Hopi language resources now available!
All in Hopi and English
CDs            DVDs       Books


From left to right: Ivy, Charlotte, Wendy, Michael (in back).
Photos courtesy of Footprints of the Ancestors Project.

Mesa Media's Mission

To revitalize Hopi language in order to ensure that Hopi culture persists for centuries to come.  

Our Major Goals

1.  To create and produce Hopi learning materials for Hopi people by Hopi people on the Hopi Reservation.

2.  To train teachers and other educators to use Hopi learning materials in public schools and in informal activities at the village level.

3.  To encourage educators and Hopi citizens to create their own learning materials utilizing Mesa Media production resources. 

Our History

In 2004, two Hopi community members founded Mesa Media, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to producing learning materials that teach about Hopi life in the Hopi language.  Anita Poleahla is Aaswungwa (Mustard Clan) from Sitsom’ovi and speaks fluently in First Mesa dialect.  Ferrell Secakuku is Tsu’wungwa (Snake Clan) from Sipaulovi and speaks Second Mesa dialect.  Both Anita and Ferrell were raised in traditional Hopi households and believe that all Hopi people deserve the opportunity to understand the richness of the Hopi language and its teachings.   

Very few books, CDs, and DVDs exist for those who wish to learn and practice the Hopi language.  Mesa Media’s goal is to change this by publishing books, songs, and games that teach about Hopi life.  Anita and Ferrell create learning materials that are culturally sensitive, respecting that some knowledge should be kept private.  The songs and stories that appear in books, curriculum, and CD and DVD recordings are based on Hopi stories and teachings from long ago. 



 

In 2005, Mesa Media obtained our 501 (c) (3) designation. We now function as a non-profit organization within the state of Arizona and work directly with our patent attorney, Tyson Winarski, to protect the intellectual property rights of all of our advisors and Hopi scholars.  Every CD, DVD, and book is copyrighted.   

Mesa Media Serves the Hopi Community

 Located in northern Arizona, the Hopi Reservation is home to about 6500 Hopi people.  Many families also live in neighboring towns due to limited job opportunities on the reservation.  Adults work for a variety of village-run programs, for the school system, for the Hopi Tribal government, or as artisans or private businesspeople.  Hopi children attend one of several elementary schools and most finish at Hopi Junior/Senior High.  Each of the 13 Hopi villages is very small and has its own history, politics and social organization.  This diversity makes any project at Hopi a challenge, but Mesa Media aims to incorporate ideas from all Hopi people who wish to further our mission to revitalize the use of the language.    

**Hinton, Leanne.  2001.  The Green Book of Language Revitalization in Practice. Academic Press.  

Logo graphic drawing by Kurt Lomawaima.