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What’s the article about?

The article discusses the value of Juniper tree. The Juniper tree is considered an important piece and a valuable object in the Hopi culture. Not only that it is valuable but the Juniper tree is a main resource material that supports the life of the people in the Hopi Culture. This includes shelter, warmth, tools and food which can be stated a resource for the Hopi people daily lives basic necessities.

Anthropological terms / vocabulary that I found in the articles

-archeological

-endured

-interconnected

-mischief

-agonized

-colossal

-peabody

-coarse calico

-evergreen

-ascertained

-ancestral

-pristine

-precarious

-merely

Fieldwork location

The fieldwork took place in Northern Arizona

Group studied

The group studied in this ethnography is the Hopi tribe

Ethnographer

The ethnography was done by ethnographers named Stewart B. Koyiyumptewa and Chip Colwell

Fieldwork context

The research or in this case fieldwork was done in fall 2015 and published on 31st of August 2017

Historical context

The Hopi is a tribe that has been structured for years and in this fieldwork it seems to be discussing the Hopi tribe specifically in Arizona. The people of the Hopi tribe have been valuing and appraising the Juniper tree for years, the Juniper tree has become a symbol for their culture, the Juniper tree have ease their daily live needs as it has fulfil their basic necessities to live a day to day life, however in fall 2015 Peabody energy which is the worlds largest coal company, made plans to expand the mine in neighbouring ares. That being said, will affect the Juniper tree and the Juniper tree was intended to be cut off. This plan caused controversy to the Hopi tribe as it was considered precious and a symbol for the Hopi people.

Key concepts found in the passage

-Society

-symbolism

-Change

-Power

-Materiality

How is materiality relevant to this passage?

The concept “materiality” is enormously significant to this passage knowing that the Juniper tree is considered substantial and meaningful object in the Hopi tribe. It has been taken care of for years and this one tree has been  praise and glorify in the Hopi culture. Considering that the Juniper tree is a big part of the Hopi it has been regard highly leading to become one of the symbol in the Hopi culture.

Why does anthropology matter?

Anthropology is important because without the existence of anthropology society will lack knowledge regarding the uniqueness of one culture and the basic knowings with the knowledge that the world is diverse and many has different aspects in life and different structure. Anthropology matters in the world because it helps others understand why a certain culture does this, why a culture or community highly value few things and why a community from a culture prohibit these type of actions. Without the help of anthropology it will lessen the peace that the world owns and people will easily judge others with their beliefs.

# data[].attributes.body
What's the article about?

The article tackles the significance of Juniper trees to the culture and traditions of the Hopi Tribe. It mentions the tree’s usage and application within Hopi culture, and how their way of living is threatened by an expansion of a coal mining company. On a larger scale, it covers the contribution of companies or corporations in increasing environmental and cultural damage.

Anthropological terms/vocabulary that you found in the articles

Traditionalist

Religious sites

Archaeological remains

Rural isolation

Cultural origins

Wild resources

Cultural practices

Ceremonies/Ceremonial torch

Ancestors/Ancestral sites

Cultural survival

Immediate homeland

Way of life

Sacred practices

Living testimony

Offerings

Shrine/Living shrines

Fieldwork location

The Hopi tribe resides in Northern Arizona,

The juniper tree spans from Northern Arizona, to the western regions of Oklahoma and Texas, southern Colorado, until Mexico

Group studied

Hopi Tribe

Ethnographer

- Stewart B. Koyiyumptewa (Ethnohistorian for Hopi Tribe’s Cultural Preservation Office)

Chip Colwell (Anthropologist)

Fieldwork context

Research project on Hopi culture’s resources was conducted in 2006, but the anthropologists visited their site again in 2015 to investigate the establishment of the Kayenta Mine.

Historical context

With cultural origins that stretch back thousands of years in the Southwest, the Hopi Tribe now numbers about 14,000 members who live in rural isolation

Pinyon-juniper vegetation still covers about 100 million acres across the American West. But these ecosystems have declined over the last century. Since the 1800s, pinyon-juniper forests in the Southwest have been dramatically reduced by livestock grazing, landscape fragmentation, the timber industry, wildfire-control techniques, invasive plant species, and development projects

The Dakota Access pipeline, which carries oil nearly 1,200 miles from North Dakota to Illinois, threatened traditional sites and waterways.

The key concepts from the passage

Identity

Culture

Materiality

Power, Change, Society

Explain how the key concept of materiality is relevant to this passage.

