Navajo Nation is considered the largest federally recognized Native American Indian Tribe in the United States which covers 27,673 square miles at the corners where Utah, Arizona and New Mexico meet. [1] The Navajos call themselves Diné which means “The People.” Mexican and Spanish people named the Navajos as “Apaches de Navajo.” “Apaches” means enemies in Spanish, and “Navajo” is an adapted word from Tewa and it means planted fields. In 1969, the Navajos Tribal Council officially named them as the “Navajo Nation”. [2] Based on the archeological findings, it is believed that the Navajos lived in the Grand Canyon area by the late 1600s. Also, due to their oral histories, it is believed that the powerful Colorado River is a protector of the
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The Navajo language was spoken mainly in the Navajo Nation area. However, since Navajo language is really difficult to learn, the majority of Navajo Indians speak English. The Navajo language is retrieved from the Athapaskan language family which is branched from Na-Dené language family.[3] Na-Dené is one the largest linguistic phyla groups that are being used in the North America. The Athapaskan language is divided into three groups based on the geographical distribution: Northern Athapaskan, southwestern Athapaskan and Pacific Coast Athapaskan.[4] The Navajos are in the Pacific coast …show more content…
One of the main believes that the Diné have is that they believe they have passed through four different worlds before entering this one. They also believe that their ancestral lands were also connected by four sacred mountains and four rivers which encircled their lands. Due to the four sacred mountains, the number four is dominant in Navajo culture as seen by the significance with which they regard the four seasons, four colors, four directions and the first four clans.[5] Another tradition among the Diné is that they believe that the people have two types: the Earth people and the Holy people. Based on their beliefs, the four sacred mountains were placed on this planet by holy people and they instructed the earth people on how to live there in order to have balance in their lives.
An interesting fact about the Navajo culture is that among the Diné, shirts were never used. In early years, men wore breechcloths and women wore yucca fiber woven skirts. [4] In the colder weather the deerskin ponchos and cloaks of rabbits [4] were used by both men and women. However, in the recent years, the majority of their cloths are made of wool of sheep. Also, Navajo Indians wore slippers which were called moccasins in order to protect themselves in cold
The Navajo language was spoken mainly in the Navajo Nation area. However, since Navajo language is really difficult to learn, the majority of Navajo Indians speak English. The Navajo language is retrieved from the Athapaskan language family which is branched from Na-Dené language family.[3] Na-Dené is one the largest linguistic phyla groups that are being used in the North America. The Athapaskan language is divided into three groups based on the geographical distribution: Northern Athapaskan, southwestern Athapaskan and Pacific Coast Athapaskan.[4] The Navajos are in the Pacific coast …show more content…
One of the main believes that the Diné have is that they believe they have passed through four different worlds before entering this one. They also believe that their ancestral lands were also connected by four sacred mountains and four rivers which encircled their lands. Due to the four sacred mountains, the number four is dominant in Navajo culture as seen by the significance with which they regard the four seasons, four colors, four directions and the first four clans.[5] Another tradition among the Diné is that they believe that the people have two types: the Earth people and the Holy people. Based on their beliefs, the four sacred mountains were placed on this planet by holy people and they instructed the earth people on how to live there in order to have balance in their lives.
An interesting fact about the Navajo culture is that among the Diné, shirts were never used. In early years, men wore breechcloths and women wore yucca fiber woven skirts. [4] In the colder weather the deerskin ponchos and cloaks of rabbits [4] were used by both men and women. However, in the recent years, the majority of their cloths are made of wool of sheep. Also, Navajo Indians wore slippers which were called moccasins in order to protect themselves in cold