Visiting Hopi: A Culture of Rich History, Humility, & Collective Awakening

By Serpentbird Tribe Writer;

Lakai Hernandez.

Sunset at Hopi

I was introduced to a Hopi contact after supporting a mother and daughter with healing work. The daughter asked how she could support me in return. I told her that through a series of spirit led dreams I felt guided to work with the Hopi, through her connection with them, she could help me fulfill part of my soul’s purpose. This was my chance. She obliged, and I met with her contact at a river in Sedona in order for her to determine whether or not she felt the same way about me coming to Hopi as I did.

As we talked, 6 hawks, and 6 eagles kept flying directly overhead, after they circled ten times she said, “Woah, okay! I'm definitely taking you up to meet the Hopi.” The hawks and eagles had served as confirmation that a bond of trust between us would be made.

Hawks have always shown up for me as confirmations to messages of truth, often times flying directly into my path as I'm aligning, or speaking the truth, either in thought, or in spoken word. Eagles have shown up for me around confirmations to visions, or to let me know that I'm aligning to my true vision, whether in thought, word, or action. 

I joined her on her next trip. After meeting with a Hopi family, and getting to know them more, I received approval to come up by myself on numerous occasions, and even to bring my own connections. Together, we hiked Tewa's Canyon, visited Prophecy Rock, and attended many ceremonial dances.

Every time I have visited Hopi I have gone through radical changes to my psyche and have experienced major perspective shifts, especially around my conditioning from our modern culture. These shifts have often been initiated by surfacing ancestral trauma in the form of resistance to living in the communal ways of the Hopi. These resistant and wounded ancestors were directly standing in the way of my heart and mind being able to stretch, and were making it impossible for me to grow. With my experience with navigating these realms, I have been dedicated to healing these unwell ancestors, and helping them transition to healed and well ancestors. Every time I've gone through these shifts, I've found myself able to more fully immerse myself in the Hopi culture and way of life.

Petgroglyphs at Hopi

Almost everyone I encountered and spoken with is knowledgeable of their traditions and culture, including its rich symbols, their meanings, and how those symbols support the Hopi way of life, as well as all of life. Their beautifully woven baskets, and beautiful works of art can be found decorating nearly every home on Hopi. Everyone is giving, humble, and happy to be alive. Their humility shines through in their amazing sense of humor. They are often light-heartedly joking about themselves, and family members. They believe that one must not take themselves too seriously and that humor keeps us humble and not too attached to our ego. They receive jokes made about them without taking offense, and respect when others are able to do the same.

In 2013, I attended the Lightning in a Bottle transformational festival. Early that morning two hawks circled the ceremonial space, above where the Native speakers were planning to speak. It was here that I met a Hopi Elder of the Flute Clan. He shared a story with me that directly linked to a shared dream that I had with a friend of mine. It was a dream of Chichen Itza, where Mayan and Hopi Elders were both present. The Hopi Elder asked me to come visit him on the reservation at the end of one of his talks, but I had difficulty getting in contact with him. The panel host wanted me to pay her $200 dollars to connect us, and $200, supposedly, for the Hopi Elder. This did not feel right to me, as I had been invited to speak with him directly, and the host was a caucasian appearing woman, who felt to me like she was capitalizing, or monetizing her connection with him.

In June 2025, on a brief birthday trip to Hopi, I discovered that this Hopi Elder is extended family to my Hopi sister. She graciously connected us, but we had to hit the road before we got a chance to meet him in person. Fate called us back to Hopi for one last visit before our pilgrimage to Guatemala and connecting to the Mayan culture. This visit was to be about the celebration of our Hopi sister’s birthday, Indigenous Giveback Day* (aka Thanksgiving), and finally meeting the Hopi Elder once again. 

On the way up to 1st Mesa I noticed petroglyphs on the walls besides the main road up. We got to the top and we entered his house. I waited until he came into the kitchen to sit and talk with me. We need a Hopi translator for the entire discussion. He was able to speak English quite well, but could not comprehend by listening to the spoken language.

He talked to me about the discoveries he made around the migration path story, and brought out his book to show me. We talked for quite some time about the Hopi and Mayan connections. He also has ancient parchment with migration stories of the Flute Clan crossing the ocean, and arriving in the Gulf/Caribbean area. This is one of the oldest of many ancient stories, passed down through artifact, and Hopi oral tradition, that I am blessed to receive. As for me, I was able to share with him a little bit about my dreams, as it relates to our shared mission. 

As we both integrate what was shared, I believe that shared mission, and our role in humanity’s awakening, will become clearer. It was an excellent first meeting and I was invited to visit again soon. It is my hope that on this visit, I may find out who else already shares our vision, so that I can align to them, meet them, and help bring us together to fulfill this calling. 

It is my understanding that through visiting these sacred sites, and through the sharing of these ancient stories, I am gaining deeper knowledge of our ancient past and cultivating deeper wisdom on how to fulfill my purpose. Not everyone is called to visit sacred sites as part of their purpose, but many are for reasons of initiation, healing, pilgrimage, soul remembrance and awakening. To me, Hopi is one of those places; a place of remembering, a place where many soul seekers awaken to humanity’s collective destiny to unite as one human family.