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Do Ear Candles really come from the Hopi Tribe? No. Many people believe that ear candles have come from the Hopi Tribe due to a picture that circulates on the website that has been misinterpreted as a father passing ear candles onto his son. Regrettably, this is not true. The following picture that is normally misrepresented by ear candling companies and their users is actually a picture of a father passing down prayer feathers to his son before his journey: For the complete story of the snake people, please visit: http://www.firstpeople.us/FP-­‐Html-­‐Legends/The_Origin_Of_The_Hopi_Snake_Clan-­‐
Hopi.html According to the National Park Service of the United States of America: The mural is one-­‐quadrant of a 4 quadrant mural painted by Fred Kabotie in 1932 at the Desert View Watchtower (constructed by the Fred Harvey Company and designed by famed architect Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter). In her 1933 book entitled “Manual for Drivers and Guides of the Indian Watchtower at Desert View and its Relation, Architecturally to the Prehistoric Ruins of the Southwest,” the image displayed is one of the father giving prayer sticks to his son. The son is about to leave on a journey down the Colorado River in search of the snake people. The mural is part of the snake legend story of the Hopi people. The prayer sticks (feathers) are commonly depicted as part of Hopi customs. (3) Mary Coulter, commissioned the Wachtower at Desert View, which is where the picture you refer to is drawn. She drew on her southwest history to conceive a structure that told tales: (from Mary Colter, Architect of the Southwest) This project brought Mary together with Hopi painter, Fred Kabotie. Kabotie shaped the artwork to communicate the physical and spiritual origins of the Hopi life. Kabotie did not tell the tale of ear candling but rather the Hopi snake legend – the story of the first man to navigate the Colorado River. Please note that this position is clearly affirmed by the Hopi Cultural Preservation Office which states their position as follows: “The Hopi people desire to protect their rights to privacy and their intellectual property rights. Due to the continued misrepresentation and exploitation of the rights of the Hopi people, guidelines were established to protect the rights of present and future generations of Hopi people. The Hopi Tribe requires that any entity whether private or commercial wishing to engage in research, publication, or recording activities on the Hopi Reservation first obtain a permit from the Hopi Cultural Preservation Office, located in the Honahnie building in Kykotsmovi, AZ.” (Exhibit 1) As of this date, there has been no permit granted to anyone to use the Hopi name or share any of the Hopi Intellectual Property regarding ear candles (as there is none), especially for commercial profiteering. The Hopi Tribe, which is a very poor and devastated tribe, has asked others to stop using their name in association with ear candling: “The Hopi Cultural Preservation Office is not aware of Hopi people ever practicing “Ear Candling.” Biosun and Revital Ltd. are misrepresenting the name “Hopi” with their products. This therapy should not be called “Hopi Ear Candling.” The history of Ear Candling should not refer to as being used by the Hopi Tribe. Use of this false information with reference to Hopi should be stopped.” (Exhibit 2) The Hopi Tribal Council is not even sure that the pictures of Martin Gashweseoma are to be used for the promotion of ear candles: “We appreciate your efforts to stop this false representation in the United Kingdom, and we will inquire as to whether Martin Gashweseoma gave permission for the use of his image for the promotion of ear candles. Thank you for your interest in resolving this situation.” (Leigh J. Kuwanwisiwma, Director, Hopi Tribal Council) If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact Lee Wayne Lomayestewa at the Hopi Cultural Preservation Office. Thank you again for your consideration. (Exhibit 2) Regrettably, Gashwesoma is not an authorized representative among the Hopi and was specifically condemned by actual Hopi priests, in another similar matter where a person was misrepresenting the Hopi name using Martin Gashwesoma as a reference. This person, Delicado, was specifically asked by the Hopi tribal council to stop her misrepresentation of both Gashwesoma’s status and Hopi prophecy. She refuses.