FIRST
PERSON By Roberto Rodriguez
Tenochtitlan-Mexico City - Hopi runners in green shirts come in
through Chapultepec Park and come to a stop in front of the statue
of Tlaloc ? the ancient spirit of water, rain.
There, they are received by traditional leaders and elders, marking
the end of their 2-week, 2,000-mile historic water run into Mexico-Anahuac.
During ceremony, they are also greeted by a descending eagle (Cuauhtemoc:
eagle that descends).
It will probably take years to fully comprehend the significance
of some 60 members of the Hopi nation in Mexico (more than half
of them runners) delivering a message to the world regarding the
sacredness of water.
The runners came from 12 desert villages, some of which, such
as Oraibi, are actually older than Tenochtitlan, founded in 1325
A.D. In the Hopi mesas, the water is scarce and always threatened
by mining corporations (Peabody, no more)) that for decades have
extracted and contaminated their underground waters. Despite this,
their maize grows. Always. (On the run, they receive word that
Hopiland has received four days of snow.)
I left to my birthplace of Anahuac, spur of the moment to witness
the end of this historic run in the midst of the most intense
anti-immigrant hysteria in decades. The pending draconian legislation
before Congress has in turn spurred on massive mobilizations by
Mexican/Central and South American peoples ? by peoples of all
colors -- demanding that they be treated not as aliens or criminals,
but as full human beings.
Yet, in the midst of these huge nationwide protests, something
beckons me to the land of Quetzalcoatl.
The Hopi runners, with indisputable ties and connections with
the peoples of Anahuac, came with water, prayers, maize, cornmeal,
staffs and feathers from many nations. The message was simple:
?Water is the sustenance of all life? To threaten water is to
threaten all life.Ó
The runners began their trek in northern Arizona, through New
Mexico, all the way down to the 4th International Water Forum
in Mexico City. And while not officially received, they were not
deterred. (A massive anti-water privatization protest also greeted
the forum).
On every stop, there?s talk of prophecies, migrations and ancient
connections. And they are greeted, not with a welcome, but with
a ?welcome home. These are your lands and your waters.Ó
Wherever they go, dances, prayers, songs, ceremonies, gifts, stories,
water and food are exchanged. They trek to the 2,000-year-old
city of Teotihuacan where the temples of the Sun, Moon and Venus
(Quetzalcoatl) are housed. They also pilgrimage to the lands of
Mexico?s volcanoes in Puebla where El Popo spews out a plume during
Hopi dances. They also journey to Temoaya, the Otomie ceremonial
grounds, where they also meet up with Otomie and Incaica relatives.
Everywhere they go, the runners are treated with utmost respect
and great reverence, particularly the elders. Many of those they
meet with acknowledge that they/we are related and that the Hopi
represent memory. The people do not need linguists, archeologists
or anthropologists to affirm this. The stories, the common languages,
the water and the maize communicate this same message: San Ce
Tojuan. Ti masehualme, okichike ka centeotzintli: We are one.
We are macehual, made from sacred maize.
In late night conversations, I am told of the two years of planning
and sacrifice and of the many obstacles and challenges of the
Run. However, all will become lost in the mist of time. What will
be remembered instead is that the runners have created, healed
and reunited history. Some will say they have fulfilled prophecy;
the coming together of the eagle & the condor? cuahu &
kuntur.
Oral traditions speak of the Hopi being the oldest peoples of
the continent and of never having surrendered their sovereignty
to anyone. And indeed, they are accorded this respect across the
continent. It was amazing to see this unfold before my very eyes
when the runners were obstinately prevented from leaving Mexico
because most had come in without passports or visas. And yet,
even in times of high levels of security, Hopi ID was sufficient;
they prevailed.
The Hopi left huge footprints in Anahuac (as seen in our ancient
Amoxtlis or painted books) and a special message for humanity.
Yet another message was also received ? just as Hopi are free
to travel across artificial borders, so too one day their relatives.
Tojuan Titehuaxkalo Panin Pacha Mama.
To contact the writers: XColumn@gmail.com
or 608-238-3161. MEDIA: For photographs, contact Rosanda N. Suetopka
at 928-206-9244 or 928-734-2358
* To contact the H2opi Run organizers: Ruben Saufkie Sr., P.O.
Box 901, Second Mesa, Arizona 86043 (928)734-5438 or Vernon Masayesva.
Exec. Dir., Black Mesa Trust, P.O. Box 33, Kykotsmovi, AZ 88630,
(928)734-9255 www.BlackMesaTrust.org
(c) Column
of the Americas 2006 |