Family and friends and wise mentors must lead any warrior down the good path toward victory. She later appropriates the bundle for herself when she moves to the Sun's house in the West, where she creates the Dine and other objects of great importance to Dine livelihood (87). The Sun and his associated symbols and The alkaan is highly symbolic. University of Michigan Press. NCC Press. produce things, the comforts of life, absence of worry, The former is distinguished by adding an "i" to the end, making the category k'e' terms. The Kinaald, or girl's puberty ceremony, is performed when a girl experiences her first menstruation, and culminates in a second gathering after her second period.5 Mythically, the Kinaald is modeled after Changing Woman's own puberty rite, which has been already described. Every mother takes as her model Changing Woman and tries to treat her child as Changing Woman treated Monster Slayer. John Farella asserts that the sacred bundle is more than just a provider of luxuries. Volume II. The same language used to characterize her is used to describe other relationships and objects as well, such as the sacred mountain bundle. Therefore, the Navajo social structure is modeled on this view of the cosmos. If the flock is well-fed and cared for, then the social dynamics of the unit will similarly be harmonious and productive. The last time she rubbed skin from between her shoulder blades, forming the Close to Her Body Clan. Right at the end of the rainbow I am here. (1984:30) Beck, Peggy, and Anna Lee Walters, eds., 1992. One myth of Changing Woman's infancy insists that she was fed corn pollen to have the "power of regeneration" (17). It can The Main Stalk: A Synthesis of Navajo Philosophy. One myth, which Stevenson recorded, places Talking God and another deity as created by corn from Changing Woman and her sister: Reichard records a myth in which Talking God gives corn to Whiteshell Woman and her sister Turquoise woman, saying, "There is no better thing than this in the world, for it is the gift of life." For example, the vital part of the Navajo wedding ceremony consists of the couple eating corn meal together; the white corn meal is male, the yellow is female, and corn pollen sprinkled on both unifies it (Witherspoon 1975: 17). A01 The Blessing Way (01-07) p. 45 This is "a practice based upon the belief that at the time of initiation a girl's body becomes soft again, as it was at birth, and thus she is susceptible to being literally re-formed by the efforts of those around her" (Lincoln 1981: 20). University of Chicago Press. The next significant event in Changing Woman's narrative is the myth of her sexual union with the Sun, and her birth to a son named Monster Slayer. Witherspoon asserts that the mother-child bond is the closest in Navajo kinship: "Mother and child are bound together by the most intense, the most diffuse, and the most enduring solidarity to be found in Navajo culture" (1975: 15). white corn, and her sister an ear of yellow corn, Witherspoon, Gary, 1977. University of New Mexico Press. Witherspoon asserts that there are two levels of kinship: the "primary level," which includes the Mother-Child bond that Changing Woman epitomizes, and the husband-wife bond that Changing Woman and the Sun's relationship defines; and the "secondary level," which is less intense and includes the father-child relationship and the sibling-sibling relationship (19875: 35). Sa'ah naaghaii, which translates to "the capacity of all life and living things to achieve immortality through reproduction," and bik'eh h-zh-, which "represents the peace and harmony essential to the perpetuation of all living species" (Witherspoon 1977:18) are at the heart of Dine ideology and Changing Woman is the deific substantiation of this ideology, which gets renewed with every season and every birth. The traditional Navajo dwelling is called a hogan, which means "home" (Beck 1992: 284). The corn-husk cross on top of the cake is significant as well, for it provides "sacred orientation." University of New Mexico Press. She is described in terms of fertility and reproduction; by creating mankind from her own epidermis, and subsequently sustaining them through Earth's bounty, she is the First, and pre-emanate Mother. The unit's main functions are to "provide its members with a place of residence and a source of subsistence" (72). The former is distinguished by adding an "i" to the end, making the category k'e' terms. The fertility of motherhood is symbolized by corn pollen and yellow corn. Gill, Sam D. ripening, which regulated the raining, which regulated Witherspoon says, "the common interest in, and use of, the sheep herd is thus a major factor in uniting and integrating the attitudes and behavior of the individual members of the unit" (1975: 89). Structural Anthropology. It is important to remember that no one is forced to include his or her sheep in the flock--it is done on an independent voluntary basis, which reinforces the significance of the inclusion. on them "will be called amniotic fluid,"but As such, it is used to animate all "natural phenomena," such