Hopi (Hopilàvayi)

Hopi is an Uto-Aztecan language spoken in northeastern Arizona in the USA. According to the 2010 census there are 6,780 Hopi speakers. The language is still being passed on to children, and about three quarters of the Hopi people speak Hopi as a native language.

There are four main varieties of Hopi: First Mesa or Polacca; Mishongnovi or Toreva (Musangnuve'e Hopilàvayi); Shipaulovi or Sipaulovi, and Third Mesa or Oraibi (Orayvit Hopilàvayi). They were identified by Benjamin Whorf, who was the first to analyse the Hopi language and who focused on the Mishongnovi variety.

There is a Hopi-English dictionary edited by Emory Sekaquaptewa, and the language is promoted by the Hopi Literacy Project. There are also bi-lingual education programs in Hopi in Arizona.

Hopi has an interesting way of expressing concepts of time and space: for something that happens a long way from a speaker is described as having happened in the distant past.

Hopi alphabet (Hopilavayvenpi)

Hopi alphabet (Hopilavayvenpi)

Oraibi Hopi alphabet and pronunciation

Oraibi Hopi alphabet and pronunciation

Toreva Hopi alphabet and pronunciation

Tereva Hopi  alphabet and pronunciation

Download alphabet charts for Hopi: Excel, Toreva (PDF), Oraibi (PDF)

Details of Hopi alphabets provided by Wolfram Siegel

Sample texts

Tsangaw nu’ Hopiituqayta. Paypi pan hakimuy aw amumi, itaa wuuwuyoqam, itaaso yu’a’atangwu qe’ ura pangqawu, qe’ um hisat uuhopilavayiy suutokni. So’on hak put hisat suutoki, lavayiy’i. Panwisa pu’ itam. Qa navoti’yyungwa itam, yu’a’atotaniqe. Itam qa amumi pan yu’a’atotangwu niiqe panniqw oovi’i. Pay hak hiisay niqw senpi 5 or 6 niqw hakiy a pangqawangwu, um pam’i, pam itaa naatoyla.

Translation

I appreciate knowing Hopi. That is the way our elders, our grandmother would speak and remind us, "Don't ever forget your Hopi language." One cannot forget it, their language. That is our life now. We don't know how to speak. We don't speak to them [our children] this way. That is why, when you are maybe 5 or 6, they tell you, "this is our identity."
- Harlan Nakala, Lenwungwa, Flute Clan, Waalpi

Source: https://www.mesamedia.org/product/hopilavayvenpi-the-hopi-alphabet-in-conversation/

The Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13)

  1. Noqw ōviy uma yan nānawaknamantani: Itanaa, ōveqatsit ep qátuhqa, nam uhnatṅwani pas k̇aptsi’tiwaa.
  2. Nam uhmoṅwtunatyay aw pituu; nam uhtunatya tūwaqatsit ep aniwhtii, ōveqatsit ep hin aniwhtiqey pan’i.
  3. Um okiw pu’ talöṅvaqat ep itamuy itahtunösmakiway huytani.
  4. Pu um okiw itahpöiy itamuhpiy ayo yúkuni, itam itamumi pöiwyuṅqamuy amuhpiy put ayo yuki’wisqat pan’i.
  5. Pu okiw um itamuy unaheppit qa aṅ tsāmi’mat, hakiy qalolmat aṅqw itamuy ayo ōoyhtimani. Pi um hapi pas Móṅwinihqe öqalay’ta. Um‐sa lolmat tālawṅway’ta, sutsép‐sa aqwhaqamii. Nam antani.

Source: https://christianchildmultilingualbibleverse.wordpress.com/2013/08/12/the-lords-prayer-hopi-bible-nt/

Translation

  1. After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
  2. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
  3. Give us this day our daily bread.
  4. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
  5. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Source: https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Matthew-Chapter-6/#9

Sample videos in and about Hopi

Information about Hopi | Numbers

Links

Information about the Hopi language
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hopi_language
https://www.ethnologue.com/language/hop/20
http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~jar/Hopi.html
http://www.native-languages.org/hopi.htm

KUYI Hopi Radio
http://www.kuyi.net

The Hopi Tribe - official website
http://www.hopi-nsn.gov/

The Hopi Foundation (Lomasumi'nangwtukwsiwmani)
http://www.hopifoundation.org

Hopi Cultural Preservation Office
https://www8.nau.edu/hcpo-p/

Mesa Media - Hopilavayi pavan öqawi'yta / Keeping Hopi language vibrant
http://www.mesamedia.org

Uto-Aztecan languages

Comanche, Cora, Hopi, Huarijio, Huichol, Ivilyuat / Cahuilla, Kawaiisu, Luiseño, Mayo, Mono, O'odham, Nahuatl, Nawat (Pipil), Northern Paiute, Serrano, Shoshone, Southern Paiute, Tarahumara, Tepehuán (Northern), Tepehuán (Southeastern), Tepehuán (Southwestern), Timbisha, Tongva, Yaqui

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page last modified: 02.10.21

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