Gloria Burkart
ANT 101
Instructor Megan Douglas
November 19, 2012
The Navajo People
The Navajo or Dine, creation is the story of their origin through a series of emergence through a series of different colored worlds. The Navajo people were hunters and gathers that began herding sheep and goats as a main source of trade and food with meat with the influence of Pueblos and the Spanish.
The Navajo were largely hunters and gatherers, until they had contact with Pueblos and the Spanish. The tribe adopted crop farming techniques from the Pueblo peoples, growing mainly corn, beans, and squash. The Navajo people began herding sheep and goats as a main source of trade and food with meat. The Navajo or DINE ', creation is the story of their origin through a series of emergences through a series of different colored worlds. (Navajo People) The Navajo preferred to live a pastoral lifestyle unlike many other tribes. The Navajo lived in the northern parts of Arizona and New Mexico. The Navajo were very strong in culture and tradition, keeping rituals and ceremonies maintained.
The name “Navajo” comes from the late 18th century via the Spanish (Apaches de) Navajo which was derived from the Tewa navahū which means fields adjoining a ravine. The Navajo call themselves Dine, which means "the people". The beliefs of The Navajo people are passed down from generation to generation. The Navajo speak of Na-Dené Southern Athabaskan languages also known as Dine bizzad or people speech. They are comprised of two geographic and similar intelligible dialects said to be closely related to the Apache language. The Navajo and Apache are believed to have migrated from Northwest Canada and Eastern Alaska; this is where the majority of Athabaskan speakers live.
The Navajo people believed they passed through three different worlds before emerging into this world. The gods created the four sacred mountains--Blanca Peak and Hesperus Peak in Colorado, Mount Taylor
References: Access Genealogy.com, Copyright 1999-2011, Retrieved from: http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/catalogue/navajo_indian_tribe.htm, Internet Natani, S., and Natani, L., Navajo Cultural History and Legends (as printed in the Official Navajo Nation Government, © 2011 Department of Information Technology (DIT).(n.d.) Retrieved from: http://www.navajo-nsn.gov, , Internet Navajo Nation Visitor Guide), ((Natani, L. & Natani, S., 2002), Retrieved from: http://www.navajovalues.com/natani/nataniintro.htm Navajo People - The Diné, ©1994-2011, Navajo People, (Navajo People), Retrieved from: http://navajopeople.org, Internet McPherson, R., 1998, Utah History Encyclopedia, Utah History to Go, Retrieved from: http://historytogo.utah.gov/utah_chapters/american_indians/navajoindians.html