HOPI-Koyannisqatsi (World Gone Mad)

“While the HOPI have themselves sought to understand the contemporary meanings disguised in their ancient symbolism, I have sought to project my own sculptural interpretation of both Native and Anglo allegory as applied to the “modern” world. Hopefully, I may lend a universality to an otherwise obscure and little-known insight into a very special indigenous Peoples’ Awareness of the world of Man beyond their lofty mesa Homelands.”

“Only those who forget
Why they came to this world
Will lose their way.
They will disappear in the wilderness
And be forgotten.”
“Gogyeng Sowuhti” Spider Grandmother

------------------------------------------

In HOPI culture there is an ages-old belief that this world is the Fourth to be created after the first three self-destructed. Foreshadowing the “end” of this world will be a period known simply by the word “KOYANNISQATSI”.

The closest Anglo (“BAHANA”) translation would seem to be “a world gone mad.” While recognizing that this “End-Times” belief has parallels to be found in many of the world’s religions, including Christian, the HOPI version is an ancient “tradition” passed on for innumerable generations in the unwritten language of symbolism.

While the HOPI have themselves sought to understand the contemporary meanings disguised in their ancient symbolism, I have sought to project my own sculptural interpretation of both Native and Anglo allegory, as applied to the “modern” world. Hopefully, I may lend a universality to an otherwise obscure and little-known insight into a very special Indigenous Peoples’ Awareness of the world of Man beyond their lofty mesa Homelands.

The culture of HOPI is a “Microcosm of the World” and, though some may profess differing understandings of the Ancient Ones’ foretellings of “future” happenings, I hope my own, “Bahana’s,” interpretations of a “world gone mad” will capture the essence of the teachings and meet with their approval. Like the HOPI way, I never depict only the negative in the world without an emphasis on the positive. Where “Gogyeng Sowuhti”, the guiding Spider Grandmother proclaims: “Only those who forget why they came to this world will lose their way. They will disappear into the wilderness and be forgotten”, I proclaim the all-pervading “Feather of Truth”, that Divine Light, overrides all Darkness to bring in the inevitable dawning of the soon-to-be “Sipapuni” of entrance into the new “Fifth World” of an enlightened Humanity in keeping with HOPI’s own “Palatkwapi Story…

“When a stranger comes to the village, feed him. Do not injure one another, because all beings deserve to live together without injury being done to them. When people are old and cannot work any more, do not turn them out to shift for themselves, but take care of them. Defend yourselves when an enemy comes to your village, but do not go out seeking war. The Hopis shall take this counselling and make it the Hopi Way.”

From the Palatkwapi Story

In HOPI culture there is an ages-old belief that this world is the Fourth to be created after the first three self-destructed. Foreshadowing the “end” of this world will be a period known simply by the word “KOYANNISQATSI”.

The closest Anglo (“BAHANA”) translation would seem to be “a world gone mad.” While recognizing that this “End-Times” belief has parallels to be found in many of the world’s religions, including Christian, the HOPI version is an ancient “tradition” passed on for innumerable generations in the unwritten language of symbolism.

While the HOPI have themselves sought to understand the contemporary meanings disguised in their ancient symbolism, I have sought to project my own sculptural interpretation of both Native and Anglo allegory, as applied to the “modern” world. Hopefully, I may lend a universality to an otherwise obscure and little known insight into a very special Indigenous Peoples’ Awareness of the world of Man beyond their lofty mesa Homelands.

Although the overall “feel” of “KOYANNISQATSI” speaks for itself, especially the “Iron Eyes Cody tear,” some of the abundant symbolisms of the specific details are suggested as follows:

The HEART:
Hardened to metallic stone by the multi-cultural, all-encompassing
obsession with material gain at the expense of the spiritual. This
error has been reinforced by the “powers that be” in control of this
world to effectively wrap the human heart in the barbed wire of
controlled “ownership.” (“Power Over “rather than “Power With”).

