Roadrunner is a bird with remarkable habits and abilities whose footprint makes a curved “X” shape. The petroglyph above shows a roadrunner and his footprint (3-Rivers site in New Mexico) .
Roadrunner distinctive “X” footprints are depicted on Hopi traditional rattles given to young boys before their puberty. The tracks symbolize protection for the boys to have a long life (rattle photo by Sandra Cosentino).
Rattles are used by men during the Kachina ceremonials and represent the sound of rain dropping.
Roadrunner has been mythologized in cartoons here in the modern day Southwest too–he always bested coyote!
Hopi Foster Care Support
On Saturday October 21st Crossing Worlds Hopi Projects sponsored the Super Hero Bargain Hunt for Hopi Foster Care teens. The goal for this Flagstaff shopping day was to challenge the teens to prioritize their own needs and maximize their designated budgets. The teens did indeed prove to be Super Hero Bargain Hunters by staying on budget while finding many practical and much needed clothing and they were all very proud of their choices. One boy remarked that he especially appreciated that he was able to make his own decisions on purchases which is not often the case for him.
Report from Deborah Williams who led this project. A big thank you to Deborah and super hero shopper helpers Jackie Klieger and Kathy Dunham. Deborah will using her thrifty shopping expertise to order coats and clothing for children in need (as identified by our Hopi helpers) for our upcoming Hopi Holiday Project (see below).
We also shipped to Hopi Foster Care multiple cases of hygiene supplies along with school backpacks for the young children and teens.
One of the Hopi Social Services staff commented: “THANK YOU to ALL of YOU for the time, effort and financial means to make our Kids, smile and have a happy heart.” She mentioned how proud and happy it made two of the boys involved to be able to make their own selections and even get brand name shoes.
Home Addition Project
Much progress has been made this past month on the cooperative project with an 11-member family at 2nd Mesa who live in a one-room home without a bathroom. The family is contributing both funds and labor along with our support to hire Hopi builders and purchase building supplies. The walls have been finished and this week the roof was completed with a grant from Red Feather Development Corp, a non-profit who is administering weatherization grants from Arizona Public Service.
Photos provided by family member of finished walls-support piers and with the roof in place with white membrane roofing material installation in progress.
We welcome donations to help the family complete construction of the concrete floor, bedrooms, bathrooms and laundry room.
18th Annual Hopi Holiday Project is underway
Saturday December 16, is the date we have set for delivering youth supplies (learning, sports, new clothing), elder toiletries/hygiene supplies and food. Your donations are very much appreciated to support Hopi families.
We will have a second smaller sleigh delivery to Hopi Foster kids of additional gifts we received from the community by the end of the month.
Local help needed for shopping, packing, loading and to be at donation tables.
For those with a truck or SUV, we welcome hauling help on delivery day.
Please email Sandra at info@crossingworlds.org if you would like to help.
Monetary Donations
- Paypal link is on our Home Page
- Donation Tables will be at Jay’s Bird Barn in Safeway center, Sedona:
Saturdays: Dec 9, 16 and 23, noon to 4 pm
- Tax-deductible donations are made out to “Cornucopia Community Advocates with Crossing Worlds Hopi Projects in memo field and mailed to PO Box 3288, Sedona, AZ, 86340.
Hopi Permaculture Installations completed
Lilian Hill, Director of Hopi Tutskwa Permaculture, sent us a report that she utilized our grant to install new drip irrigation systems at 3 sites along with site contouring with rain catchment berms, planting of an inter-supportive assemblage of fruit trees, currants, gooseberry, honey locust and butterfly bushes. They sheet mulched the trees and mulched with straw bales. At one site, gutters and a cistern was installed. A lasagne garden and vegetable seedlings was installed at one site. Follow up will be done to add soil secrets products to improve soils.
These young farmers are very enthusiastic about growing food next to their homes using the ecological principles of permaculture and are grateful for this opportunity.
Happy Fall and Thanksgiving time to you and
thank you for your interest in and support for Hopi people,
Sandra Cosentino
Project Director