[1] "Gashweseoma had been the keeper of the Sacred Tablets until he was stripped by the Fire Clan for an attempted unauthorized speech at a press conference in 1990. He and Thomas Banyaka tried to warn the world about the expending strife they foresaw for the planet and gave a press conference in which he "brought the sacred tablets out." This did not sit well back home at the "Rez." [reservation] A political struggle ensued with Gashweseoma stripped of his custody of the Sacred Tablets in early 1991. . . ." [The Mysterious Valley -­‐-­‐
page 285 St. Martins Press, 1996] Even if Martin Gashwesoma had misrepresented the ear candles the truth is very clearly documented. To depend upon an elder that has been banished from his position and tribe and a phone call from Andrew Bushenreiter (who is not a Hopi member) as expertise in this matter is hearsay and probably not wise. If you check with the United States government and the Hopi Council, you will be able to verify the truth first hand versus second hand misinformation. The Hopi Indians live in a very remote region, in the desert of the southwestern United States. Understanding Hopi culture, and Hopi spiritual beliefs in particular, is extremely difficult. The Hopi have survived as a distinct culture for thousands of years by withdrawing from outsiders to avoid conflict. Part of this includes keeping Hopi spiritual traditions as secret as possible from non-­‐Hopi. Hopi practices are so secretive that its members are today legally barred from discussing their religion without express permission from the tribal council. Outsiders are barred from Hopi ceremonies and religious sites, and meddling of any kind in Hopi affairs by non-­‐Hopi is explicitly barred[2]. In 1997, a meeting by the Hopi religious priesthoods decided to restrict access to Hopi villages. The meeting condemned “new-­‐age interpretation and appropriation of Hopi religious practices [and]…self appointed leaders and spokespersons.”[3] Thus any outsider claiming to represent the Hopi, or claiming to be teaching Hopi traditions or expounding on Hopi prophecy is either engaged in deception or fraud, or deluded. Several outsiders claiming to be Hopi spokesmen actually suffer from mental illness. The central reason for Hopi secrecy is the frequent lies, distortions, and abuse of their spiritual traditions. Their isolation and semi-­‐pacifism (most Hopi will only fight if directly attacked) leads many outsiders to deeply romanticize and exoticize Hopi tradition, projecting their fantasies of a purer and better world upon them. Spiritual exploiters and imposters have frequently taken advantage of the longings of such seekers, seeking to build cults, influence, and power, and gain money or sexually abuse their followings. The Hopi Nation issued a warning in 2002 entitled, “Cultural Theft and Misrepresentation”: "Over the years many individuals, both Hopi and non-­‐Hopi, have purposely distorted and exploited Hopi spirituality and the Hopi way of life to suit their own ends. The reasons for this misrepresentation vary as much as the people who engage in it. The most common motives, however, are notoriety, profit, or political manipulation. Irrespective of the intent, it all results in an unwanted intrusion by outsiders on the Hopi way of life. The Hopi Tribe then cautions: Beware of any individual or organization using the Hopi name to promote spiritual workshops, seminars or other "religious" activities. It is not a Hopi cultural value to try and convert non-­‐Hopi people to Hopi religious beliefs or ways. And, sharing religious knowledge for profit is unacceptable to most Hopi people. (4) 1 ↑ “Issues.” “The Dream Masters,” http://www.thedreammasters.org/hopi/martingashweseoma.php, accessed 8-­‐18-­‐10 http://psiram.com/en/index.php/Hopi_and_Pseudo_Hopi_Prophecies?COLLCC=2756161
686& 2 -­‐ “Visitor Guidelines,” http://web.archive.org/web/20030221150743/www.infomagic.net/~hoatvela/visitors.h
tml, accessed 8-­‐18-­‐10 3. · ↑ Issues-­‐ Press Releases from Hotevilla Priesthood Assembly,” http://web.archive.org/web/20030221145415/www.infomagic.net/~hoatvela/issues.ht
