Huerfano Mesa – Navajo Sacred Mountain

Huerfano Mesa (Dzil Na’oodilii – Encircling Mountain)

Home of First Man (‘Altsè Hastiin) and First Woman (’Altsè Asdzáá)

Huerfano Mesa -Navajo Sacred Mountain

Photo by Brad Fregger

Huerfano Mountain is a mountain summit in San Juan County in the state of New Mexico (NM). Huerfano Mountain climbs to 7,441 feet (2,268.02 meters) above sea level. Huerfano Mountain is located at latitude – longitude coordinates (also called lat – long coordinates or GPS coordinates) of N 36.425843 and W -107.845061

Dzil Na’oodilii is one of the sacred mountains of the Navajos, and is said to be suspended from the sky with sunbeams.

Dzil Na’oodilii is considered to be the “lungs” of Navajo country.

It is also the home of Yódí’ashkii (Goods of Value Boy), and Yódí’at’ééd (Goods of Value Girl), and one of the homes of ‘Altsé Hastiin (First Man), and ‘Altsé ‘Asdzáá (First Woman).

In the beginning DzilNa’oodilii was decorated with pollen, rugs, hides, cloth, and Male Rain for the coming of a special child (Changing Woman)

The Four Navajo Sacred Mountains

Mount Blanca (Tsisnaasjini’ – Dawn or White Shell Mountain – East
Mount Taylor (Tsoodzil – Blue Bead or Turquoise Mountain) – South
San Francisco Peaks (Doko’oosliid – Abalone Shell Mountain) – West
Mount Hesperus Dibé Nitsaa (Big Mountain Sheep) – Obsidian Mountain – North

Navajo People Website Links:

Navajo Culture – Navajo History – Navajo Art – Navajo Clothing Navajo Pictures – Navajo Rugs – Navajo Language– Navajo Jewelry – Navajo Code Talker – Navajo Pottery – Navajo Legends – Hogan’s – Sand Painting – Navajo Food – Navajo News – Navajo Nation

Gobernador Knob – Navajo Sacred Mountain

Gobernador Knob (Ch’óol’í’í – Fir Mountain)

 

Gobernador Knob the site where the Navajo’s Divine Goddess, Changing Woman (‘Asdzáá Nadleehe), was found by Talking God (Haashch’eelti’i) .

The Navajo have many traditions relating to Gobernador Knob. Navajo beliefs say that it represents the “Heart” of Navajo Country

Gobernador Knob also represents the outward look of the Male Hogan.

The traditional Navajo ancestral home is the area encompassed by the four sacred mountains but it’s “heart” is at Gobernador Knob, located near the north-east corner of the enlarged area of the map, where
Gobernador Knob - Navajo Sacred Mountain

Gobernador Knob is a small hump on Spruce Mountain (or Fir Mountain), that rises about 90 to 100 feet from Spruce Hill, having an overall elevation of 8,000 feet. Gobernardor Knob rises above the high broken mesa countryside sloping west from the Continental Divide to the Largo Canyon,

There are a number of identified Navajo remains in the vicinity of the Knob itself and the region is a part of the Dinétah (The original or old Navajo Country). At about 1921, Dr. Alfred V. Kidder of the Phillips-Andover Academy investigated what he believed to have been refugee sites of Puebloans fleeing Spanish vengeance during the troubled years during and following the Pueblo Rebellion of 1680.

 

The Four Navajo Sacred Mountains

Mount Blanca (Tsisnaasjini’ – Dawn or White Shell Mountain – East
Mount Taylor (Tsoodzil – Blue Bead or Turquoise Mountain) – South
San Francisco Peaks (Doko’oosliid – Abalone Shell Mountain) – West
Mount Hesperus Dibé Nitsaa (Big Mountain Sheep) – Obsidian Mountain – North

Navajo People Website Links:

Navajo Culture – Navajo History – Navajo Art – Navajo Clothing Navajo Pictures – Navajo Rugs – Navajo Language– Navajo Jewelry – Navajo Code Talker – Navajo Pottery – Navajo Legends – Hogan’s – Sand Painting – Navajo Food – Navajo News – Navajo Nation

Mount Hesperus – Navajo Sacred Mountain

Mount Hesperus Dibé Nitsaa

Big Mountain Sheep or Obsidian Mountain

Mount Hesperus - Navajo Sacred Mountain
Direction: North (Náhookos)
Color: Black (Lizhin)
Protector: Porcupine (Dahsáni)

The Holy People traveled by way of a sunbeam and a rainbow beam.

