The Book of Truth a New Perspective on the Hopi Creation Story

Book excerpt: Thomas O. Mills befriended author Frank Waters, who in 1963 had written The Book of the Hopi with his Hopi informant Oswald White Bear Fredericks. Their book included the Hopi Creation Story. Mills listened, read and began to draw his own original and provocative conclusions. In his book, he seeks to track actual events and history that may be buried within it and how this could relate to our future. This book, drawing together a variety of ideas that are usually considered separately, makes stimulating reading and is good material for classroom discussions on history, race, Hopi culture, astronomy and "myth." Mills's intuitive vision should spur scientists to look more closely into what we like to call "myths" or "stories" for their possible basis in historical fact. And today, as we worry about climate change and what it means for the future, shouldn't we also be figuring out whether modern technology can prevent the earth's next rotational shake-up, and how we plan to survive it?