Tobadzischini – Born From Water – Navajo Mask

This is Born From Water, the second of the twin miracle-performing sons of Yolkai Estsan, the White-Shell Woman. His brother is Nayenezgani.

Tobadzischini - Born From Water - Mask
Mask representing the younger twin, known both as Na?ídígishí, He Who Cuts Life Out of the Enemy, and Tóbájíshchíní, Born of Water. Mask used in Night Chant Ceremony, recorded by Matthews in 1902

The mask is the usual inverted bag made of set sacred buckskin. It is the painted with red ocher all except a space over the face, triangular informed with round corners.

This space is black bordered with white and large enough to include eye-holes and a mouthful. On the ground of the red ocher, both the front in the back of the mask are painted a number of few symbols in white. These vary in number, position, and arrangement on different mask in at each new painting of the mask but the number is always a multiple of four.

To an angle of each mouthful and I whole is all diamond shaped is attached a white shell. A fringe of red or yellow here are wool, either staff or flowing is attached to the seam across the crown from side to side.. A turkey feather and a eagle feather are fixed to the top of the mass, to one side of the center. It collar is a fox skin.

Nayenezgani – Slayer of Alien Gods

Two of the most important characters in Navaho mythology are twin miracle-performing sons of White-Shell Woman, Yolkai Estsan, chief goddess. This photo pictures the leader of the two the first conceived and the first-born, whose father is the sun.

Nayenezgani - Slayer of Alien Gods

Mask representing Naayéé’ Neizghání, Monster Slayer, used in Night Chant Ceremony.
Source: The Night Chant, A Navajo Ceremony by Washington Matthews – Date = 1902

His name means “Slayer of Alien Gods,” . By him, with the assistance of Tobadzischini, his twin brother, were killed numerous bird, animal, rock, and human monsters, typifying evils, who wantonly destroyed human life.

The masks the usual inverted buckskin bag of the male character. It is
painted black with sacred charcoal and has a lightning symbol on one cheek, either right or left, consisting of five white, narrow, zigzag parallel lines -which present,each, four obtuse angles.

To each of the holes for eyes and mouth is affixed a brilliant white sea-shell.
A fringe of hair is secured to the seam of the mask, from side to side; this is usually red or yellow and may be either flowing or stiff. A turkey-plume and a downy eagle-feather are attached at the top of the
mask, at one side of the center.

gend of the Navajo Hero Twins cover

The Legend of the Navajo Hero Twins Book 

Navajo creation story

Books and Posters

The Legend of the Navajo Hero Twins Book Review
Changing Woman Protects Her Sons
The Holy Beings Teach the Navajo Twins Poster
Navajo Winter Storytelling Poster
The Navajo Hero Twins Receive Their Weapons – Poster
Tsidil – Navajo Stick Game
Book Review of  ”The Legend of the Horse”
Legend of the Horse Poster
K’é – Diné (Navajo) Kinship System