Cougar – Náshdóítsoh Navajo Protector

January 10, 2013 by

Changing woman gave Honághááhnii – One Walks Around You Clan, Cougar or Mountain Lion, (Náshdóítsoh) as their symbol of protection & healing. Ceremonies & songs tell of the mountain lion’s medicinal powers.

Cougar was sent to guard Turquoise Girl on Mount Taylor (Tsoozil) Navajo Sacred Mountain of the South

Cougar - Náshdóítsoh Navajo Protector

 Photo by Harold Carey Jr. at Navajo Nation Zoo

Its eyes are able to see evil in the darkness. The Honághááhnii name may have been given to them by the Apache, meaning “One Walks Around You Clan.” Or it may have originated from the custom of leaving a warrior to walk around while others slept at night.

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San Francisco Peaks – Navajo Sacred Mountain

January 9, 2013 by

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

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Mount Taylor (Tsoozil) Navajo Sacred Mountain

January 8, 2013 by

Mount Taylor (Tsoodzil) – Blue Bead or Turquoise Mountain)

Mount Taylor (Tsoozil) Navajo Sacred Mountain

Direction: South ( Sháddi’ááh)
Color: Turquoise (Dootlizh)
Protector: Cougar (Náshdóítsoh)

In the Fourth World to the south Mount Taylor (Tsoodzil – Blue Bead or Turquoise Mountain) was planted by First Man.

It was made with a turquoise blanket, soil of Tsoozil and pieces of turquoise,that first man had gathered from the mountains in the Third World

Turquoise Girl was told to live in the mountain of the South.

A stone knife was thrust through the sacred mountain from top to bottom to fasten it to the earth.

The mountain was covered with a blanket of blue cloud.

It was decorated with dark mists and female rain.

Cougar was sent to guard Turquoise Girl.

These are the Holy People that were told to live in this mountain:
1. Blue Twilight Boy and Girl
2. Turquoise Boy and Girl
3. Blue Corn, the spirit of a boy and girl who carries a corn kernel
4. Blue birds and blue swallows
5. Spotted Blue Corn for plant symbols
6. Blue Wind was made to give life to the mountain
It is called by the Mexicans San Mateo, and was on September 18, 1849, named Mt. Taylor, “in honor of the President of the United States,” by Lieut. J. H. Simpson, U. S. Army.

This is one of the sacred mountains of the Navahoes, and is regarded by them as bounding their country on the south, although at the present day some of the tribe live south of the mountain.

They say that San Mateo is the mountain of the south and San Francisco is the mountain of the west, yet the two peaks are nearly in the same latitude.

One version of the Origin Legend (Version B) makes San Mateo the mountain of the east, but all other versions differ from this. Blue being the color of the south, turquoise and other blue things, as named in the myth, belong to this mountain.

As blue also symbolizes the female, she-rain belongs to San Mateo.

Mount Taylor marks the southern boundary of the Navajo homeland , and is associated with the direction south and the color blue;

It is also important in the Blessing Side ceremonies and the Enemy Side Ceremony.
Mount Taylor was once the home of Yé’iitsoh (Chief of the Enemy Gods).
Once the sun is up, sunrays are all around and Mount Taylor is adorned with sunlight.

After thinking about what you want to do for the day, you start to plan your activities. It is also named Turquoise Mountain.

Thoughts such as, “We want to progress,” grow from small plans to large plans and Mount Taylor has the power to satisfy that wish.

These powers come from the different types of characteristics Mount Taylor was given.

It was given Blessing Way, Chanting Way and Warrior Way characteristics.

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:
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Learn How To Make A Snowman – Navajo Language

January 7, 2013 by

This tutorial shows how to build a snow man (yas hastiin).

by: Daybreak Warrior

Though it is a simple thing to build a snowman, the purpose of this video is to explain how to build one in the Navajo language. Hearing instructions is another way to learn a language.

