Friday, December 4, 2009  / 17 Kislev 5770

Jewish film producer

documents Hopi message

for 2010 film festivals

Daughter, grandson of late chief Mike Gashwarza affirm declaration: 'Hopi origin is Jerusalem'

A film documentary telling the Hopi message of peace and universal brotherhood and revealing the origin of this oldest American Native tribe in North America as "Jerusalem" is planned for worldwide Spring 2010 film festivals.  The documentary is being produced by Andrew Feder, a Jewish mystic who also hosts the popular  BBS Radio show "When Pigs Fly" every Friday afternoon.

Feder and his Co-Producer, Teresa Crespo-Hartendorp, both of Los Angeles, also interviewed Maggid ben Yoseif about the "Jerusalem connection to the Red Spirit," and correlations ben Yoseif has noted of the Hopi prophecy, history and ceremonies with other American Native writings, some with identifiable Israelite links.

Jewish mystic teams with Cherokee 'Joe'

ben Yoseif and Feder had earlier discussed the Hopi link on Feder's No. 1-rated Friday afternoon internet radio broadcast.  Feder is a practicing kabbalist for the past 30 years who studied under the tzadik  (holy man) the "Moah" of Caesarea in Israel and later under the guiding hand of the late teacher and healer, Janeau St. Clair. He was a former moshavnik while living in Israel during the 1980's where he experienced the Lebanese War. Today Feder feels compelled to promote the Hopi understandings and their message of peace.

The documentary also features the first glance of the 103-year-old home renovated by ben Yoseif to accommodate American Native elders who visit the Eastern Gate into the Sacred Four Corners region of SW Colorado, NW New Mexico, NE Arizona and SE Utah.

ben Yoseif is himself mixed Cherokee and has studied Native American affairs and researched connections to Israel since moderating a debate between members of the American Indian Movement (AIM) and representatives from the Bureau of Indian Affairs in 1973 at Louisiana State University.  In 2006, he was invited to be an elder among the nearby Membreno Apache after delivering a message to the Bush White House seeking the return of the skulls of Geronimo and Apache youths.  The skulls were removed from Fort Sill, OK graves by a relative of President Bush and are being used in unclean rituals at Yale University.

In 2008, ben Yoseif was named "special messenger" of the American Native White Roots of Peace Council to promote the twin fires of Hopi and Cherokee prophecy and the Great Law of the Iroquois (the document on which the U.S. Constitution is based due to the friendship of Thomas Jefferson and the Iroquois).  He was recently invited to become a member of an as yet unnamed society organized by the Central Band Cherokee, which is investigating Israelite links with all Native American tribes.

The Ogalalah Sioux prophecy

ben Yoseif believes indigenous elders who visit Eldersgate will be fulfilling the first stage of an ancient Ogalalah Sioux prophecy, which may tie to three purifications long foretold by the Hopi for this continent in the Last Days.

"Just before fires sweep the Great Plains, which appears to describe one of the three Hopi purifications," ben Yoseif said, "the Ogalalah medicine men prophesied that a place would be found in the Rocky Mountains to which elders would come prepared to steward the healing of the land in the aftermath of the purifications."

The Membreno believe they have located this place between Walsenburg and Gardner, CO, and are eager to show it to elders who come, ben Yoseif said, adding that he was first shown the land by circling eagles when visiting with the late John Wilson, who was Ogalalah and who had moved to southwest Colorado in pursuit of this same prophecy.

Before Buffalo Man died he showed me a poster tacked up in his barn that had survived the propane blast that had destroyed his home," ben Yoseif said.  "It was the prophecy that kept Buffalo Man alive until I promised him, when he was near death, that I would not forget it or him. Proceeds that accrue to Eldersgate from this documentary will include a proper grave marker for John 'Buffalo Man' Wilson.

Blessing of Hopi

Since this was really a Hopi prophecy, ben Yoseif said he visited Hopi with Membreno Apache leader Jimmy Tenrivers to receive the blessing of the Hopi for this work.  "Medicine man Emory Holmes at Third Mesa Hotevilla laid his hand on both of our hearts.".

The medicine man also blessed a special staff cut by beavers on which was engraved by ben Yoseif and his son, Aharon Mateho, the phrase in Hebrew:  l'yoseif eytz efraim v'col beis yisrael chavero (for Joseph, the stick of Ephraim and all the House of Israel his companions). ben Yoseif said the staff saved his life when it came floating by after he had waded too deep out into a stream for his first mikveh in the Rocky Mountains.

It was the middle of winter and there was snow on both banks but I needed a mikveh.  It took my breath away and I came up gasping and grasping after the 10th immersion. And my right hand clutched this staff floating by, which I used to raise myself out of the water," ben Yoseif said.

ben Yoseif said he is currently investigating links that may tie the Hopi to the House of Joseph.

Daughter, grandson of late chief declare Jerusalem 'home'

Christine Gashwarza, who acted as the late chief, Mike Gashwarza (her father's) translator and handled his correspondence, first validated this Jerusalem connection to ben Yoseif in the summer of 2004.  ben Yoseif made a special trip to visit with Ms. Gashwarza and her two sisters when he was told by the "Witness in White" of the Cherokee Nation, Dorothy K. Daigle, that "Tuwanisavi" the Hopi home or place of origin was "Jerusalem." Grandmother Daigle did not want to be in the documentary but she is acknowledged in the film for her "silent witness," ben Yoseif said.

"At first I didn't believe the Lady in White as Daigle is called by the Hopi. I had to hear it with my own ears, see it in the faces of the Hopi children and feel it in Hopi land," said ben Yoseif, himself known to the Hopi as Tohokwahu (Lioneagle).  A great appreciation is extended to Grandmother Daigle, whose 11-year friendship with the Gashwarza family and other Hopi and as the assistant of the late Cherokee John Duke Red Hat, a Reform rabbi, made this documentary possible.''

Led on a path of light

"This documentary was my fourth trip to Hopi allowing me to complete a personal migration from each of the four directions.  It was also obviously time for this revelation to come forth, as we were given a free hand in this filming, had immense cooperation in every quarter, the weather cooperated, and the light ... everywhere the light led us and begged to be filmed," ben Yoseif said. "This is a remarkable story which Ms. Crespo-hartendorp, a former Hollywood actress turned filmmaker and Feder have captured with all the creative genius, compassion and humanity most will be able to stand.  There will not be a dry eye at the end of this documentary.

 

"A few questions will be left unanswered because the people to ask them live in Israel," he added.

Four Corners sacred to Hopi

Filming of the documentary began in early November and included most of the "Four Corners" area held as sacred in the migrations of the Hopi, possibly because before Hopi buried their weapons of war and declared a vow of peace (Hopi), brothers had spilled the blood of brothers in this same region.

Most of the filming was on Third Mesa in the ancient villages of Old Oraibi and Hotevilla. These two villages are the oldest continuously occupied "cities" in all of North America, with archaeological artifacts found dating to 2,300 BCE. Much older regions of the villages have never been excavated due to taboos about disturbing the ground.

Percentage of proceeds to benefit Hopi children