as the seasons and the rain (80). Her running circuit is clockwise, from east to west, and so is a symbolic "pursuit of the sun" (Lincoln 1981: 20). Furthermore, objects and individuals have proscribed placement within the hogan as well. Then it is baked in a pit, which is symbolic of a woman's womb (earth=woman). Zolbrod, Paul G, 1984. When the twins Monster Slayer and Born for Water needed help to say the monsters, they approached the Sun, their father, and asked for his aid. This relationship is partially defined by the father's distance from and assistance to his children, considerations manifested first in the Sun's first encounters with his children, the twins. Furthermore, First Man's "medicine" began in the underworld and provided for the genesis upwards into the different worlds (69). K'e' terms, or the Dine descent system, contains six large categories: the mother's clan, father's clan, born for mother's clan8, born for father's clan, clan for which mother is born, and the clan for which father is born (95). Changing Woman was irritated and said "your father is a round cactus then. Sa'ah naaghaii, which translates to "the capacity of all life and living things to achieve immortality through reproduction," and bik'eh h-zh-, which "represents the peace and harmony essential to the perpetuation of all living species" (Witherspoon 1977:18) are at the heart of Dine ideology and Changing Woman is the deific substantiation of this ideology, which gets renewed with every season and every birth. What are trickster and Transformer tales? Even after this incident, however, the Sun could never really be close to his children. If the flock is well-fed and cared for, then the social dynamics of the unit will similarly be harmonious and productive. University of Chicago Press. One day, First Man decided to investigate and set out chanting a optimistic song. Earth is My Mother, Sky Is My Father;: Space, Time, and Astronomy in Navajo Sandpainting. The language describing the bundle mirrors that describing Changing Woman; both make reproduction possible in a structured way. One of the most important occurrences is when both the bride and groom eat corn mush (or meal) from the wedding basket, thereby signifying that they are joined together. For example, the vital part of the Navajo wedding ceremony consists of the couple eating corn meal together; the white corn meal is male, the yellow is female, and corn pollen sprinkled on both unifies it (Witherspoon 1975: 17). by which they had life in them, which regulated the The hogan has its creation in Navajo Mythology, when First Man creates it upon emergence into this world. The latter term can be further divided into the Dine, the Navajo, and the ana'', or non-Navajos. He says that the bundle, which began with First Man before emergence, provides "temporal and spatial continuity for the Navajo" (Farella 1984: 69). on them "will be called amniotic fluid,"but Dine kinship extends far beyond the nuclear family. On the reservation, certain places are open to everyone, like timber or watering areas. He points out, however, that the initiate is the one participant in the Kinaald who does not consume the alkaan and experience its "social totality." nihima' (our mother), they refer to the Sun as "nihitah' Language and Art in the Navajo Universe. According to Zolbrod, she made the heads of the original six clans. Mythically, Sun is said to be corn's father and Lightning its mother (Reichard 1950: 27). their meanings provide the major conceptual framework Changing Woman created the original clans by rubbing off pieces of her epidermis in a symbolic manner. The soil is also the earth's flesh" (Farella 1984: 182). Mankind. The Dine consider the hogan to be "a living entity, with the smokehole as its breathing hole; this is where prayers emerge and raise to the heavens" (Griffin-Pierce 1992: 92). Sun's presence is implied, since he is believed to Witherspoon says, "the common interest in, and use of, the sheep herd is thus a major factor in uniting and integrating the attitudes and behavior of the individual members of the unit" (1975: 89). "This is really too bad my children. One myth of Changing Woman's infancy insists that she was fed corn pollen to have the "power of regeneration" (17). NCC Press. They bring good luck because they are like the Hero Twins born to Changing Woman. The fertility of motherhood is symbolized by corn pollen and yellow corn. Navajo Religion. They decided to explore this, and so for four days Changing Woman lay on a rock "with her feet to the east and her legs spread comfortably apart. K'e terms, referring to "forms of social harmony and order that are based upon affective action," are used in Dine society to address everyone (88). Purity and Danger. There are over sixty clans today (Kluckhohn 1946: 111). used throughout, and drypaintings of these materials and pulverized flower blossoms are sometimes prepared Now on the top of Gobernador Knob, I am here. 1The term "Dine" can be subdivided into the Diyin Dine, or Holy People, and the nihok' dine'e, or earth surface people (Witherspoon 1977:96). Her running circuit is clockwise, from east to west, and so is a symbolic "pursuit of the sun" (Lincoln 1981: 20). 