UNC Mirror

Issue date: 11/7/07 Section: News

Professor of anthropology Enrique Maestas speaks about Native American prophesies on Tuesday at the Kohl House. Maestas is a member of the Apache tribe.

Prophecies from various Native American tribes concerning the end of the world were discussed Tuesday by professor Enrique Maestas, a member of the Apache tribe, as part of the Native American Recognition Week.

Mayan references have said that the world is going to end in 2012. According to Maestas, the Mayan references to 2012 do not mean the end of existence, but rather an end of a celestial cycle.

"For some reason, throughout my life, I've been introduced to people who had worked with these prophecies," Maestas said.

Maestas began the evening by having the room stand together and face and honor the four directions, which represent stages of life. He then showed a video about the Hopi and how their ancient prophecies of world chaos are coming true. The Great Spirit told the Hopi there were resources below the surface that should not be allowed to be used for war or for destructive purposes. Years later, uranium mining and the Manhattan project in New Mexico, near Hopi land, led to the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Maestas said the Hopi's believe that mankind came to this earth through the Grand Canyon. The Great Spirit told the people to go out and find better and easier land to live on. The Hopi's were the only people to come back to the land, which they held a spiritual importance, but was threatened by white settlement.

"The Hopi are saying 'let us continue our ceremonial obligations in peace,'" Maestas said. "Because we believe that the very world's balance and harmony depends on our ability to continue to carry out our sacred obligations."

Maestas also spoke of the Hopi's vision of the apocalypse, in which the elements of the earth work to destroy its own planet and the power of the sun is placed in our world, which Maestas likens to nuclear weapons.

The tone of the presentation was not all dreary, however, and several students who stayed around for a buffalo dinner said they learned something.

"I didn't know much about the Hopi culture, so to be exposed to that was a real eye-opener to me," Jacob Dunn, an events coordinator for NASS said.

A few of the listeners did not even seem fazed about the Hopi's proclamations of doom.

"I think it's interesting how there's so many different theories about the end of the world and how everybody's scared about it, but whatever happens, happens," said Sarah Morrow, a senior English major.

Though the presentation was about prophecies, which sounds like the world is destined by fate, Maestas said this is not the case.

"Even though we are limited as human beings," Maestas said. "Through our decisions and choices, we can make a change, we can determine our ability to survive."

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