They assembled the North mountain with beautiful black jet for positive self awareness to protect us from danger and evil.
Then the Holy People fastened down the sacred mountain with a rainbow beam for peace and harmony.
These are the Holy People that were told to live in this mountain:
1. Folding Darkness Boy and Girl
2. Black Jet Boy and Girl
3. Black Jet Boy and Girl
4. Black Corn Boy and Girl and cold seasons
5. Bird symbol is black birds and corn beetle birds
6. Sacred Black Wind gave life to this mountain and Monster Slayer is the protector of this mountain
After the sun sets, darkness settles in. Mount Hesperus represents darkness. During its formation, it was adorned with the Black Jet stones and other elements.

The literal translation of Mount Hesperus from Navajo is Big Sheep.
Mount Hesperus was named after having many big horned sheep on its surface.

Mountain Song:
My child, I will feed you, give you good health, and I will give you strength and courage.
My child, I will give you clean air and clean water to drink. I am your life.
My child, get ready now and educate yourself. Improve yourself and don’t ever forget who you are.
My child, what I am dressed with, is what you are dressed with. I am your home and you mother and father.

The Four Navajo Sacred Mountains

Mount Blanca (Tsisnaasjini’ – Dawn or White Shell Mountain – East
Mount Taylor (Tsoodzil – Blue Bead or Turquoise Mountain) – South
San Francisco Peaks (Doko’oosliid – Abalone Shell Mountain) – West
Mount Hesperus Dibé Nitsaa (Big Mountain Sheep) – Obsidian Mountain – North

Navajo People Website Links:

Navajo Culture – Navajo History – Navajo Art – Navajo Clothing Navajo Pictures – Navajo Rugs – Navajo Language– Navajo Jewelry – Navajo Code Talker – Navajo Pottery – Navajo Legends – Hogan’s – Sand Painting – Navajo Food – Navajo News – Navajo Nation

San Francisco Peaks – Navajo Sacred Mountain

Humphrey Peak (Doko’o’osliid)

Part of the San Francisco Peaks

San Francisco Peaks - Navajo Sacred Mountain

Abalone Shell Mountain

Direction: West ( E’e’aah)
Color: Yellow (Litzo)
Protector: Wolf (Ma’íí Tsoh)

In the west, Doko’oosliid San Francisco Peaks was made on a abalone blanket, soil from Doko’oosliid and pieces of abalone brought from the Third World .

They dressed and decorated this mountain with abalone shell to create understanding of our social unity and life (Iina).

San Francisco peaks was anchored with sunbeams and the mountain was covered with a blanket of yellow cloud.

It also was decorated with black clouds and male rain.

Abalone shell boy made his home on the mountain of the West

These are the Holy People that were told to live in this mountain:
1. Yellow Evening Boy and Girl
2. Abalone Shell Boy and Girl
3. Yellow Corn Boy and Girl
4. All kinds of yellow birds
5. Mixture of water and plants
6. Yellow wind was made to give life to this mountain

The San Francisco Peaks, is where the sun sets.

When you watch the sun set behind the San Francisco Peaks from a certain location, the setting sun creates this bright hue into the sky making a certain kind of light reflect down to earth.

This reflected light is what gives the San Francisco Peaks its literally translated name,

The Mountain that Reflects. As the sun sets, you have carried out your plans.

From day to day, these carried out plans eventually equates to your life.

The western mountain, the San Francisco Peaks, represents life.

The Navajo Sacred Mountains Poster

The Navajo Sacred Mountains Poster

Available in three sizes:
23” x 35” – $10.00
18” x 24” – $6.00
11” x 14” – $2.00
Illustrates the Six Scared Mountains,
their characteristics, and contributions in
Navajo culture and history.

Online order at this Website: media.sjsd.org

San Juan School District
Heritage Language Resource Center
Phone: 435-678-1230
Email: rstoneman@sjsd.org

The Four Navajo Sacred Mountains

Mount Blanca (Tsisnaasjini’ – Dawn or White Shell Mountain – East
Mount Taylor (Tsoodzil – Blue Bead or Turquoise Mountain) – South
San Francisco Peaks (Doko’oosliid – Abalone Shell Mountain) – West
Mount Hesperus Dibé Nitsaa (Big Mountain Sheep) – Obsidian Mountain – North

Navajo People Website Links:
Navajo Culture – Navajo History – Navajo Art – Navajo Clothing Navajo Pictures – Navajo Rugs – Navajo Language– Navajo Jewelry – Navajo Code Talker – Navajo Pottery – Navajo Legends – Hogan’s – Sand Painting – Navajo Food – Navajo News – Navajo Nation