Materiality is the concept that objects, places, or anything tangible holds cultural meaning, represents traits of a culture, and becomes the main component in cultural practices. It is relevant to this passage because the juniper tree embodies the identity of the Hopi tribe as it is utilized in their daily lives to heal their people, banish unwanted behaviours, build their homes, and feed their people, as well as aid their environment in its natural states. Materiality, in this sense, does not only hold cultural meaning, but it gives and drives meaning to the people residing in the Hopi tribe. What has merely been a tool for survival has become what they know to be their lives. The attachments humans hold to not only life, but the act of living life is what sustains our purpose for living. No doubt, the application of the Juniper tree to their daily lives and cultural practices has strengthened their bond with one another as they are collectively sharing an experience that is unique to them. To quote, “Hopis are further troubled by the decline in juniper forests because the tree is not merely a tool for their culture. It is a living testimony to sacred practices.” The concept of sacred practices has allowed cultures to flourish the identities of their people, as well as the collective identity of their community, therefore, through understanding why material objects are deeply preserved within the Hopi tribe, there is an understanding for the Hopi people.

Why does anthropology matter?

Anthropology shines light on the significance of culture and the cultural behaviours and practices towards the people that reside in that culture. This significance stands important on its own, for the purpose of understanding what is beyond the way of living that we know of, and therefore preserving the acceptance of and tolerance of diversity in order to combat violations of human rights. However, it also stands against the presence of power and change in driving out cultures that have historically been gentrified and massacred by the very same people who displace and disrupt the livelihoods of various Native American tribes in modern times.

Anthropology unravels how dependent other people are on material things that the general public represented within mass media does not place a significance on, or that others residing in their own culture do not integrate within their cultural practices. It does so through understanding the concepts of power and change itself. Without the knowledge that power is distributed within society, we cannot understand how or why change occurs.

One of the underlying debates found in the article is modern medicine vs traditional medicine. The Hopi culture relies on plants, herbs, and trees to improve the health and wellbeing of their people, or cure and prevent them from illnesses and diseases. The world continues to face rapid modernization through globalisation, with technological advancements of post-industrial ideals leading the change in world practices. This begs the question of how long traditional medicine will last if many parts of the world, parts of the world such as America, Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand are globally regarded as “first-world countries'', are established as powerful leaders in guiding world trends and ways of living through their economic status. By driving out traditional medicine through modernization, the Hopi culture tribe, and other tribes that practice traditional medicine, will lose their identity by being forcibly stopped to practice their culture. Additionally, the lack of supply for traditional medicine will warrant a rise in health issues for the Hopi tribe as it is their primary source for medical ailments. Due to America’s evident marginalization against Native Americans, there is no guarantee Native Americans will be able to replace their traditional medicine for modern medicine under America’s expensive healthcare system, and bias against Native Americans.

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What's the article about?

the article discusses the significance of the juniper tree, which are considered the heart of the Hopi tribe. the trees are under the hreat of coal and mining companies

- Anthropological terms/vocabulary that you found in the articles

culture

cultural practices/cultural origins

traditional/traditionalist

religious sites

livelihood

- fieldwork location

Northern Arizona

- group studied

The Hopi tribe

- ethnographer

Stewart B. Koyiyumptewa and Chip Colwell

-fieldwork context

Fall of 2015

- Historical context

the history of the significance of juniper trees to the Hopi tribe date back thousands of years, and the tribe currently live in rural isolation. The juniper trees are used as a means for survival, where it provides medicine, shelter, food(berries). Protecting the trees and its preservation is an important aspect of their culture/traditions

- Identify the key concepts from the passage

materiality, culture, change

- explain how the key concept of materiality is relevant to this passage

materiality refers to objects, resources and belongings that have cultural meaning, where they are embedded in all kinds of social relations and practices. The juniper trees may seem like a regular tree to other people, but it is only exclusively special given a cultural context, and this cultural context can only be understood by those in the Hopi tribe. the trees hold deep cultural meaning.

- why does anthropology matter?

