In the Hopi, what does Kelemuya mean please?

Question

Years ago I wrote Beloved Hopi Grandmother and she gave me this name along with my story which I have, but I lost memory of what this means and I am of another language. I lost memory of many things as I have had a TBI (Tramatic Brain Injury) and had amnesia. I am recovering strangely and sometimes it's scary and not quite the full picture/flick as this was 35 years or so ago. It is a very strange tale and sometimes quite fantastic but I continue. Do you have a friend that speaks Hopi? I hope I have the right catagory.

Answer 1

I feel so sorry that you have lost memory of what was definitely a very profound and moving moment in your life.

First off, did you write down "Kelemuya" and are sure that is the correct spelling? And secondly, I am assuming that you are female from your screenname.

The closest to Kelemuya that I could find was either Kimimela, which is Sioux for "Butterfly" (female.) However, Kelemuya could also be a compound of Kele which is a MALE Hopi name meaning "Sparrow" and Malia or Meli, both Female names meaning "Bitter" from the Zuni.

I would guess the latter, since the Hopi and the Zuni are both Southwest, matrilineal groups which share many linguistic characteristics (Uto-Aztecan family.)

Hope this helps.

http://www.babynameguide.com/categorynativeamerican.asp?strGender=&strAlpha=M&strCat=Native-American&strOrder=Name