Hopi is deeply ingrained with teachings and practices that offer a healthy lifestyle. Unfortunately, in the 2004 Hopi Community Food Assessment, that with a shift of time and generational gap, Hopi Farming is in a decline. It is our hope the HNYP curriculum serves as a catalyst to conversations and experiences that bring back the knowledge of sharing between generations.
Cultivating Agricultural Knowledge
As threaded throughout the opening contexts, the goals of the HNYP emerge from not only the voices of the Hopi elders and community but the youth as well. It is in honor of these cross-generational voices, concerns, and interests that this curriculum is developed.
The beauty of this process is that it involves the unity of stakeholders- including you, Hopi & Tewa community members- who understand the deeper meanings behind the importance of sustaining a way of life.
The Natwani Coalition and First Mesa Elementary School combined in partnership and piloted the first
Hopi Natwani for Youth Project. A request for the curriculum to be implemented at FMES was fulfilled Monday July 29th, 2013 when Natwani Coalition, Community Advisory Board Members, and Executive Director Monica Nuvamsa, presented 15 curriculum books to the staff and faculty of First Mesa Elementary School.
The partnership between the Natwani Coalition and FMES was integral during this past pilot academic year for HNYP. It allowed the Natwani Coalition to learn from the teachers and staff as to what works within the curriculum, what may need improvement, and what the support staff may need to implement within the lessons for better teachings. It also helped strengthen the content and curriculum so that it will be stronger when it comes time to implement the curriculum within all Hopi schools and community programs.
Askwali! Kwa'kwai! Kona'aa! Thank You!
FMES for the success in this years program!
A Look Into the
Hopi Natwani for Youth Project
HNYP is structured around the 12 Hopi lunar cycles that
Hopi observe, and it contains 4 lessons for every cycle
Tömö - Winter Lesson Unit:
Kyaamuya (December)
Paamuya (January)
Powamuya (February)
Tamöngnawit - Spring Lesson Unit:
Ösömuya (March)
Kwiyamuya (April)
Hatikonmuya (May)
Taal'ang - Summer Lesson Unit
Wuko’uyismuyaw (June)
Tala’powamuya (July)
Tala’paamuyaw (August)
Toho'os - Fall Lesson Unit
Nasanmuya (September)
Toho’osmuyaw (October)
Kyelmuyaw (November)
The Hopi Natwani for Youth Project and implementation could not have been possible without the support and funding from:
- The Hopi Foundation
- The Christensen Fund
- The Arizona Humanities Council
- Generous Contributions from our Donors
A heartfelt thank you to each and every individual who had a part in the development of the curriculum, your dedication to strengthen Hopi farming in our youth is DEEPLY APPRECIATED!
''The focus is to transfer the knowledge of our teachings that have been here since time immemorial, this knowledge from our past is important for our youth to remember who they are and where they come from ''