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What's the article about?
The article discusses the importance and influence that the juniper tree has imprinted in Hopi culture. The article also discusses how several developmental companies (coal and mining) has threatened to take down the juniper tree since it is ‘not economically sustainable’
Anthropological terms/vocabulary

Cultural resources

Cultural practices

Culture

Traditionalist

Archaeological remains

Religious sites

Value

Tribe

Fieldwork location
Northern Arizona
Group studied
Hopi Tribe
Ethnographer
Stewart B. Koyiyumptewa and Chip Colwell
Fieldwork context
2015 (Fall)
Historical context
During the fall of 2015, Kayenta Mine’s owners/ Peabody Energy (world’s largest coal company), proposed to expand the mining operations; it sparked controversy since it requires to take down the Juniper tree (a prominent symbol in the Hopi culture). The Juniper tree is heavily significant to Hopi culture since it is embedded into cultural practices and social relations of the tribe, providing shelter, food, tools, medicine and other practices. The tree has become a symbol and resource that has been passed upon generations and the Hopi tribe have been religiously preserving the tree and viewing it as sacred resource.

Identify the key concepts from the passage

Materiality

Culture

Social relations

Change

Symbolism

Explain how the key concept of materiality is relevant to this passage.
The key concept of materiality is relevant to this passage because the Juniper tree is a resource that has cultural significance in the Hopi tribe. The Juniper tree is embedded into cultural practices and social relations of the tribe; providing shelter, food, tools, medicine and other practices “Newborn children are rubbed with juniper ash, while their mothers, who veered toward death during childbirth, are bathed in juniper-infused water. Berries ground to a paste are used to clean new mothers further. Even misbehaving youth are held to the smoke of a smoldering juniper fire to purge them of mischief. Juniper smoke also cleanses Hopis who have encountered the dead.”
Why does anthropology matter?
Anthropology allows us to understand cultures and communities to eliminate discrimination and misunderstandings. Without the passage, I wouldn’t have understood the significance of a tree; companies who seek to take down the tree might have not been educated with the cultural significance of the juniper tree towards Hopi culture either. Studying anthropology and exploring the cultural meaning and attachment of the tree allows us to understand the perspective of the Hopi tribe.

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What's the article about?

The article discusses upon the topic of the Juniper tree and its importance to the Hopi culture. It also talks about how many coal and mining projects could be a possible threat towards the Hopi people in maintaining their culture

Anthropological terms/vocabulary that you found in the articles

traditionalist

archaeological

cultural origins

traditional sites

Fieldwork Location

Northern Arizona

Group Studied

The Hopi Tribe

Ethnographer

Stewart B. Koyiyumptewa and Chip Colwell

Fieldwork context (refer to when the fieldwork was carried out regardless of the publication date)

Fall 2015

Historical Context

Dating back from many years the Hopi has placed their foot in the Southwest for thousands of years with estimably 14,000 members living in rural isolation. The Juniper tree is a symbol of hope and life for the Hopi tribe as it has survived centuries of drought and storm and has provided the Hopi tribe with many things such as good and shelter. Because of the ever growing industrial projects the Juniper tree has been a subject of grazing and logging.

Identify the Key concept from the passage (can be more than one)

Materiality

Culture

Change

Explain how the key concept of materiality is relevant to this passage

Materiality is hugely relevant in the passage considering the fact that the Hopi tribe very much holds the Juniper tree near and dear for thousands of years. Although to some cultures trees doesn't hold any significance to the Hopi tribe the Juniper tree means so much to them as it has provided them with many livestocks for thousands of years. The tree holds a lot of cultural meaning to the Hopi Tribe hence why materiality is relevant in this passage.

Why does anthropology matter? (discuss this question with reference to this passage)

By studying the lives of the Hopi tribe us who aren't pre exposed to their culture could further understand life from their point of view and to further immerse ourselves in the culture so we could help them since they are the minority and with that they have less power compared to the majority.

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- What's the article about?
The article writes on the issue in which the Juniper tree which is a key element of Hopi culture is threatened by modernization.

- Anthropological terms/vocabulary that you found in the articles
-  Traditional
- Cultural origins
- Rural isolation
- Traditionalists
- Cultural practices
- Cultural resources
- Ancestors
- Value
- Culture

- fieldwork location
The fieldwork was located in Northern Arizona
- group studied
The group studied is an indigenous tribe called Hopi.
- ethnographer
The ethnographers are Chip Colwell and Stewart B. Koyiyumptewa
- fieldwork context (refer to when the fieldwork was carried out regardless of the publication date)
The fieldwork was conducted in late 2015 and was published on 31st August 2017

- Historical context
- Hopi is the name of a Native American tribe and is home to the juniper tree. During the fall of 2015, the Kayenta Mine owners planned to expand their mines to neighboring areas. The Kayenta Mines had shipped coal to Navajo Generating Station and it powered Phoenix, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and so on. Two ethnographers studied the impact of these mines on Hopi sites and were accompanied by the elders. They then talked about the juniper trees which provide for all people and things in their culture and realized that the mines were damaging the juniper trees therefore simultaneously slowly destroying parts of the Hopi culture.

