In commemoration of the Great Pueblo Revolt of 1680, the Hopi Cultural Preservation Office, with coordinated efforts by Pavinyama Productions, the Miss Hopi Pageant Committee, the Hopi Music Festival Committee and the Hopi Footrace (formerly Orayvi Footrace), has scheduled festivities Friday through Sunday, Aug. 10-12.
Scheduled events promise to be bigger and better this year. Featured events include a rodeo at the Pavinyama Arena, two days of music at the Hopi Veterans Memorial Center and the popular Hopi Footrace at historic Orayvi (Old Oraibi). The newly crowned 2012-13 Miss Hopi will serve as the official host of the celebrations.
An Art Expo will also be held, along with the sixth annual Original Hopi Music Festival. The music festival will feature several Hopi musicians. Appearing will be the Sunfire Band, Hopi Clansmen, Desert Country, Blind Destiny, Rattlesnake and the Smoke Rings Band. Individual performers, such as the ever popular father-daughter duo of Gary and Holly LaRance, E.J. Satala, Rod Tortice, Wil Numkena and Gabe Yaiva, will also perform.
After almost 140 years of dominance by the Spanish crown and Catholic Church, the Hopis joined the Pueblos of New Mexico to overthrow the throne. Spanish rule and Catholic influence never regained their prior level of power among the Hopi villages.
In 2002, the Hopi Tribal Council adopted the Pueblo Revolt Day Holiday, declaring Aug. 10 as the official holiday for the Hopi and Tewa people, Hopi Independence Day. This holiday replaces the Columbus holiday.
A presentation on an eight-year collaborative research project with the University of Arizona and the Hopi Cultural Preservation Office will be presented to the public on the Hopi-Spanish Document Project. This project collected numerous historic records from the National Museum of Mexico, several museums in Spain and the Vatican. These records were compiled into a 400-page manuscript on the history of Spanish contact with the Hopis and Pueblos. This presentation is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 12 noon on Friday, Aug. 10, at the Hopi Wellness Center.
Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend the festivities.
For information on the music festival, contact Leigh at (928) 380-6322; for information about art and food vending booths, contact Sonwy at (602) 692-3086; and for information about the Hopi-Spanish Research Project, call HCPO Archivist Stewart Koyiyumptwa at (928) 734-2615.
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