The footage was shot in northeastern Arizona, on the Navajo reservation. Yes, parts of Arizona do get snow! Enjoy! 🙂

 

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Mount Blanca (Sisnaajini) Navajo Sacred Mountain

January 7, 2013 by

Mount Blanca (Sisnaajini) – Dawn or White Shell Mountain

Direction: East ( Ha’a’aah)
Color: White (Ligia)
Protector: Bear (Shash)

Mount Blanca (Sisnaajini) - Dawn or White Shell Mountain

 

Mount Blanca (Sisnaajini) Navajo Sacred Mountain

The mountain is considered to be the eastern boundary of the Dinetah, the traditional Navajo homeland.

When the Holy People had assembled the things with which to dress the East mountain, they traveled by way of a sunbeam and rainbow beam to decorate Sisnaajiní.

The Holy People dressed Sisnaajiní with a perfect white shell for positive thoughts and thinking.

Then the Holy People ran a bolt of lighting through a sacred mountain to fasten the East mountain to our Mother Earth.

These are the Holy People that were told to live in this sacred mountain:
1. Dawn Boy and Girl
2. White Bead Boy and Girl
3. White Corn and Male Rain
4. Rock Crystal Boy and Girl and Birds
5. Spotted White Corn for vegetation symbols
6. White Wind, Spotted Wind gave life to this mountain

As Navajo people, we were given Blanca Peak as a starting point. Blanca Peak was put in the eastern direction because the sun rises from there at the start of each day.

Blanca Peak should be thought of as the ‘north arrow’ on a map, which determines the orientation of a person’s mind and physical presence on earth. The eastern direction is easily determined each morning as it is dawning. The sun then rises.

During this process, you are waking up and thinking what it is that you will be doing for the day.

As you go outside of your Hogan, you’re already facing east toward the Holy People. So, being that Blanca Peak is in the eastern direction, Blanca Peak represents ‘thought’.

Thought comes first in everything that you do. Blanca Peak was carefully formed.

Its spirit is that of the Holy People and its appearance is that of varying plants such as trees and flowers.

In that respect, your first thoughts have those same characters.

The literal translation of Blanca Peak (from Navajo) is Black Belted Mountain. There are many stories in why it is called that.

Each of the sacred mountains is a holy person dressed in various outfits. Blanca Peak has a belt. A layer of trees around it that is caused by the ‘tree line’ forms the belt. Just like any of the sacred mountains, Blanca Peak stands on its feet and extends out its arms.
Sources:
Navaho Legends -Matthews, Washington,-.
The Dîné: origin myths of the Navaho Indians – O’Bryan, Aileen.
An ethnologic dictionary of the Navaho language – Franciscans, Saint Michaels, Ariz.
Foundation of Navajo Culture, by Wilson Aronilth, Jr.,

The Four Navajo Sacred Mountains

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

Other Sacred Mountains

Huerfano Mesa – Navajo Sacred Mountain
Gobernador Knob – Navajo Sacred Mountain

The Navajo Sacred Mountains Poster

The Navajo Sacred Mountains Poster

 

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There Is No Food – Navajo Story

January 2, 2013 by

 

There is no food - Navajo Story

 There is no flour nor cornmeal to make into bread,
‘There is no coffee that my mother could boil for us to drink.

There is no food.
The corn my father planted in his field is gone.

We ate it.
There was so little.
The corn pile in the storehouse was not high enough to last for long.
It is gone.
Now all of it is gone.
There is no food.
There is food at the Trading Post in sacks and in boxes, in bins and in cans on the shelf.

There is food at the Trading Post, but the Trading Post is far away and snowdrifts and snow clouds are heavy between

There is food at the Trading Post but my father has nothing leftof the hard, round money that he must give to the Trader for the food:
There is no food here in my mother’s hogan.

Then it is time to eat, we talk of other things, . but not of hunger.
This thing called hunger is a pain that sits inside me.
At first it was little, but now it grows bigger and bigger.’
It hurts me to be hungry.

Source : “Little Herder in the Winter” by Ann Clark 1940

Illustrated by:
Hoke Denetsosie

Linguistics by:
John P. Harrington
Robert W. Young

Navajo People Website Links:
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Navajo Shoe Game Tournament – Késhjéé’

December 26, 2012 by

 4th Annual – Késhjéé’ – Shoe Game Tournament

 

Navajo Shoe Game Tournament.

