What is intriguing about the Zuni people is that their language does not resemble any other language of the neighboring Pueblos. Moreover, they are the only people in the world to speak the Zuni language. (Minnesota State University Mankato)

The Pueblo society has usually been ruled in a theocratic manner, with the head of the tribe also being the priest of the tribe. The Zuni community has also been extremely religious and has kept most of its religious traditions to this day. In the Zuni religion, everything in the world is united under one spirit and gods are still present in the lakes of Arizona and New Mexico. (Minnesota State University Mankato)

During a Zuni religious festival the tribe chiefs and the shamans pray together to the gods. Their prayer is intended to praise the gods, which in their turn would give aid to their devoted subjects. The shamans are among the most respected of the Zuni people, as the members of the society often turn to their shamans for direction. The shamans are also considered to have experience in healing wounds and doing medical work generally. Not all the shamans are equal, as there are several stages through which a shaman has to go to in order to reach the highest rank, one that empowers him over all Zuni customs.

A surprising thing is that the Zuni people consider women to be the most important members of the tribe. While the Zuni men provide for all of the necessities for the tribe, the women take care of the tribe's economy and of the trades between the Zunis and other tribes.

The Zuni tribe is a somewhat a mysterious society, as there is not much known about its customs or about its language. One of the things that makes the Zuni special is that they are among the only tribes to have survived all of the wars that took place within their territory.

The Hopi tribe is another Pueblo tribe which has succeeded in standing strong in front...

Unlike the Zunis, the Hopis had been under constant attack from the Spaniards which had wanted to take advantage of them. The Hopi territory had been surrounded by Navajo tribes which had also been oppressed by the Spaniards. They were also disadvantaged because of the pressure the Navajos had started to put on them by attacking all neighboring tribes, including the Hopi tribe. The Navajo attack had lasted for approximately three centuries.
Subsequent to the end of the attacks from the part of Spaniards, the Navajo continued to attack the Hopis in order to conquer their lands. Shockingly, in 1870, the U.S. government had robbed the Hopis of their land and had sent them to live within the territory of a reservation where they also live in the present.

By judging some facts related to language and tradition, it would appear that the Hopi tribe would be related to the Aztecs. The Hopi language for instance is slightly related to that of the Aztecs. Another factor which leads to believing that the Aztecs and the Hopis had been related is that both communities have had similar stories of origins. (spirittalknews)

Both the Hopis and the Zunis are now part of the All Indian Pueblo Council, but each of the 19 members of the council has its own government. Both tribes have languages that are only oral and thus it is not possible to write any of them down.

Works Cited

Levine, Frances. 1999. Our Prayers Are in This Place. University of New Mexico Press.

2008. The Aztec. American Indian History, Spirituality, & Culture. http://www.spirittalknews.com/Aztec.htm.(accesed January 23, 2009)

Hopi. Minnesota State University Mankato. http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/cultural/northamerica/hopi.html.(accesed January 23, 2009)

Zuni. Minnesota State University Mankato. http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/cultural/northamerica/zuni.html.(accesed January 23, 2009)