- Identify the key concepts from the passage (can be more than one)
- Power: The main point of the article is to showcase how the modernization and people making the mines are able to impact the people of Hopi.
- Social relations: The relationship between the people of Hopi and modernization is seen through the relationship with each culture.
- Change: The modernization itself is change.
- Belief and knowledge: The people of Hopi believe and rely on the Juniper tree as it acts as a tree that provides for everyone and everything.
- Culture: The juniper tree is part of the Hopi culture.

- explain how the key concept of materiality is relevant to this passage.
Materiality meaning how certain objects may have meaning to certain cultures is seen in the juniper tree. If one was to just see a tree, they might say "What a big tree" while not realizing the meaning and offerings that tree brings to the people of Hopi culture.

- why does anthropology matter? (discuss this question with reference to the passage)
Anthropology matters as it allows people to learn about the meaning of certain things in every culture, as sometimes we overlook certain things. It gives meaning to things that might not seem that way at first.

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what's the article about?

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What's the article about?
The article discusses the issue of different development projects and mining sites being one of the major causes of environmental degradation on indigenous lands. In particular, it revolves around a Native American tribe called the Hopi and their struggle in trying to protect their most sacred plant; the juniper.

Anthropological terms/vocabulary
- Value
- Archaeological remains
- Traditionalists
- Culture
- Cultural origins
- Cultural practices
- Ancestral sites
- Traditional sites
- Religious sites
- livelihood

Other facts about the article
- Fieldwork location: The fieldwork location is in Arizona, northeast of the Grand Canyon.
- Group Studied: A Native American tribe called the Hopi.
- Ethnographers: The study was conducted by an anthropologist and ethnohistorian; Chip Colwell and Stewart B.Koyiyumptewa. They were also accompanied by a few Hopi elders.

Fieldwork context (refer to when the fieldwork was carried out regardless of the publication date)
The fieldwork was said to be conducted in the fall of 2015.

Historical context
- The Hopi tribe is a Native American tribe whose cultural origins can be traced all the way back thousands of years ago to the Southwest. It's home to a sacred plant called the juniper tree, a tree that has been deemed by the Hopis to be a crucial part of their livelihood and cultural survival.
- There are 14,000 Hopi members currently living in rural isolation and depending on the juniper tree to survive. The juniper tree basically provides the tribe with many necessities, including shelter and food. The tree is also said to be used for purifying, ritual cleansing, and medical purposes.
- In order to preserve their cultural practices and traditions, the Hopi tribe constantly puts a large emphasis on trying to preserve the juniper trees. However, due to development projects which have cause deforestation and other environmental destructions, there has been an overwhelmingly huge decline in juniper forests. The Hopi tribe is extremely concerned over this matter and is struggling to find a solution.

Identify the key concepts from the passage (can be more than one)
- Identity and culture
- Belief
- Power
- Change

Explain how the key concept of materiality is relevant to this passage
Materiality is simply defined as when certain objects, resources, and belongings hold cultural meanings. In relation to what's been said in the passage, the concept is definitely relevant as the juniper trees have been revealed to be a vital part of the Hopi tribe's livelihood and cultural practices. Not only does the tree provide them with warmth, shelter, food, and other everyday tools but it can also be utilized by its medical qualities to heal people. On top of that, the tree is used during ancient rituals and traditions, further proving that the juniper tree holds a deeper cultural meaning to the tribe.

Why does anthropology matter? (discuss this question with reference to the passage)
Despite the fact that people are aware of the mining sites and other development projects being built on centuries of historical events and cultural significance, it hasn't stopped big corporations from building more. This has particularly led to the massive environmental damages that have negatively affected the livelihoods of the Hopi tribe, and the study of anthropology basically helps us to further understand this issue.

Through anthropology, were able to fully understand that certain objects within each and every culture can be seen or valued differently. By conducting this fieldwork and sharing it online, we're a lot more aware of the struggles in which the Hopi tribe is going through as one of their main resources for survival is slowly depleting. With that being said, we're now also able to create social movements or take different actions in order to secure the environmentally endangered land.

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What's the article about?

The consequences of Kayenta Mine (owned by Peabody Energy) strip mining expansion on the religious sites and archeological remains of the Hopi culture, and native Hopi people.

