Waya Hopohka (WAH-yah ho-POH-kah)
First Voice of Cahokia (Current)
Waya Hopohka was born near the great mound site of Cahokia, where earthworks rise like silent testaments to centuries of memory. His family were caretakers of oral traditions, and from early childhood he was surrounded by stories of rivers, skies, and ancestors. He was identified for Whisper training not only because of his gift for speaking, but also because of his unusual ability to listen without judgment. Elders recall that even as a boy, he could sit through hours of debate among adults and then summarize the core truth with uncanny precision.
Now in his early forties, Waya serves as First Voice with a steady presence rooted in those early lessons. His personal life is expansive: he maintains a primary union with a fellow mediator, but also participates in a seasonal household formed around planting and harvest rituals. He believes relationships must mirror the rhythms of the earth — shifting with season, sustained by care, dissolving when balance requires. His kinship circle includes apprentices, storytellers, and extended family who move in and out of his home as easily as the river changes course.
Away from council, Waya devotes himself to music and skywatching. He plays the flute at dawn, claiming it is the surest way to align the day with balance. At night he joins gatherings where constellations are retold as living stories, teaching young listeners how memory is embedded in the stars. He is also a woodcarver, shaping small figures of animals and birds that he gifts to children during festivals. Those who know him describe his leadership as quiet yet profound, like a river current that guides without being seen on the surface.
Current Location
Currently Held Titles
Date of Birth
22 Ubuntu 2263 zc (Ergon)
Year of Birth
2263 zc
42 Years old
Birthplace
Mississippi River Valley, Cahokia
Children
Belief/Deity
North American Animist + Taíno + Minor Faiths & Syncretic Traditions
Continuation of continental animist federations; voice of ecological balance.
Aligned Organization
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