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"The emergence of Hopi people into this, the FourthWorld, was followed by migrations to the four corners of the earth. Ancient prophecieswould later direct the various Hopi clans to settle more than 1,200 years ago in what isnow Northeastern Arizona, one of the most remote and seemingly inhospitable regions inthe United States.

For generations our contact with the outside world was minimal. Hopi people livedlargely as subsistence farmers, practicing a spiritual way of life that shunned materialpossessions. We did not adopt a cash economy until the 1900s. We found comfort andsecurity in our isolation. We were able to preserve our customs and traditions.

But the tentacles of modern life soon stretched to our remote homeland. And todaywe are faced with the difficult task of embracing the new, while preserving the old. Wemust build an economy on Hopi to ensure the viability of our homeland for generationsto come, so our young people no longer leave the reservation to seek opportunity elsewhere."