ml, accessed 8-­‐18-­‐10 4. Cultural Theft and Misrepresentations: http://forums.powwows.com/734623-­‐
post596.html Exhibit 1 http://www.nau.edu/~hcpo-­‐p/hcpo/index.html HCPO Policy and Research Protocol for Research, Publications and Recordings: Motion, visual, sound, multimedia and other mechanical devices The Hopi Tribe Policy: The Hopi people desire to protect their rights to privacy and in and to Hopi intellectual resources. Due to the continued abuse, misrepresentation and exploitation of the rights of the Hopi people, it is necessary that guidelines be established and strictly followed so as to protect the rights of the present and future generations of the Hopi people. Towards this end, the Hopi Tribe shall be consulted by all projects or activity involving Hopi intellectual resources and that such project or activity be reviewed and approved by the Office of Historic and Cultural Preservation through a permitting process or other contractual agreement. This Protocol should in no way be construed as being a call for commoditization or commercialization of the intellectual resources of Hopi people, nor is it a justification to bring the Hopi people unwillingly into a commercial relationship. The Hopi Tribe reserves the right to NOT sell, commoditize or have expropriated from them certain domains of knowledge or information. Exhibit 2 March 1, 2004 Dear Ms. King, Thank you for your letter dated March 2, 2004, in follow-­‐up to your September 19, 2003, requesting clarification of the Hopi Cultural Preservation Office's response. The Hopi Cultural Preservation Office is not aware of Hopi people ever practicing "Ear Candeling." Biosun and Revital Ltd. are misrepresenting the name "Hopi" with their products. This therapy should not be called "Hopi Ear Candling." The history of Ear Candling should not refer to being used by the Hopi Tribe. Use of this false information with reference to Hopi should be stopped. We appreciate your efforts to stop this false representation the United Kingdom, and we will inquire as to whether Martin Gashweseoma gave permission for the use of his image for the promotion of ear candles. Thank you for your interest in resolving this situation. If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact Lee Wayne Lomayestewa at the Hopi Cultural Preservation Office. Thank you again for your consideration. Respectfully, Leigh J. Kuwanwisiwma, Director Hopi Cultural Preservation Office xc: Martin Gashwesoma, Hotevilla Lee Wayne Lomayestewa Kenneth Quanimptewa, CSA, Hotevilla Raj Vora, Revital, Ltd., 78 High St., Ruislip-­‐Middx. HA4 7AA, UK Vanessa A. Charles Public Relations Officer The Hopi Tribe P.O. Box 123 Kykotsmovi, AZ 86039 (928)-­‐734-­‐3283 (phone + fax) Email: [email protected] Exhibit 3 -­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐ Forwarded by Tara Travis/CACH/NPS on 02/23/2006 03:23 PM -­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐-­‐ Jan Balsom To: Tara Travis/CACH/NPS@NPS 02/23/2006 03:11 PM MST Subject: Re: Fw: Hopi Murals Question(Document link: Tara Travis) ________________________________________________________________________________ Tara -­‐-­‐ if you want, you can forward this: The mural is one-­‐quadrant of a 4 quadrant mural painted by Fred Kabotie in 1932 at the Desert View Watchtower (constructed by the Fred Harvey Company and designed by famed architect Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter). In her 1933 book entitled "Manual for Drivers and Guides of the Indian Watchtower at Desert View and its Relation, Architecturally, to the Prehistoric Ruins of the Southwest", the image displayed is of the father giving prayer sticks to his son. The son is about to leave on a journey down the Colorado River in search of the snake people. The mural is part of the snake legend story of the Hopi people. The prayer sticks (feathers) are commonly depicted as part of Hopi customs. I hope this answers your question. Jan ***************************************************************************** Janet R. Balsom Chief, Cultural Resources Grand Canyon National Park P.O. Box 129 Grand Canyon, Arizona 86023 (928) 638-­‐7758 (office) (928) 638-­‐7650 (fax) [email protected]