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The Dartmouth
March 29, 2024 | Latest Issue
The Dartmouth

Lomakema describes Hopi healing process

Stanford Lomakema, a Hopi elder, told an audience of about 70 people last night that the pressures of modern society often cause people to lose sight of their dreams.

Lomakema, who attended Dartmouth for a year, opened a series of lectures sponsored by the Dartmouth Medical School's Minority Affairs Commission about native healers.

Lomakema, who also attended Northern Arizona University, said he places a higher emphasis on the practical education he gained though the traditions and culture of the Hopi tribe.

These experiences, he said, led to a turning point in his life when he realized his calling was to help his people.

Lomakema, who teaches the Hopi language, serves on the Hopi Tribal Council's Board of Directors and is a healer, articulated his desire "to share what [he] has learned in [his] years in this world."

Lomakema approached the topic of healing by explaining some of the primary beliefs of the Hopi Indians. "Our father has set us a table and has invited everyone to come. Everything one can ever need is on the table, if one can dream it. If you can dream it, it is there for you."

Hopi translates into English as wisdom, and a "Hopi should spend his life trying to gain wisdom and understanding of the important things in life," Lomakema said.

These important things can be simplified down into three tenants: basic human needs, such as food and shelter, health and happiness.

He said focusing on these three things helps humans to stay on the path they should follow throughout life in order to prepare and practice for the next world.

This pathway is an integral component of the Hopi's ideas about sickness. Lomakema said under Hopi belief, depression, diabetes, alcoholism and drug abuse are all preventable -- they are results of the afflicted loosing direction.

Lomakema said we are only treating the symptoms, not the causes of these ailments. "If you look for a cure, you have to come back to the roots. You must give people a sense of wisdom," Lomakema said.

The Hopis theorize the main reason people have failed to stay focused on their paths is the whirlwind pressures of modern society, which cause them to lose sight of what they want from the table.

People who veer from their paths loose their belief in themselves, their sense of purpose and direction, he said. The remedy to this is a strong support system.

"We all have dreams. Sometimes we are not allowed to make them real. We need support. This support will give us strength and pride in ourselves," Lomakema said.

This support system provides a source of empowerment which allows people to reach out, take the things they want and make them their own.

Lomakema went on to describe the strong sense of community and support that has traditionally existed in the Hopi tribe. He said he also believes the decline in this system has lead to the increased rates of depression, alcoholism and drug abuse within the community.

"People have come too far off the pathway," Lomakema said. "They do not have the sense of purpose to get back on. When this happens, their spirit leaves and they get sick."

In order to treat these ailments, Lomakema said a stronger support system is needed. People need to believe in their capabilities, to have pride in themselves and to strive to attain a spiritual balance.

Lomakema concluded by urging the audience to take the time to listen to someone. "We are all of us Hopi, we all have wisdom. All of us can heal someone, we do not have to be called medicine men or doctors," he said.