Roads in the sky

Despite one hundred years under the dominant American culture, Hopi culture today maintains continuity with its aboriginal roots, while reflecting the impact of the twentieth century. A compelling study of "fourth worlders" coping with a powerful nation-state, this book depicts Hopi social organization, economy, religion, and politics as well as key events in the history of Hopi-U.S. relations.

Hopis have used their culture and their sociopolitical structures to deal with change.

Clemmer focuses on six major events in Hopi history: a factionalist schism that split the largest Hopi village, Oraibi, into three villages; the impact of the federal Indian Reorganization Act of 1934; the rise of a political movement known as "traditionalism"; the story behind far-reaching oil and coal leases of the 1960s; the Hopi-Navajo land dispute; and the disappearance of ceremonial objects into private collections and museums.