Anthropological terms/vocabulary that you found in the articles

archeological remains

religious sites

traditionalist

cultural origins

rural isolation

heartland

livelihood

cultural resources

cultural practices

ancestral sites

traditional sites

Immediate homeland

Fieldwork location

Northern Arizona

Group studied

The Hopi tribe

Ethnographer

Stewart B. Koyiyumptewa and Chip Colwell

Fieldwork context

Fall of 2015

Historical context

The Hopi tribe’s livelihood depends on Juniper trees, which is a culture passed down from their ancestors from thousands of years ago. They use Juniper trees for food (berries), shelter, medicine, and tools. They preserve Juniper forests because they also consider it as an area of sacred practices (a place to do prayers, give offerings, and form shrines).

Identify the key concepts from the passage

Identity and Culture

Power and Materiality

Change and Society

Explain how the key concept of materiality is relevant to this passage.

Materiality can mean the objects or belongings that society possesses, but does not necessarily mean it should be regarded as money or wealth. To coal mining corporations such as Peabody Energy, materiality means gaining power over an area, therefore giving them the ‘permission’ to take its resources. However, materiality to the Hopi people means preserving their surroundings to pass it down to the next generation.

Why does anthropology matter?

Anthropology helps us understand the importance of culture preservation towards human rights.

# data[].attributes.body
1. What's the article about?

• The article discusses about how the Juniper tree is a very important aspect in the Hopi tribe and are being threatened by the Kayenta Mines.

2. Anthropological terms/vocabulary that you found in the articles

• Traditionalist

• Traditional

• Tribe
• Religious sites

• Rural

• Species

3. Fieldwork location

• Northern Arizona

4. Group studied

• Hopi tribe

5. Ethnographer

• Stewart B. Koyiyumptewa and Chip Colwell

6. Fieldwork context (refer to when the fieldwork was carried out regardless of the publication date)

• Fall of 2015

7. Historical context

• “With cultural origins that stretch back thousands of years in the Southwest, the Hopi Tribe now numbers about 14,000 members who live in rural isolation.“

• The Juniper tree has survived centuries of drought and storms.
• The Juniper provides the Hopis with the necessary elements to provide to their livelihood; shelter, tools, food.
• However, Juniper forests have been declining due to livestock grazing, landscape fragmentation, development projects, etc.

8. Identify the key concepts from the passage (can be more than one)
• Materiality
• Culture
• Change

9. Explain how the key concept of materiality is relevant to this passage.
• Materiality is relevant to this passage as materiality means objects, resources, and belongings that hold cultural meaning. The Juniper tree to the Hopi tribe is an important resource that dates back to their ancestors, and are, to some extent, a part of their livelihood. They receive shelter, food from the tree, and leave offerings on the base of each tree as a sign of respect for the trees' gift. Through these aspects, we can conclude that the Juniper tree holds a very deep cultural meaning, and is a very important aspect of their culture.

10. Why does anthropology matter? (discuss this question with reference to the passage)
• Through this passage, we were shown to light with the fact that these sites are being exploited for money, despite there being centuries of history and cultural relevance to said site. Fieldwork by anthropologists enlightened the culture and history behind the Juniper trees, and taught us destroying these trees is akin to destroying a part of their culture. Anthropology shows us that some objects or other aspects of life hold different meanings and relevancy to each community.

# data[].attributes.body
1. What's the article about?
The article talks about how important the Juniper tree is to the Hopi tribe's culture.
2. Anthropological terms/vocabulary that you found in the articles
- cultural origins
- traditionalists
- cultural resources
- cultural practices
- ancestors?
- value
- cultural survival
3. fieldwork location
The fieldwork was done in northern Arizona.
4. group studied
The group that was studied was the Hopi tribe.
5. ethnographer
The ethnographers of the fieldwork are Stewart B. Koyiyumptewa and Chip Colwell (?).
6. fieldwork context
The fieldwork was carried out in the fall of 2015.
7. Historical context
- The Hopi's cultural origins stretch back thousands of years, and now the Hopi tribe consists of about 14,000 members living in rural isolation. They make use of everything, and their livelihood depends on gathering a variety of wild resources, especially plants.
- The Juniper tree has been a vital part of the Hopi tribe's cultural traditions and resource for survival, such as warmth, shelter, tools, food, and medicine.
8. Identify the key concepts from the passage (can be more than one)
- materiality
- culture
- belief and knowledge?
9. explain how the key concept of materiality is relevant to this passage.
Materiality is when there is cultural meaning within objects, resources, and belongings. The passage explains how in the Hopi's culture, the Juniper tree holds a lot of value to the members of the tribe as they've used it for cultural resources and practices for many years, showing that the tree holds cultural meaning to them. The tree has become a special part of their culture as it is able to help them survive and provide for them, and is a part of their sacred practices.
10. why does anthropology matter? (discuss this question with reference to the passage)
"We’re always going to be here,” said Bill Preston, a soft-spoken Hopi traditionalist from the village of Walpi. “This is our home. All these plants have life. What will happen when they blow it up? What for? Money. But it will be gone by the time our children grow up.”
The passage describes how important the Juniper trees are to the Hopi tribe and their concern for the destruction of the trees. Through anthropology, we are able to understand the value that certain objects or resources hold through different perspectives in different cultures, and respect these values. Through conducting the fieldwork in the Hopi tribe, we are able to understand the importance of the Juniper trees to their culture and how getting rid of them can affect their livelihood and cultural history.

