Techqua Ikachi, Land – My Life

According the mythology of the Hopi, the deity Maasau requires that this Indigenous nation pledge to lead a simple life upon entering the fourth world, which is our world of today. This life is based on agriculture, mainly the cultivation of corn. Techqua Ikachi, Land – My Life is a document of self-determination and the upholding of traditions within the Hopi community, who have been based in Hotevilla, Arizona since the beginning of the 20th century. It shows the life of the community in simple, clear images. They are split in terms of their stance towards white US government policy, primarily the question of whether Hopi children should go to the “white” schools of their “enemies” in Hotevilla or their “friends” in nearby Oraibi, which has been continually inhabited since the 11th century. Over 20 years, James Danaqyumptewa filmed and documented ceremonies and protests at the behest of the village elder. This Super-8 footage forms the basis of the film, which was made with the help of filmmaker Anka Schmid and artist Agnes Barmettler. From this footage, historical photos and Barmettler’s images, the film forms a mosaic of the life of the Hopi.