In a message dated 7/20/2002 3:50:50 PM Central Daylight Time, wood_owl@hotmail.com writes: > > It could mean "the one who buries." I'm wondering if it is a reference to a > bonepicker, who was a highly respected person. I do know that the cleaned > bones were also buried. > > George Ann > Hello George Ann, Imafo emailed that it meant leader. Perhaps, like words in other languages, such as the English word "sail" it could have several meanings. I asked Imafo if it might there were different meanings based on where it was in the name. If it meant one thing if it was at the front and another at the back of a name. There are several names with Hopia in it but some have it in the beginning and some have it at the end. John Craven New Orleans