Hopi baskets, Piki, and Parched corn Demo in Moencopi

Today 12 Mar 2014 Sister Ann Thompson and I went to watch Sister Trujillo demonstrate how to weave a Hopi basket.  We all got a chance to practice, just a little bit.
  She gathers the Yucca plant at a certain time and splits them.  She moistened the strains by using her own "spit" which keeps the fibers more moist than using water.  You create a pattern by using multiplies of 1,3 and 5.   If you look very closely you can see that pattern.
  They wrap the strips that are not being used in a plastic bag, so they retain their moisture.  The tip is very pointed and sharp.  We also found out that you need to toughen your hands to do this.
  She also demonstrated how to sew it together.  She uses the baskets all the time and sells many of them also.  It is quite an art and I hope they continue to teach the young people how to do it.
  She also showed us how to make Piki (or piki bread)it  is a rolled bread made by the Hopi with nixtamalized corn meal. Blue corn and culinary ash give it a dark grayish-blue color.  You can see her spread a very thin layer on the stone grill.
  The wood fire has to stay at a fairly even temperature.  She puts the batter directly on the stone using her fingers.  She spreads 3 layers and when she could tell it was done she peeled it off and placed it to the side.  When the next piece was almost done,she placed the previous one over the cooking one, letting it become slightly moistened, which allowed her to fold it to the middle and then roll it together.  You can see the finished one in the photos.
  She cleaned the stone each time using olive oil and sheep brains.  It is a very coveted food and contains a lot of niacin. It is flake like and just a little sweet.  She said many eat it and drink water.  She said she liked it with grape soda.
  We then watched another woman make parched corn.  You will see "white culinary sand"  which is placed in the kettle sitting over the wood fire.  The uncooked corn is put in a basket, like the one she was weaving.  A salt water solution is dripped onto the corn before it is put into the kettle.  The white sand turns black and when the corn heats up it starts to pop like popcorn.  She said we should watch our cleavage or we would get burned.  She assured us that she was not joking.  She had worn a high neck shirt just for that reason.
  She also picked up the kernels that popped out onto the dirt and placed them back into the kettle.  She said they were still good and should not be wasted.