Indian languages maintain ancestral roots. Archaeologists, being scientists have been hesitant to listen to oral accounts of the past. However, for interpretive purposes, archaeologists have looked at Indian cultural practices and related them to the reconstruction of the past. There is a growing mutual respect between scientific and native interpretations. Historically, catastrophes occur that force native peoples to move, abandon areas, or migrate .
People look for a better place, and end up where they are today.
The clan concept is a way of remembering the migrations of early people. There are four different dialects at Hopi. It is essentially the same language, but it may sound different. Clans are concerned with keeping their own integrity and identity. Each clan maintains its own account of where they came from.