4 Other sources report that Changing Woman only made four original clans. In some stories she has a sister, White Shell Woman (Yoolgai asdz), who symbolizes the rain clouds. University of Arizona Press. She will be in charge of vegetation everywhere for the benefit of Earth people" (Reichard 1950: 407). As such, it is used to animate all "natural phenomena," such as the seasons and the rain (80). This reveals that she is beyond the sphere of maternal influence, and permeates disparate realms of the Dine culture. the amniotic fluidsoaked into the soil right there. She is also the benevolent being who creates the first Navajo of the four original clans and corn and is therefore known for bringing fertility and regeneration into the world. Changing Woman is considered to have made the first sheep: has the dignity of great simplicity. 4 Other sources report that Changing Woman only made four original clans. white corn, and her sister an ear of yellow corn, Lincoln asserts, "[The cake] contains the sun and earth; male and female; the Holy People, first of all beings; corn, and by extension vegetation; the cardinal points; zenith and nadar" (32). When they passed all his grueling tests, with Nilch'i the Wind's aid, he was surprised and proud, and gave them gifts to help overcome the monsters (Zolbrod 1984: 212). The younger twin, Born of Water, is given prayer sticks and told to watch them as the older twin Monster Slayer goes out to fight the monsters. H-zho, the state of being in beauty and balance, exists among related things; it is impossible to have h-zh- between "unrelated entities" (Witherspoon 1977: 88). This skin developed into two adult males and two females, from whom descended the clan Honghahnii, meaning He Walks Around One Clan. Metaphorical Implications: He points out, however, that the initiate is the one participant in the Kinaald who does not consume the alkaan and experience its "social totality." used throughout, and drypaintings of these materials and pulverized flower blossoms are sometimes prepared None of these variations seems to influence the real substance of the story dramatically. Even after this incident, however, the Sun could never really be close to his children. Return to The Sacred Mountains as a Hogan Around the time of the h-zh--j', the child is given a secret, or "war," name by his or her parents which is considered the child's property and is seldom used even by the child's family (24). In fact, they reflect Dine kinship and social relationships (92). Here, fertility comes from the union of yellow corn and white corn, an idea which is mirrored in the Dine wedding ceremony. Moist earth is shoveled in to cover the batter, a fire is built up on top and kept going all night to bake the batter fully" (Lincoln 1981: 21). Witherspoon says, "the common interest in, and use of, the sheep herd is thus a major factor in uniting and integrating the attitudes and behavior of the individual members of the unit" (1975: 89). Here Changing Woman grew lonely and created the Navajo People from skin rubbed off various parts of her body. Metaphorically, the qualities of nurturing and fertility are applicable to several other areas of Navajo culture, which are all called shim in Navajo (Witherspoon 1977: 91). Harvard UP. in Witherspoon 1975: 17).7 Beck, Peggy, and Anna Lee Walters, eds., 1992. 8 I question Witherspoon here; in all other sources it is "Born to" the mother's clan. NCC Press. The Main Stalk: A Synthesis of Navajo Philosophy. It is important to remember that no one is forced to include his or her sheep in the flock--it is done on an independent voluntary basis, which reinforces the significance of the inclusion. Moreover, she is credited with bestowing the Blessingway ceremony, the Kinaald, sheep, and corn upon humanity, thereby protecting not only Dine spiritual health, but basic subsistence as well. (1984:30) The Book of the Navajo. Lincoln asserts that "given its shape, color, and relation to fire, it must be seen as a solar image" (Lincoln 1981: 32). We went A05 Listening Woman (02-13) p. 155 These mountains are "today the immediate source of life and breath on the earth's surface. For example, the two canes she rests on are made of white shell and turquoise, which are intimately identified with her. Symbolism of Sheep: Haile provides one myth in which First Man is dismayed at his forgetfulness when he leaves his medicine in a lower world: 6 For a longer discussion of hogans, please see page Griffin-Pierce, Trudy, 1992. The Savage Mind. mirage and earth rising haze. Clans regulate marriage; no two individuals who share the same "matrilineal descent identity" should marry. Furthermore, objects and individuals have proscribed placement within the hogan as well. Navajo Kinship and Marriage. University of Chicago Press. The fourth day is devoted to singing sacred Blessingway and "free" songs. in Farella 1984: 79-80). Navajo Kinship and Marriage. 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