New Year’s Eve

1st place – 5 Chainsaws
2nd place – 5 loads of firewood
3rd place – 10 Bales of 3-wire hay

Entry Information:
Team Registration open
8 Team Bracket
$75.00 before December 14, 2012
$100.00 after December 14, 2012
(non-refundable)

To Register a Team:
call Char Kruger at 928-810-8536 or char@navajonationmuseum.org

LIVE BROADCASTING – KTNN
FOOD CONCESSION
EVERY HOUR DOOR PRIZES
GRAND DOOR PRIZE CHAINSAW – MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN

Event is Free to the Public – Alcohol/Drug Free Event

 

Sponsoring the Navajo Shoe Game Tournament.

 

Navajoland Inn & Suites Hotel

 

Winter Special Rate

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Filed Under: Navajo Events Tagged With: , , , ,

Navajo Shoe Game Featured at Balloon Event

December 7, 2012 by

Navajo Shoe Game Featured at the  Third Annual Monument Valley Hot Air Balloon Event

Monument Valley Hot Air Balloon Event Navajo Shoe Game

Winter on the Navajo Nation is a time when healing through laughter begins.
In fact, it is also a time to listen and learn about the emergence of the Navajo people. Winter is when many traditional oral Navajo stories are told that embody the spirit and wisdom of various animals and birds. According to traditional Navajo elders, animals and birds played a very significant role in early Navajo history and still do today.
It is said that animals such as the coyote, bear and owl were put upon Mother Earth to educate, heal and provide guidance for the Navajo people. Navajo legend says that in early Navajo history, animals and birds communicated with each other.

And virtually every animal and bird has a purpose and role in traditional Navajo culture.
Traditional Navajo elders note that similar to human beings, the animals and birds in early Navajo history began to disagree with each other. One point of discussion was whether or not it should always be day or night. Hence, the animals and birds decided to play a game to determine which it would be. It is said that neither the day or night creatures won; therefore, we now have day and night.
Today, that game is still played during the winter season and is it called a traditional Navajo shoe game, which continues to have lot of spiritual significance. In fact, many of the Navajo shoe game songs that are sung today are the same songs that specific animals and birds sung during the original shoe game that was first held in the beginning of time.
Depending on what part of the reservation it is held, each Navajo shoe game may differ. However, laughter is a central part of all Navajo shoe games. Moreover, there are various traditional Navajo stories that talk about humor and how it helps to heal the sick.
The Navajo shoe game was initially called a moccasin game and held in conjunction with a specific ceremony such as a five-day Evil Way Ceremony. Over time, it has slowly changed through the years. Case in point, most people today use cowboy boots or shoes in place of moccasins. What continues is the use of a yucca ball and 102 yucca stems.
Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation Department Director Martin L. Begaye said, “We’re very excited that a traditional Navajo shoe game will be added to the Third Annual Monument Valley Balloon Event. This is a traditional Navajo social game that is very popular among the Navajo people especially our Navajo elders. It is very important that the Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation Department work closely with the Navajo people and receive their support and participation on such activities as this great annual event.”
The Third Annual Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park Hot Air Balloon Event will be held on January 11-13, 2013 at Monument Valley.
Begay added, “This is the only hot air balloon event in the world that will include a traditional Navajo shoe game. The event will have a little bit of everything for people of all ages.”
Other events that are being held in conjunction with the annual hot air balloon event is an art and writing contest for the youth and an array of prizes that will be awarded. The deadline for the writing and art contest is December 14, 2013. The annual event will also feature 20 hot air balloon pilots from throughout the country and a hot air balloon night glow.
You can obtain additional information at www.navajonationparks.org

Media Contact: Roberta John
Senior Economic Development Specialist
Navajo Nation Parks & Recreation Department
(928) 871-6647
Email: bobbie@navajonationparks.org
Navajo People Website Links:
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Navajo Young Creative Writers Contest

December 5, 2012 by

Monument Valley Hot Air Balloon Event Seeking Young Creative Writers

Three young students on the Navajo Nation will have a very blessed early Christmas.

That’s because three students between first grade and 12th grade will be the lucky recipient of a mini iPad or iPad.

