Marlene Sekaquaptewa

July 10, 1940–June 24, 2020

The date of Ms. Sekaquaptewa is not a typo. She passed away last year. Although I’ve been writing the daily obits of people who have died recently, I decided to write about Marlene Sekaquaptewa today in connection with today’s Silly Little Dictionary! entry, which is about piki, a traditional bread made by the Hopi.

While I was researching information about piki, I found a YouTube video in which Ms. Sekaquaptewa explains how to make it in the traditional Hopi way. When I then tried to find more information about her, I was deeply saddened she had passed away last year from Covid. I felt compelled to write about her today.

Marlene attended Central High School, in Phoenix, while her parents lived away from the reservation.

In 1956, the U.S. passed the Indian Relocation Act (Public Law 959), euphemistically called the “Adult Vocational Training Program”. The aim was, ostensibly, to encourage Native Americans to leave their reservations and traditional lands, and relocate and assimilate to larger urban areas.

Marlene Sekaquaptewa’s family moved to Los Angeles during this time period and stayed there until the 1960s. When she moved back to Arizona, she got involved with her community and became an activist. She attended Scottsdale Community College and graduated from its tribal development program. She met and married Leroy Kewanimptewa, with whom she had five children (two of them predeceased her).

After entering Arizona politics, Ms. Sekaquaptewa became governor of the village of Bacavi, serving various terms. She was also known for her quilt-making skills, and her works were displayed in museums around the United States. She was a reference for students and scholars who wanted to learn more about Hopi culture and traditions.

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