who funded the purchase of food, volunteers who bagged and packed everything, as well as folks who accompanied us with their own trucks and trailers on the long journey south to the reservations. They are the reason for the success of our 2013 Food Run, and we are more grateful than we can express.

Some great news: Smith’s Food and Drug grocery store has accepted Buffalo Blessings into their giving program! When you link your Rewards Card (either online or at their customer service booth) to Buffalo Blessings, Smith’s will make a quarterly donation in an amount dependent on how much everybody shops! If Smith’s is in your area, please sign up! You still receive your discount gas points and all of the benefits of your Rewards Card; it’s a win-win for both of us!

As we strive to fulfill our mission and commitment to the Hopi and Navajo people by preparing for our October 2014 Food Run, we sincerely hope that we have proved ourselves worthy of your continued support. Please know that your loving generosity is gratefully received by hundreds of beautiful hearts. Thank you so much.

May you always walk in beauty!

Rod& Anna Bennett

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"The Hopi"

October 2014 BUFFALO BLESSINGS Food Delivery Blog by Mr. Mike O'Brien

Letter to our Supporters, June 2014

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