05/08/2026
In celebration of Teacher Appreciation Week, we would like to highlight Donna Kaye, who is the Facilitator for Hopitutuqaiki ✨
Donna is from Hotevilla, and she is Pipwung'wa (To***co clan). Her passion for teaching shines through in her promotion of Hopi language, culture, & values in a natural learning environment that offers students a unique opportunity for growth. Donna is also a mentor, designer, quilter, and artist.
Donna shared where her passion for teaching developed and how she became a mentor for Hopitutuqaiki:
"I am a Hopi woman who lives in Hotevilla. I am a friend, a daughter, a sister, a godmother, a stepmother, a guardian, and a wife. My first experience as a student was in the Hualapai community. As a child, I loved art and got lost in creating with my hands and from my heart. Later on, in my own adulthood, when I became a mentor for Hopitutuqaiki, I found that I could inspire, encourage, and bring out confidence in others. As a child, I remember going with my So-oh (grandmother) to someone's home, watching a group of ladies weave yungyapus (Third-Mesa style baskets). Most of them passed their skills down to their daughters and granddaughters. What little I learned from that era came to life when I made my first yungyapu. I was mentored by my kya'ah (aunt).
Mentoring involves modeling and some verbal instruction, but it is truly a Hopi way of showing someone how to learn a special skill, focusing on the learner and where they are at. In my class, I tell people that I will share what I know, but at the same time they may teach me something in return."
Thank you, Donna Kaye, for sharing your knowledge and wisdom with others so our young Hopi children can continue to grow up with a strong understanding of Hopi language, culture, and values. Askwali, Kwa-kwa!
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