# data[].attributes.body
1. What's the article about?
The significance of the Juniper tree in Hopi culture, and how it is threatened by development projects i.e. coal & mining companies
2. Anthro Terms/Vocab found
- traditionalist
- archaeological
- cultural origins
3. Fieldwork location
northern Arizona
4. Group studied
Hopi tribe
5. fieldwork context
fall 2015
6. Historical context
- Juniper trees have been an integral part of the Hopi culture and livelihood for over centuries
- Cultural origins of the Hopi stretch back to thousands of years, and currently there are 14k Hopi members living in rural isolation
- since the 1800s, juniper forests in the southwest have been significantly reduced by livestock grazing, development projects, etc
7. Key concepts from passage
- culture
- materiality
- change
8. relevance of key concept materiality
materiality explores how objects, resources, and belongings hold cultural meaning. Meanwhile, this passage discusses how the Juniper tree in Hopi culture is not merely a tree, yet a sacred and essential part of the people (in other words, hold cultural meaning) - it provides them livelihood, holds great historical significance, and is also a living shrine for them to pay their offerings. Thus, materiality is the major key concept that can be identified in the passage.
9. Why does anthropology matter?
"Preston told us that after witnessing the mined and reclaimed areas, he became consumed with thoughts about the survival of the Hopi homeland. “These places were put here for us, and it is our responsibility to preserve them for the future,” he said."

The passage shows us just how things that some merely see as 'objects' or 'nature' may have very different value for certain cultures. Anthropology makes it possible for us to understand these different perspectives and thus allow us to respect other cultures further = important step to coexisting in a heterogeneous society. By conducting fieldwork of the Hopi tribe, we can understand why the Juniper trees are very important to them, and why cutting them down (caused by all these development projects) threaten their entire livelihoods and histories. Such understanding can then lead to the advocacy of policies/agreements that protect indigenous communities and their sacred lands.

# data[].attributes.body
What's the article about?
The article discusses the importance of protecting Juniper trees (the heart of the Hopi tribe) from coal & mining companies
Anthropological terms/vocabulary that you found in the articles

traditionalist

traditional

cultural origins

cultural survival

tribe

cultural practices

value

way of life (??)

religious sites

Fieldwork location
Northern Arizona
Group studied
Hopi tribe
Ethnographer
Stewart B. Koyiyumptewa and Chip Colwell
Fieldwork context (refer to when the fieldwork was carried out regardless of the publication date)
Fall of 2015
Historical context

Hopi's cultural origins stretch back to thousands of years, with currently 14,000 members who live in rural isolation.

Their livelihood depends on gathering a range of wild resources—animals, minerals, and especially plants--which are a part of everyday Hopi life. They are used for food, housing, tools, decoration, medicine, ceremonies, and magic.

Juniper trees have been the heart of Hopi culture for centuries -- providing Hopis warmth, shelter, tools, and food. Preserving Juniper trees means preserving cultural and religious practices.

Since the 1800s, pinyon-juniper forests in the Southwest have been dramatically reduced by livestock grazing, landscape fragmentation, the timber industry, wildfire-control techniques, invasive plant species, and development projects.

