Visiting the mesas and doing the work of the project is likely to include some climbing and walking, but will not necessarily require manual physical labor. The Hopi are a very spiritual people whose beliefs are seamlessly woven into their everyday lives. As part of the spiritual practice, each Hopi village has a plaza where Hopi children and adults attend sacred ceremonial dances throughout the year. Since exact dates for the ceremonial dances are known only a few days in advance, it is impossible to predict if the week of the project will correspond with these traditional celebrations or if they will be open to non- Hopi people. Strict adherence to Hopi rules is absolutely necessary for all GCN volunteers.
Volunteers make their own travel arrangements and are free to fly or drive to Arizona.
Team members will meet at the airport in Phoenix, and then continue by van to Second Mesa. Efforts will be made to spend time on each of the three mesas during their stay. Iva was our hostess for the June 1999 exploratory trip. Meals will be prepared and shared as a team, and people from the village will be invited to participate when it is possible. In the past, volunteers have traveled to the Grand Canyon, which has sacred meaning for the Hopi, and provides a meaningful end to this trip.