Navajo Young Creative Writers Contest

There will be three winning categories: 1-4th; 5-8th and 9-12th.

Additionally, there will also be a cash award of $50 for second place winners in each category and $25 for third place in each category.
Due to its overwhelming popularity, an essay contest will be held in conjunction with the Third Annual Monument Valley Hot Air Balloon Event, which will be held on January 11-13, 2013 in Monument Valley.
Patricia Seltzer, principal of Monument Valley High School and coordinator of the essay contest, said although the deadline for the essay entries is December 14th, she is confident she will receive a lot of entries.
“Creative writing is challenging yet rewarding,” Seltzer said. “This essay contest is a great way to learn how to express your thoughts through words and it can also help to develop your vocabulary, which is essential in college and beyond.”
She noted that the essays should focus on the theme “Soaring and Exploring Monument Valley,” which is the theme for the Third Annual Monument Valley Hot Air Balloon.
Martin L. Begaye, Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation Department director, said, “We are very pleased to hear there will be another essay contest this year along with the Monument Valley Hot Air Balloon Event. This is a great way to get the youth excited about our wonderful Navajo parks and monuments. The annual hot air balloon event cannot be successful unless we have support from the Navajo people and this is one way to get our people involved and excited about this great annual event on the Navajo Nation.”
Seltzer said stories can range between 200 to 1,000 words and poems should be 12 to 20 lines long. High school and middle school entries must be typed or word -processed while elementary aged students may be neatly hand written or typed.
All contestants must register for the contest by entering their name, email, age, name of school, teacher and mailing address, and agree to the terms and conditions of the contest. The deadline for submission is December 14, 2012.

Contest entry forms can be obtained on www.navajonationparks.org

For additional information, contact Seltzer at pseltzer@sjsd.org or (435) 678-1258.

Media Contact: Roberta John
Senior Economic Development Specialist
Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation
(928) 871-6647
Email: bobbie@navajonationparks.org

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

 

 

 

 

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Art Contest for Young Navajo Artists

November 27, 2012 by

Monument Valley Hot Air Balloon to Feature 

Art Contest for Young Navajo Artists

WINDOW ROCK, AZ –  Several talented young girls and boys on the Navajo Nation will be the recipient of $500 in mid-December.

Art Contest for Young Navajo Artists

Kindergarten through six grade students are encouraged to enter their artwork that will help celebrate the Third Annual Monument Valley Hot Air Balloon on January 11-13, 2013 at Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park.  The theme for the third annual event is “Soar and Explore Monument Valley Sky.”

Artsco – the owner of The View Hotel in Monument Valley – will award $500 for a poster contest winner, $500 for a grand prize winner, and $500 for another category called the Sponsor’s Choice.   Additionally, Artsco will also present $100 for first place; $50 for second place; and $25 for third place winners in each grade level – Kindergarten through 12th grade.

More than 60 students from throughout the Navajo Nation entered the Second Annual Hot Air Balloon event when it was held earlier this year.  Armanda Ortega, owner of Artsco, said due to its overwhelming success, they decided to sponsor another art contest in conjunction with the Third Annual Monument Valley Hot Air Balloon Event in January 2013.

Ortega said, “We are strongly encouraging students from throughout the Navajo Nation to enter their artwork to help promote the hot air balloon event at Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park.  We know there are many talented young Navajo youth.  We are honored to help support and promote Navajo youth because they are going to be our future leaders.”

Artwork can be sent to the attention of Lena Black at Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, P.O. Box 360289, Monument Valley, Utah  84536 or can be delivered in person to the park office in Monument  Valley.  For additional information about entry forms, artwork guidelines or other questions, contact Ms. Black at Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park at (435) 727-5870 or 5878 -Fax number  (435) 727-5875.  The deadline for entries is December 14, 2012.  Awards will be presented on December 19th at The View Hotel.

The art contest entry form and guidelines can also be obtained at www.navajonationparks.org

Contact: Roberta John
Senior Economic Development Specialist
Navajo Nation Parks & Recreation
(928) 871-6647
Email: bobbie@navajonationparks.org

Filed Under: Navajo Art Tagged With: , , ,
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