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Navajo culture and traditions
Navajo culture and traditions
Navajo culture and traditions
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Residing in the Southwest United States, the Navajo Indian tribe is one of the largest tribes in America today. In their own language, they refer to themselves as Diné which means “the people”. They are an old tribe with descendants tracing their roots back to the thirteenth century. The first contact that the Navajos had with white settlers was during the Mexican American War in 1846. The United States conducted peaceful relations with the Navajo for over fifteen years. Forts were built to help protect the Navajo from Spanish/Mexican raids on the Navajo’s cattle. Eventually, a new military commander, James H. Carleton, was named in New Mexico and he began to raid Navajo lands with a vengeance. He ordered the Navajo to surrender. When the majority of the Navajo refused, their crops were destroyed and they were forced to leave their lands in what is called ‘The Long Walk’. They were forced to a reservation in Fort Sumter, New Mexico some 300 miles away. The reservation failed because it was designed to support four to five thousand but there were nine thousand Navajos that were displaced onto the reservation. Finally a treaty was developed that included parts of their homeland as the reservation and the Navajo were then allowed to return to the new reservation. For the most part, the Native Americans prospered with a few skirmishes from white settlers. The prosperity didn’t last as the U.S. government decided that the Navajo cattle were overgrazing the land. Immediately, over eighty percent of all the livestock was exterminated in what was called ‘The Navajo Livestock Reduction’. This was a low blow to the Navajos, culturally and economically. The government then started to try to mainstream the Navajo tribe by placing childre...
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...28, 2010, from http://jn.nutrition.org/content/127/10/2114S.full
The Navajo Nation - Services Page. (n.d.). The Navajo Nation - Home page. Retrieved November 27, 2010, from http://www.navajo.org/services.htm#news
The Technology Opportunities Program. (n.d.). National Telecommunications and Information Administration. Retrieved November 28, 2010, from http://www.ntia.doc.gov/otiahome/top/index.html
World Facts and Figures - GDP per capita by country. (n.d.). World Facts and Figures. Retrieved November 28, 2010, from http://www.worldfactsandfigures.com/gdp_country_desc.php
Yurth, C. (n.d.). The Navajo Times Online - Education: For 40 years, an Indiana University program has provided dedicated teachers to Navajo. navajotimes.com - The newspaper of the Navajo People. Retrieved November 28, 2010, from http://www.navajotimes.com/education/2010/0810/081910teach.php
Riseman begins the article by quoting George W. Bush’s speech thanking the Navajo Codetalkers for their service. Bush thanks them, but he does not address the history the Navajo Nation has had with the United States government. This is a trend among many books and articles about the Codetalkers as well. They fail to mention the conflicts that surrounded them at the time and at other times in history. Riseman argues that the government “use[d] Navajos as ‘tools’ for the war” (Riseman 49). Before the war, there was extreme prejudice against the Navajo, and although they were praised during the war this prejudice returned as soon as the war was over. This started during the time of colonialism, as the Navajo had frequent conflicts with Spain and then the United States. One example of these occurred just before the war, during the Great Depression. There were many reforms in the Department of the Interior, and “the Navajo Nation resisted many of the reforms because they included the imposition of livestock reduction” (Riseman 50). Another conflict came about at the onset of World War II. The Navajos and other Native American groups protested because they were required to partake in the conscriptions for the draft even though they still did not have the right to
As Din4 people (Navajo people) our community is known as “The home Chief Manuelito’s Wife”. Chief Manuelito was a head Dine chief during the Long Walk period in 1864. In the year of 1868 Manuelito and other leaders signed a treaty act to end the period of imprisonment. Also, during this time the Navajo reservations were established. Tohatchi was one of the many communities that were established on the Navajo reservation. The Navajo reservation spreads across New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah. The Navajo Nation is known for being the largest tribe (Discovernavajo 2015). Tohatchi is located in McKinley County.
The Dineh or Navajo culture, presently living in Arizona, are the largest group of Native Americans who practice dry painting. The Navajo culture focuses on different Gods or Holy spirits representing animate or inanimate objects. Therefore, evil spirits exist as well. Every unfortunate situation can be linked to the Gods causing rituals to be performed for various ailments. A crucial element in the rituals is the creation of dry paintings.
Print. Waldman, Carl. " Sioux." Encyclopedia of Native American Tribes, Third Edition.
