There have been new discoveries about the Hisatsinom at the famous site called Cowboy Wash.

Evidence relating to an event in about 1150 AD has become a subject of controversy. Bones of at least seven people were found scattered among pottery remains. Cuts on the bones and darkened flesh suggest that these people were butchered and cooked.

Theories among archaeologists are: Cannibalism took place, or these are the remains of suspected witches, or the bodies were left as part of a religious ceremony.

The two most involved scenarios are:

• ONE: Raiders from Mexico, where cannibalism was a known practice, attacked and ate the people.
• TWO: Immigrants had moved into the area and when times got bad, resentment toward them led to the massacre.

By a vote of 61-1 (somebody might be in trouble) The Navajo Nation Council has voted to privatize The Navajo Times, and radio station KTNN, which are owned by the tribe and paid for by tribal funds. Albert Hale, president of the Navajo nation, has been accusing these two news operations of reporting half-truths.

The Navajo Times is a national newspaper for the Navajo People and is very out-spoken. This has been brewing for quite a while as Hale has been having many personal and administrative difficulties.

Concern has been expressed by the radio station that non-Navajo investers would not continue to program in the Navajo language for economic reasons.

Hopi legend speaks of the "Yellow Star" or "Blue Star" and Hale-Bopp has been described as fitting the prophecy. For centuries the Hopi have been expecting this and here is the ancient story.

An older brother takes a sacred stone to the "rising sun." Upon arrival at his destination, a sign in the sky - a great white star - signals his return to Hopi land in seven seasons. At this time all people who have done wrong to the Hopi will be destroyed and all land taken from the Hopi will be returned.

Interpreting a season as a year, the appearance of Hale-Bopp signals this end of time as May 10, 2004.

Hopi prophecies are given great credence. 200 years ago elders of the tribe predicted:

• Roads in the sky.
• Moving houses of iron.
• The ability to speak long distances through cobwebs.

Here is an easy one: Women would wear men's clothing. Related prophecies: Aztec agrees with the Hopi date. Mayan says last day of Earth and humans will be December 21, 2012.

Another prediction of impending disaster comes from the Navajo. Sheep are a sacred symbol to these people, for they were given by White Bead, a much-loved deity of the Navajo, to make their lives easier. Other than the economic benefits sheep are revered when praying for health.

The Navajo say that sheep have only one life and one soul, and that the unnatural interference by cloning can only come to no good.

Here is another example of big decisions affecting the lives of the little people. In 1966 Robert Bennett, who was the head of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, put a freeze on all construction on the still-contested Hopi Partitioned Land.

This has prevented growing Navajo families from building additions to their homes - including indoor plumbing - or providing new homes to the newly married. No new roads (the Hopi claim some roads as sacred) or water or power lines have been built in the past 31 years.

A recent U.S. Supreme Court decision has lifted the freeze on 800,000 acres, but 700,000 acres are still contested by the Hopi, and a judgement is pending.

Poverty of the Navajo will limit any improvements soon.

On May 5, 1996 the tiny town of Big Mountain in NE Arizona became a focus of religious ferver. A 96-year-old Navajo woman said she was visited by tribal gods in the form of two old Navajo men.

Official sanction of the event was shown by allowing Navajo tribal employees a special four hour leave to visit the site, and by declaring May 17-24 as Spiritual Unity Week. Since then thousands of Navajo and uncounted tourists have visited.

Big Mountain is on land declared by Congress in 1974 to be Hopi land, but at this time 250 Navajo families live there and much bitterness is involved.

Intrigue: Some claim that this is a hoax perpetrated by the Hopi to stir up a confrontation. Some say that the Navajo family living there only wants publicity to help with their claim to the land. Others state that if the site is sacred it should be restricted to only medicine men.

Here is a personal account from our friend, Mark Silversmith, as told to me: The footprints of the two messengers are deeply imbedded into the hard ground. Corn meal offered as respect does not blow away. Mark also said that he and others were considering letting their hair grow long as part of returning to the old ways.

Now what does that say to you? Join the Army and see all possible worlds?

The official decision is to allow members of the Native American Church who are in the military to attend services while on leave, and to use peyote in the rituals. The guidelines are no use of peyote 24 hours before returning to active duty.

Previously some church members who admitted to peyote use were dishonorably discharged, and the policy was "don't ask, don't tell."

The new agreement is based on the understanding that peyote is not a drug, and its use is allowed under the American Indians Religious Freedom Act. Now if any member of the Native American Church is asked if they use drugs they are advised to "Just Say No."

Is this a great country or what?