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/Blue Star Kachina

In Hopi mythology, The Blue Star Kachina or Saquasohuh, is a kachina or spirit, that will signify the coming of the end of the world by appearing in the form of a blue star. The Blue Star Kachina is said to be the ninth and final sign before the "The Day of Purification", described as a catastrophe or a "world engulfing cataclysm" that will lead to the destruction of the earth. . Some have interpreted the prophecy of the Blue Star Kachina to be a reference to the impending arrival of extraterrestrial life.

Overview
According to Hopi legend, at the beginning of time Taiowa, the Creator, created his nephew, Sótuknang, to construct places for life. Out of the nothingness, Sótuknang created nine universes or worlds: one for Taiowa, one for himself, and seven others for additional life. The first three of these worlds, Tokpela, Tokpa and Kuskurza have already been inhabited and subsequently destroyed due to the corruption and wickedness of man. Each time one of the worlds is destroyed, the faithful Hopi are taken underground and saved from destruction to later emerge and populate the next world. The Hopi believe that currently, humanity is residing in the fourth world, Túwaqachi. Like the previous worlds, Túwaqachi is also prophesied to be destroyed because of the corruption of humanity.

The Signs of Destruction
There are nine signs of destruction as described by White Feather, a Hopi elder, in 1958. These signs were later recorded in Bob Frissell's book, Something in this Book is True.

"This is the First Sign: We are told of the coming of the white-skinned men, like Pahana, but not living like Pahana, men who took the land that was not theirs. And men who struck their enemies with thunder. This is the Second Sign: Our lands will see the coming of spinning wheels filled with voices. In his youth, my father saw this prophecy come true with his eyes. This is the Third Sign: A strange beast like a buffalo but with great long horns, will overrun the land in large numbers. These White Feather saw with his eyes. This is the Fourth Sign: The land will be crossed by snakes of iron. This is the Fifth Sign: The land shall be crisscrossed by a giant spider's web. This is the Sixth sign: The land shall be crisscrossed with rivers of stone that make pictures in the sun. This is the Seventh Sign: You will hear of the sea turning black, and many living things dying because of it. This is the Eight Sign: You will see many youth, who wear their hair long like my people, come and join the tribal nations, to learn their ways and wisdom." .

Some believe that these eight signs foreshadowing the end of the world have largely been fulfilled and are references to past events. The First Sign is said to be a reference to the arrival of Europeans in North America, while the Second is said to be a reference to the wagon and the exploration of North America by White men. Signs Three, Four and Five are said to signify the arrival of cattle, the construction of the railroad and the proliferation of telephone lines, respectively.

The Final Sign of the Blue Star
The ninth and final sign of destruction is described by White Feather as, "You will hear of a dwelling-place in the heavens, above the earth, that shall fall with a great crash. It will appear as a blue star. Very soon after this, the ceremonies of my people will cease ." This idea of the Blue Star Kachina marking the end of all Hopi rituals is reflected in Frank Water's book, Book of the Hopi, stating "The end of all Hopi ceremonialism will come when a kachina removes his mask during a dance in the plaza before uninitiated children ." This absence of Hopi ceremonialism will coincide with the inevitable destruction of the Fourth World. It is said that World War III will be begin and the United States will be ripped apart by war, leaving only the Hopis and their homeland intact. The war of the end of the world is described as "a spiritual conflict with material matters ."

Still, according to Hopi prophecy shortly after the Blue Star Kachina is visible to all and The Day of Purification is realized, the True White Brother will come to earth in search of Hopi "who steadfastly adhere to their ancient teachings". It is said that if the True White Brother is successful in finding those who still follow the true Hopi way of life, the world will be created anew and all the faithful will be saved from destruction. However, the Hopi mythology also details an alternate version of the prophecy, one in which the the True White Brother fails in his mission and is unable to find uncorrupted men and women. Then it is said that the earth will be completely destroyed and none will be spared.

Ancient Petroglyphs
Near Mishongnovi, Arizona multiple ancient Hopi petroglyphs have been said to depict creatures that have share a striking resemblance with the modern depiction of aliens along with symbols of the end of the world. On particular petroglyph found on Second Mesa located in the Hopi reservation of Arizona lies an especially interesting petroglyph. It is claimed that the carving clearly depicts a UFO resting on top of an arrow, representing the object traveling through space along with the head of a Hopi woman. This representation of a UFO is called a patuwvota, or "flying shield" by the Hopi and is said to have been present at the creation of the worlds. Therefore, it is claimed by some that at the end of the Fourth World when the Blue Kachina is visible, the True White Brother will come down from space via a spacecraft. Hopi Chief Katchongva has explained the petroglyph in a very similar way stating, "We believe other planets are inhabited and that our prayers are heard there... The arrow on which the dome-shaped object rests, stands for travel through space...we believe that those Hopi who survive Purification Day will travel to other planets ."

Similarities and Possible Connections with Mayan Legend
There exist many parallels between the Hopi Blue Star Kachina legend of the end of the world and the mythology of the Mayas. In both cultures, their mythology contains very similar events about the creation and destruction of the world. Firstly, the presence and destruction of past worlds is present in both cultures as well as the prediction of the destruction of the present world. Also, both cultures' mythologies speak of "sacred beings from another planet" whose arrival is preluded by the sight of a star. These striking similarities in mythology have prompted some to speculate that much of both cultures' mythologies are based upon astronomical signs. Professor Giorgio de Santillana has asserted that the previously destroyed worlds are references to "the four constellations rising heliacally at the two equinoxes and two solstices. Since they existed only temporarily, the earth perished or drowned when the equinoctial constellations dipped beneath the equator, and a new earth emerged from the waters when four new constellations rose at the four points of the year ." This uniformity in cultural mythology has led some to claim that the Hopi and the Maya could possibly be ancestrally linked.