Prophecy Rock
Near Oraibi, Arizona, there is a petroglyph
known as Prophecy Rock which symbolizes many
Hopi prophecies. Its interpretation is:
The large
human figure on the left is the Great Spirit.
The bow in his left hand represents
his instructions to the Hopi to lay down
their weapons. The vertical line to the right
of
the Great Spirit is a time scale in thousands
of years. The point at which the great Spirit
touches the line is the time of his return.
The "life path" established by the
Great Spirit divides into the lower, narrow
path of continuous Life in harmony with nature
and the wide upper road of white man's scientific
achievements. The bar between the paths, above
the cross, is the coming of white men; the
Cross is that of Christianity. The circle below
the cross represents the continuous Path of
Life.
The four small human figures on the upper
road represent, on one level, the past three
worlds and the present; on another level, the
figures indicate that some of the Hopi will
travel the white man's path, having been seduced
by its glamour.
The two circles on the lower Path of Life
are the "great shaking of the earth" (World
Wars One and Two). The swastika in the sun
and the Celtic cross represent the two helpers
of Pahana, the True White Brother.
The short line that returns to the straight
Path of Life is the last chance for people
to turn back to nature before the upper road
disintegrates and dissipates. The small circle
above the Path of Life, after the last chance,
is the Great Purification, after which corn
will grow in abundance again when the Great
Spirit returns. And the Path of Life continues
forever...
The Hopi shield in the lower right corner
symbolizes the Earth and the Four-Corners area
where the Hopi have been reserved. The arms
of the cross also represent the four directions
in which they migrated according to the instructions
of the Great Spirit.
The dots represent the four colors of Hopi
corn, and the four racial colors of humanity.