Identify the key concepts from the passage (can be more than one)

Materiality

Culture

Change

Belief and knowledge

Explain how the key concept of materiality is relevant to this passage.
Materiality involves objects, resources, and belongings that have cultural meaning. While to others merely a tree, the following passage explains the value of Juniper trees to Hopi culture. It holds cultural meaning in the sense of cultural resources, sacred practices, historical value, and religious sites to the Hopi people. It is their livelihood -- an integral part of their culture.
Why does anthropology matter? (discuss this question with reference to the passage)
Studying anthropology allows one to understand new perspectives from diverse cultures -- when doing so, we realize certain values and cultural meanings that are placed on certain objects by different cultures. And thus, allows us to further respect these cultures. In the context of the Hopi, we discover why Juniper trees are the heart of their tribe; and why cultural preservation is important to protect the centuries' worth of historical and cultural val

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The Struggle to Protect a Tree at the Heart of Hopi Culture By Stewart B. Koyiyumptewa and Chip Colwell

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The Struggle to Protect a Tree at the Heart of Hopi Culture By Stewart B. Koyiyumptewa and Chip Colwell

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Read this Article

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A rumbling, low boom unfurled over the land like a current of thunder. But it was a clear, cloudless day in northern Arizona. We realized the reverberation was the echo of an explosion-dynamite loosening the earth-and that the strip mine was finding its way toward a colossal seam of coal.

It was the fall of 2015, and the Kayenta Mine's owners, Peabody Energy, the world's largest coal company, had proposed to expand the mine into neighboring areas. If that were to happen, then the place we were standing on would one day be peeled open like a can of sardines to reveal the prize of shiny, midnight-black coal.

The Kayenta Mine has long been a source of controversy. Every year it ships millions of tons of coal by rail to the Navajo Generating Station northeast of the Grand Canyon. The power plant keeps air conditioners humming in Phoenix and Los Angeles, and lights shimmering in Las Vegas and beyond.

We were there as anthropologists with a team of researchers and Hopi elders to study the project's potential impact on religious sites, archaeological remains, springs, and more. But at every stop, the elders talked about the juniper tree. The trees were so abundant-blanketing every hill that hasn't been mined-that at first it seemed strange to be concerned about the potential loss of this plant. There were ancient Pueblo villages and graveyards to worry about. There were precious springs and rare songbirds.

But the elders kept returning to their fears for the junipers.

"We're always going to be here," said Bill Preston, a soft-spoken Hopi traditionalist from the village of Walpi. "This is our home. All these plants have life. What will happen when they blow it up? What for? Money. But it will be gone by the time our children grow up."

The one-seed juniper is the most humble of trees. It grows leisurely, each year lucky to reach some 6 inches closer to the sky. A mature plant, a survivor of centuries of droughts and storms, may stand no taller than you or I. The bark, a coarse calico of grays, sheds from the trunk in long strips like peeling skin. The tree is just common enough to easily fade into the dusty landscape in which it grows-a range that extends from Arizona to the western regions of Texas and Oklahoma, from southern Colorado to perhaps as far south as Mexico. It is an evergreen, but its leaves typically feel sharp and look burned. Few would say it is beautiful.

And yet, the juniper's ordinariness masks an array of remarkable gifts. It is an oyster of the high desert that hides many pearls inside. To the Hopi people, the juniper is a vital part of their traditional way of life.

That Hopis ascertained the tree's extraordinary endowments is unsurprising given their dependence on wild plants for their survival. With cultural origins that stretch back thousands of years in the Southwest, the Hopi Tribe now numbers about 14,000 members who live in rural isolation. The heartland of the tribe is in northern Arizona, on a stark, high plateau that receives about 10 inches of rain a year. Hopis must make use of every possible thing. They are traditionally farmers of corn, beans, squash, and other vegetables. But their livelihood also depends on gathering a range of wild resources-animals, minerals, and especially plants. Some travel up to 200 miles away from home to gather them. These collected plants are a part of everyday Hopi life. They are used for food, housing, tools, decoration, medicine, ceremonies, and magic. Many Hopi traditionalists could name without hesitation such plants as nanakopsi (bee balm), mö'öngtorhavu (bush mint), wùusi (sand muhly), hunvi (cliffrose), and hoongavi (arrowweed).

When we directed a research project in 2006 to evaluate Hopi cultural resources in the path of a new power line that stretches from New Mexico to Nevada, we discovered that Hopis depend on more than 200 plant species for their cultural practices.

Consider that. How many wild plant species and their uses can you name?

The juniper provides Hopis the basics of warmth, shelter, tools, and food. Hopis do not cut down junipers but rather collect deadwood for winter fires and for building houses, corrals, and fences. Juniper roots, which can stretch downward 200 feet, are carved into cradleboards, bows and arrows, and hairpieces that are used for the famous squash-blossom hairdo of Hopi maidens. The bark- làapu-is a fire starter, and can be rolled into a ceremonial torch called a kopitsoki. Collected deadwood is often the fuel used to cook piiki -a paper-thin rolled wafer bread made of ground blue corn.

