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Photo by Jim Laurie
The Search for the Sacred Sipapu
By John D. Lewis
The natural spring called the Great Sipapu is one of the most sacred Hopi shrines, and anybody who visits it, whether the visitor shares the Hopi view of the universe, should treat it with reverence. On the other hand, nobody who exhibits such reverence should consider himself an intruder there, for according to the Hopi, all mankind including the Bahana (white race) emerged from this same place.
Making a trip to the Sipapu and to gather ceremonial salt at the related sacred mine was a rite of passage for young Hopi men. The "Salt Trail" into the Grand Canyon was a treacherous journey in the old days, and retains perils aplenty even for the well-equipped modern hiker. Now, as then, it must not be undertaken lightly.
My friend and I did not undertake it lightly. I had majored in anthropology for a while, and my eventual career as an Arizona lawyer also led me to meet and respect Hopi people. So I well knew the Sipapu's story and its importance:
In the beginning Tawa, the sun spirit, created the First World from his own substance and other elements. Spider Grandmother, with the help of her two sons, the Warrior Twins, led its creatures to the Second and then the Third World. In the First World, they were insect-like. In the Second World people were more like mammals, and in the Third World, they were given human form.
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The March/April 2003 Issue is out. Find it at Las Vegas bookstores today.
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