The Headband:
A controlled Heart can only be accomplished by first
controlling the Mind. The bloody band parallels the
“crown of thorns” signifying the sacrifice of the
Human power of reason to the “Controllers.”

The “Bola” tie: The result of confusing the Heart with
the “Head” that results in a complete disruption of the
Laybyrinthine pathway of life. The True path is rent
asunder to have to be “reassembled” by each struggling
“Man-in-the Maze.”

Hair: Parted to represent a prevailing belief in
“Duality” rather than the true path of “Unity”…ONE.

Bandanna: Mask mandates which erase human
identity as a free individual while also weakening
natural immunity, physical, mental & emotional
health – a symbolic “gag” to silence Freedom of
Speech.

Spider Web: HOPI could not fathom the “Earth being
covered by an over-arching spider web“ until they
recognized it in the modern-day electrical power
grid of lines and cables extending in all directions
controlling every aspect of our lives, especially the
“information” we are fed daily by those who control
the “grid.” The spider is both a symbol of the
Controllers, as well as Grandmother Spider
(“Gogyeng Sowuhti”) both whispering their versions
of truth in the confused ear.

Behind the hollowed-out face (soul) – of humanity are further identifiable features:

13 Cartridge Cases: all empty. Not only representing
every caliber of international military small arms
fired in a world continually decimated by “wars and
rumors of war,” but also the emptying out of the
supply of domestic ammunition available to reinforce
the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

Empty Well: Billions of gallons of ground water have been,
and are, used up in industrial/commercial extraction not only
hollowing out the earth’s surface but also drying up and
polluting the surface rivers, streams and wells of the HOPI and
Navajo Reservations, indeed worldwide, upon which they,
and all life, depend.

“Pacifier”: The young are being raised and adults are
being pacified into acquiescence with false artificial
devices to replace the natural nurturing of a Mothers’
love. The bullet “nipple” indicates the intent of this
one is to “wean” our youth onto a life of violence.

Beer Can Clock: Addiction: The lid has been opened by
a “church key” of the new “religion of addiction” to all
forms of the nihilistic pleasures of irresponsible self-
gratification. The arrowhead hour hand points to the
eleventh hour, while the hypodermic needle minute hand
of drug dependence, including “vaccines”, lays claim to
the twelve as humanity’s new “Apostles of Medical Science.”

“Gourd of Ashes: A controversial symbol that has
stymied any definitive representation with various
possible meanings up to and including a nuclear
bomb. Whatever it implies, it is perceived to be one
of the last, if not the final, signs to be given.


The Base: Burnt wood of deforestation for monetary
gain at every level with a callous and complete dis-
regard for the Earth and all sentient life thereon. The
.45 cal bullet indicates she, and we, have been
betrayed from behind by those trusted to be the
“stewards” of the Earth and all of God’s creation.


The culture of HOPI is a “Microcosm of the World”
and though some may profess differing under-
standings of the Ancient Ones’ foretellings of “future”
happenings, I hope my own, “Bahana’s,” interpretations
of a “world gone mad” will capture the essence of the
teachings and meet with their approval. Like the
HOPI way, I never depict only the negative in
the world without an emphasis on the positive.
Where “Gogyeng Sowuhti”, the guiding Spider
Grandmother proclaims: “Only those who forget why
they came to this world will lose their way. They
will disappear into the wilderness and be forgotten”,
I proclaim the all-pervading “Feather of Truth”,
that Divine Light, overrides all Darkness to bring
in the inevitable dawning of the soon to be “Sipapuni”
of entrance into the new “Fifth World” of an
enlightened Humanity in keeping with HOPI’s own
“Palatkwapi Story…

“When a stranger comes to the village, feed him. Do not injure one another, because all beings deserve to live together without injury being done to them. When people are old and cannot work any more, do not turn them out to shift for themselves, but take care of them. Defend yourselves when an enemy comes to your village, but do not go out seeking war. The Hopis shall take this counselling and make it the Hopi Way.”

From the Palatkwapi Story