The juniper tree's berries are considered a "starvation food" for when the tribe's crops fail. The berries are still eaten, but just as significantly, they recall Hopi history-all the hard times their ancestors endured. "Just because people are living an easy life now, it hasn't always been that way," Owen Numkena, a Hopi elder, told us during a related project. "It's important to remember."

The juniper's deeper value to the Hopi lies in its powers to purify and protect. "It's a tree with a lot of medicine," Preston said. Boiled as a tea, the leaves are a medicine; the sap can be consumed to clean people's intestines out. Newborn children are rubbed with juniper ash, while their mothers, who veered toward death during childbirth, are bathed in juniper-infused water. Berries ground to a paste are used to clean new mothers further. Even misbehaving youth are held to the smoke of a smoldering juniper fire to purge them of mischief. Juniper smoke also cleanses Hopis who have encountered the dead.

Hopis see the forests of juniper as interconnected to the entire natural world, a thread woven into the tapestry of life. Junipers provide shade to other plants; they give shelter and food to wildlife; their roots retain the soil, keeping erosion at bay.

In the dry, high desert of northern Arizona, the juniper contributes further to Hopi life by bringing the most precious resource of all: water. "These trees trap the clouds and bring the rain," Lyman Polacca, an elder from the village of Sitsomovi, said. "They're like our rainforest."

A lot has changed since that day in 2015. The Navajo Generating Station's owners announced in June that the power plant is no longer economically sustainable and they are planning to shut it down. Since the Kayenta Mine ships coal exclusively to the Navajo Generating Station, it appears that the mine may close by 2019.

This is good news for the juniper stands we saw as we stood near the mine back in 2015. And some people welcome the energy project's demise for other reasons too. The power station has degraded air quality. Peabody's mining operations have destroyed hundreds of Hopi ancestral sites. And since the company began mining the area in the 1970s, it has used billions of gallons of pristine drinking water.

But others fear what will become of the region's precarious economy. Peabody claims that 99 percent of its workers are Native American. The Hopi Tribe depends on royalties from the mine for upward of 85 percent of its annual budget. But while the economic costs of the plant shutting down would be steep for the Hopi and others in the region, there would also be substantial and important benefits, such as cleaner air and water, the restoration of harmony in the ecosystem, and a return to a more respectful and mindful way of life on Hopi lands.

The Dakota Access pipeline, which carries oil nearly 1,200 miles from North Dakota to Illinois, has made headlines over the last year for threatening traditional sites and waterways. But across the United States, countless development projects threaten resources that Native Americans depend on for their cultural survival. As anthropologists, we've worked with the Hopi Tribe's Cultural Preservation Office for years to document the natural and cultural resources that are in the path of many new pipelines, power plants, mines, and roads.

Pinyon-juniper vegetation still covers about 100 million acres across the American West. But these ecosystems have declined over the last century. Since the 1800s, pinyon-juniper forests in the Southwest have been dramatically reduced by livestock grazing, landscape fragmentation, the timber industry, wildfire-control techniques, invasive plant species, and development projects. Hopis have agonized over these changes. Because Hopis do not cut down junipers, they must find healthy forests that produce deadwood they can collect. They have already lost easy access to junipers in their immediate homeland. When juniper forests are cleared, Hopis lose a resource that is at the heart of their way of life.

Preston told us that after witnessing the mined and reclaimed areas, he became consumed with thoughts about the survival of the Hopi homeland. "These places were put here for us, and it is our responsibility to preserve them for the future," he said.

Hopis are further troubled by the decline in juniper forests because the tree is not merely a tool for their culture. It is a living testimony to sacred practices. "People have come here for centuries, and there are offerings everywhere," Preston said. "The whole landscape is filled with offerings." When the juniper is gathered for its many uses, Hopis leave offerings of corn meal at the base of each tree to feed the spirits-and as a sign of respect for the tree's gift and a prayer that the tree continues to grow strong.

Each juniper thus becomes a shrine, an offering place. The hills and plateaus of the northern Southwest are not just forests of junipers. They are forests filled with living shrines.

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The Struggle to Protect a Tree at the Heart of Hopi Culture

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A rumbling, low boom unfurled over the land like a current of thunder. But it was a clear, cloudless day in northern Arizona. We realized the reverberation was the echo of an explosion-dynamite loosening the earth-and that the strip mine was finding its way toward a colossal seam of coal.