The Navajo Way
Lucious Davis
ANT:101 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
Instructor: Jessie Cohen
March 10, 2012

The story of the Navajo is one that is filled with triumph, tragedy, and hope. The Navajo are a pastoral people originating in North America. The culture of the Navajo’s is a one filled with traditions that have been passed down from one generation to the next. Their culture is what defines them and it is a major factor in the way they live their lives- including their social organization, beliefs and the way they heal their sick.
Background
Few cultures have left their imprint on North America like the Navajo. With over 300,000 members, the Navajo are the largest federally recognized tribe in the Unites States. Originating in northwest Canada and eastern Alaska, the Navajo, along with other groups like the Apache migrated to their more commonly known territory- the southwestern United States. Accounts have dated the occupation of the southwestern United States by the Navajo to stretch as far back as 1400. Throughout history, the Navajo have expanded their territory through raiding and commerce, now are mostly confined to a small area that is called the “Four Corners”. This is the area of the southwest United States that is comprised of: Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah.
The Navajo can best be described as seminomadic- they tend to move according to the seasons. Jett (1978) stated that the actual movement patterns can vary greatly from one place to the next, and even within a single community, because of regional and local environmental, cultural, and economic differences. There are two principal types of seasonal movements mainly based on differences in emphasis on herding versus farming. Where farming is deemed more important, the summer migratory camp is usually near the lowland farm, while the winter camp is at somewhat higher elevation where firewood is available. If grazing is the primary function, families tend to move to the mountain meadows in summer and to lower-elevation pasturage in wintertime. This is the norm, but there are other factors, such as the location of stock water, lead to variations on these themes. (Jett, 1978, p. 361).
In 1846, the Navajo would forever be changed; this is when they first came in contact with the United States government. This was when U.S. forces invaded Santa Fe during the Mexican-American War. Although a treaty was signed between the Navajo and the U.S., it was not honored and led to aggression from both sides. In 1861, the Federal District of New Mexico decided to take military action against the Navajo and this led to the extermination of the Navajo. In 1864, the Navajo were forced to travel on what is called “The Long Walk”; a 300 mile walk from their homes to a reservation in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. In 1868 the Navajo successfully negotiated a treaty that allowed them to return to their homeland, but by then it was only a fraction of the size of the great nation that they once had. At this time the population was only about 9,000, but despite all of the obstacles, the Navajo were able to survive and increase their population to its current level of about 300,000.
Way of Life
The Navajo can be described as pastoralists. “Pastoralists depend on animals for their survival, spending much of their time and energy caring for them and subsisting on the products derived from them” (Nowak & Laird, 2010). For the Navajo, the animal of choice is the sheep. Not only do the Navajo use the products that they get from the sheep (such as meat for food, wool for clothing and bedding, and milk), but also as a source of currency. They prevent the Navajo from experiencing hunger or poverty- as the sheep can be exchanged for land or anything that is needed.
Sheep are very important to the Navajo culture and hold a sacred place in Navajo society. According to (Witherspoon, Sheep in Navajo Culture and Social Organization, 1973), “The sheep herd occupies an important place in Navajo thought and social organization. It provides the Navajo with both a material and psychological sense of security, contributes to a Navajo's physical and mental health, and is the object of considerable affective investment and moral responsibility”. Sheep play a major role in the social status of the Navajo. In fact, the sheep are held in such high regard by the Navajo, that anyone that mistreats them will be looked down upon by society. The sheep herd is a co-op of sorts; where there are several owners (each person owns some of the sheep). Most of the time, the person with the most power within the group is the person that owns the most sheep in the flock. Children are also involved in the welfare of the sheep. As early as age five, children are given lambs to care for and begin building their flocks. The basic traditional Navajo dwelling is referred to as a hogan; this is an eight-sided hut-like structure that is made from wood and is covered in mud. Because of the Navajo’s religious beliefs, the doorway of the hogan always faces the east. The interior of the hogan is one open space- however, it is conceptually divided. The male’s side is the south, the female’s side is the north, and the west side serves as a place of honor. The center serves as a central meeting place of sorts. One thing that I found to be interesting is that when there is a death among one of the occupants, the hogan is abandoned. This is due to their belief in spirits, and their fear of them.
Social Life
The social life of the Navajo is very interesting and contrasts with that of other pastoral societies. The Navajo people live in a matrilineal society where the basis of the social organization is based around women- especially the mother. According to (Witherspoon, 1970, p. 55), “the conceptual or symbolic system of the Navajo, authority is centered in mothers and is structured according to generation and sibling order”. This is a contrast to the majority of cultures that are considered to be pastoralists. The structure of the Navajo society has historically been matrilineal. First of all, the Navajo culture is one that practices exogamy- that is members of the clan must date and marry outside their own clan. This also includes the clans of their grandparents (both sets). Once married, the Navajo men move to live with their bride’s clan. This is another place where sheep come into play. Despite all of the other uses and functions that sheep have for the Navajo- one of the most important aspects revolves around the Navajo marriage customs. Upon marriage, the groom may bring none of only a few of his sheep to his bride’s clan to begin with. When the marriage becomes stable and the couple begins to have children, the husband will begin to move more and more of his sheep to his wife’s clan. This is a process that can realistically take 10-20 years to complete. Once the sheep are moved to his wife’s clan, the husband will see his influence in the clan increase and he may eventually become its leader.