Although the work is 40 years old, “Custer Died for Your Sins” is still relevant and valuable in explaining the history and problems that Indians face in the United States. Deloria’s book reveals the White view of Indians as false compared to the reality of how Indians are in real life. The forceful intrusion of the U.S. Government and Christian missionaries have had the most oppressing and damaging affect on Indians. There is hope in Delorias words though. He believes that as more tribes become more politically active and capable, they will be able to become more economically independent for future generations. He feels much hope in the 1960’s generation of college age Indians returning to take ownership of their tribes problems and build a better future for their children.
Smith, Rick. "The Kinaaldá Ceremony in the Navajo Nation." ATH 175 Peoples of the World. 2004. Web. 26 Apr. 2014.
To understand the effort and significance of these works, first one must understand its people. The Navajo are thought to be descendants from the people known as the Athabascan's, who migrated from Northwest of Canada and Alaska to the American Southwest around 1200 to 1500 CE . In the 16th century the Spanish conquistadors appeared in the Southwest and by the late 16th century began to subdue many of the native Pueblo people. It was because of this that many of the Pueblo people migrated westward into Navajo territory. Prior to this the Navajo had types of weaving. It is thought that they adopted weaving as well as some agricultural and ceremonial practices from these Pueblo people. This newly adopted craft was further changed with the introduction of sheep brought in by the Spanish .
John Farella. The Main Stalk: A synthesis of Navajo Philosophy. Navajo Religion. (Tuschon: University of Arizona Press, 1984)
Although the work is 40 years old, “Custer Died for Your Sins” is still relevant and valuable in explaining the history and problems that Indians face in the United States. Deloria book reveals the Whites view of Indians as false compared to the reality of how Indians are in real life. The forceful intrusion of the U.S. Government and Christian missionaries have had the most oppressing and damaging effect on Indians. There is hope in Delorias words though. He believes that as more tribes become more politically active and capable, they will be able to become more economically independent for future generations. He feels much hope in the 1960’s generation of college age Indians returning to take ownership of their tribes problems.
2. “Cherokee Culture and History.” Native Americans: Cherokee History and Culture. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Mar. 2014. .
Today, most of the Navajo code talkers have been forgotten. Those who’s memories still linger are honored highly. The Navajo are the largest Indian tribe in the United States and live on the largest reservation, which covers over three states on 17 million acres. The states include Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and a small part of Colorado. The Navajo are continuing to grow and keep their culture, nation and tradition alive.
First of all, the Navajo lifestyle is very similar to the concepts of Bless Me, Ultima. In the Navajos' daily life ceremonies and rituals are practiced. These ceremonies are performed to treat and heal physical and/or mental illnesses. There are more than 50 different kinds of ceremonies that the Navajo may use. Like how Ultima sings a song while she cures Uncle Lucas, the Navajo chant during their performances. Navajo performers also dance and sand-paint for the rituals. As Ultima and Tony heal Uncle Lucas, the two take many days to cure him. The Navajo also hold their ceremonies that may last from one to nine days, depending on how long it takes for the sick person to be revived. Color is also very symbolic, as there was different, separate meanings fo...
Vargas, Theresa & Shin, Annys, The Washington Post, 11/16/2013. Oneida Indian Nation is the tiny tribe taking on the NFL and Dan Snyder over Redskins name. Web. .
Many people today know the story of the Indians that were native to this land, before “white men” came to live on this continent. Few people may know that white men pushed them to the west while many immigrants took over the east and moved westward. White men made “reservations” that were basically land that Indians were promised they could live on and run. What many Americans don’t know is what the Indians struggled though and continue to struggle through on the reservations.
What if everyday in America there was not an action someone could take because someone of an opposite race sexually assaulted or domestically abused that person? Often news outlets only focus on major even in cities or towns, but never the reservations. With the lack of awareness of the number of rapes and domestic abuse victims on reservations, at large society is saying America doesn’t care due to reservations having sovereignty. Even with new laws signed into place by President Obama to deal with the rape and abuse problems to Native American women, that come from non Native Americans, the problem with this is it’s a pilot only on three tribes (Culp-Ressler,1).It is said it will expand soon, but how soon? America is not known for being speedy on American Indian issues. The numbers of people abuse and/or rape are not only put out there by non- Native American men, but by Native American men as well. Even with the amount of domestic abuse cases and sexual assault cases reported in the Native American, several never report what has happened to them. The statistics are too high, victims often silenced, and the law to put in place to protect them from others has only been put in place in three tribes because of the fear of the tribes abusing the powers.