mmon, often mythical ancestor. Individuals trace their clan membership through their mother and women inherit property through their mother's clan.
             Of the original 75 clans, 34 still exist and are spread throughout the Hopi villages. The early arriving clans, who have sonority within the clan hierarchy, came from Anasazi territory to the north and east. Each clan is responsible for guarding a part of Hopi ritual knowledge, hosting ceremonies, and keeping and honoring certain sacred objects. Clan membership requires specific duties to be performed to fulfill the clan's responsibilities, and also determines what ceremonial offices an individual may hold. Some important offices must rotate between members of different clans.
             In the beginning the Hopi believed all there was Tokpella, Endless Space. Only Dawa, the Sun Spirit, existed with some lesser gods. Dawa gathered the elements of Tokpella and added some of his own substance to create the First World. There were no people then, merely insect-like creatures who lived in a dark cave deep in the earth. Dawa watched them but was deeply disappointed because they did not understand the meaning of life.
             Dawa called his messenger, Gogyeng Sowuhti, Spider Grandmother, and told her to go down and prepare the creatures for a change. She went to them and said, "Dawa, who made you,
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