The role that women have played in Navajo society and the respect that they have garnered is admirable- even by today’s standards. Unlike many cultures, Navajo women are involved in every aspect of the day-to-day life. Women have always been able to own livestock and land. Another important fact to note is that daughters are the ones that receive property via inheritance as opposed to the sons. The significance of motherhood cannot be understated in the culture because it the basis for which all bonds is drawn upon. Every male Navajo traces their kinship bonds through the wombs of their mother and their wife. Navajo women trace their kinship bonds through their mother’s womb and their own. Navajo children are “born to” their mother’s tribe and are “born for” their father’s tribe. Children always reside with the mother’s tribe.
Navajo Sickness and Healing
Part of the Navajo culture includes ways of healing that are contrary to those practiced in Western medicine. (Storck, Csordas, & Strauss, 2000, p. 591) Says that “All forms of healing are based on a conceptual scheme consistent with the patient's assumptive world. The scheme prescribes a set of activities and helps sufferers make sense out of inchoate feelings, thereby heightening their sense of mastery”. The Navajo have a unique, yet effective way of healing their sick- even if it is different from conventional methods practiced today. Navajo healing practices are more spiritual in nature and attempt to restore balance and harmony in a person’s life. These practices are also thought to promote health. When the Navajo are suffering from a sickness or injury they seek out a Navajo medicine man for healing before they resort to Western medicine. Navajo medicine men use several different methods in order to diagnose the patient’s illness. This may include the use of special tools, like rocks made of crystal, special abilities like hand-trembling and special prayers or chants. The chant is chosen by the particular illness that the patient has. These short chants or prayers may only last a few hours and are meant to provide protection for the patient. From there, the patient may have a set of instructions to follow to ensure health or safety.
The Navajo believe that certain illnesses are caused by breaking certain rules, laws, or taboos. Some of the things that are thought to cause illnesses are: coming in contact with an object that has been struck by lightning, coming in contact with certain animals- such as snakes, and coming in contact with the dead. These would all be causes for healing by Navajo standards. There are three main parts to Navajo traditional healing- herbalists, shamans and singers. First of all, the herbalists (who are mainly females) make medicines from plants that relieve symptoms. Next, there are the shamans who diagnose illnesses through various techniques. Finally, there are the singers who sing and conduct the ancient healing rituals. Despite being frowned upon by some who practice western medicine, some of the concepts and rituals- especially herbal healing, have gained popularity over time. While some dispute the effectiveness of these techniques, one thing that cannot be denied is the fact that the Navajo have a lower rate of illnesses, such as many cancers and a lower rate of HIV infection.
Beliefs and Values
Despite a changing modern society and technological advances, the Navajo’s have been able to maintain their culture in order to pass it down to future generations. “Even though traditional and bi-cultural Navajos may have distinct lifestyles and goals, they are attuned to the way Navajo culture is being affected and by the mainstream values and technology” (Hossain, Skurky, Joe, & Hunt, 2011, p. 556). The beliefs and values of the Navajo’s are steeped in tradition- with a firm belief in a spirit world and a strong connection with nature. Even though they delve into the modern world, they make it a point not to stray too far from their roots. The spiritual beliefs of the Navajo are called the Navajo Way.
The goal of the Navajo is to try to live in harmony with the earth and with other people. They believe that everything has its place in the universe, even the smallest thing. Another belief of the Navajo is that all things are related – people, plants, animals, mountains and the Earth itself. They also believe that each thing, or being, has its own spirit or inner strength. This helps their people to find their purpose in life and connect with other people and things. Another belief of the Navajo is that they have an obligation to care for the land that they occupy as well as the places that they deem sacred. This is done by physical labor as well as by offerings, prayers and songs.
Navajo Law
According to (Becker & Spruhan), the Navajo government is a system that is a mix of western/traditional principals. Like many governments in the west, they have a three branch government- that consists of executive, legislative, and judiciary. Though there is not a written constitution that that they follow, they do have a six volume, twenty-four title code. Before the Navajo had contact with the Europeans, the respected families would gather and select a “headman”. This headman would be selected based on a number of attributes such as knowledge of tradition, wisdom, active participation and citizenship in the community, success and living in harmony with all things, and high moral character. There was no set length to the term that the headmen would serve, as they would serve for life or until they were no longer needed. Their main function was to keep the community together and render decisions on disputes.
Conclusion
The pastoral people known as the Navajo are steeped in tradition and defined by their culture. Despite having much of their land taken, their people killed, and their way of life changed- they have persevered. However, it has not been easy and they have struggled to maintain their culture so that future generations will know their history. The Navajo culture has affected all areas of their lives: including their social organization, beliefs, and their healing practices.
Works Cited

Becker, B. N., & Spruhan, P. (n.d.). Profile of the Law of the Navajo Nation. Retrieved from Tribal Law Journal: http://tlj.unm.edu/tribal-law-journal/articles/preview/navajo/index.php
Hossain, Z., Skurky, T., Joe, J., & Hunt, T. (2011). The Sense of Collectivism and Individualism among Husbands and Wives in Traditional and Bi-cultural Navajo Families on the Navajo Reservation. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 543-562.
Jett, S. C. (1978, September). The Origins of Navajo Settlement Patterns. Annals of the Association of American Geographers, Vol. 68, No. 3, pp. 351-362.
Nowak, B., & Laird, P. (2010). Cultural Anthropology. San Diego: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. https://content.ashford.edu .
Storck, M., Csordas, T. J., & Strauss, M. (2000). Depressive Illness and Navajo Healing. Medical Anthropology Quarterly 14, 571-597. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/pss/649721.
Witherspoon, G. (1970, Feb). A New Look at Navajo Social Organization. American Anthropologist, pp. 55-65. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/670754.
Witherspoon, G. (1973, October). Sheep in Navajo Culture and Social Organization. American Anthropologist, New Series, Vol. 75, No. 5, pp. 1441-1447. Retrieved from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/674041.