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Hopi - Kokopilau, the Hump-Backed Flute Player
Taken from the book Keepers of the Earth
After the Hopi people had come out of the sipapu into the Fourth World, they were told by Masaw, the ruler of this world, that they must migrate to the four directions before they could come to the place where they would finally settle. So their travels began. There are many stories of these migrations. More than one of them tells of Kokopilau an insect person who accompanied them. Carvings which depict Kokopilau can be found in rocks from South America to Canada, and the Hopi people say this is proof of how far they traveled. You can see Kokopilau's long antennae branching out from his head in many of those rock drawings, for Kokopilau was a locust or a grasshopper. He was also a flute player and a trickster of sorts, as the flowing story shows.
Near the start of their migrations, the Hopi people climbed to the top of a mountain. On top of that mountain was a great Eagle. "I am the one who guards this place," said the Eagle. "I have lived here since this Fourth World was created. Anyone who would pass into this land must pass my test."
Then Kokopilau stepped forward. "We wish to live in this land," he said. "I am ready to be tested."
At that the Eagle drew forth an arrow. "You must be able to do as I do," he said. Then the Eagle pierced himself with the arrow and drew it with great effort out the other side without hurting himself. "I see that you have great power, indeed," said the Eagle. "You have my permission to lead your people into this new land. You may also use my feathers for your prayer sticks whenever you wish to speak with the Creator. As I am the one who flies the highest and closest to the Sun, your prayers will be taken up to the Creator quickly." So it was that ever since then, the Eagle's feathers have been placed on the pahos or prayer sticks, of the Hopi people.
Then Kokopilau led the people into the new land. As he played his flute, the land and the winds became warm. In the hump on his back he carried seeds of useful plants. Thus the corn and beans and squash and flowers began to grow as the people traveled with the Hump-backed Flute Player across the beautiful new Fourth World in those early days.
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