Chapter 14

POLITICAL ORGANIZATION--The government of the Navaho is rather loose; indeed, inasmuch as they have no head-chief strictly such, it may be said that they have no _tribal_ government. Their code of ethics and morals is governed almost entirely by their religious beliefs. There is always a man who is denominated the head-chief, but his influence is seldom much greater than that of any one of the many subordinate chiefs who are the recognized heads of small groups only.

CLANS--Descent is reckoned through the mother, and a man and a woman belonging to the same clan may not marry. There are also related clans, forming phratries, within which marriage is also prohibited by tribal custom. In the Navaho creation myth it is related that four pairs of men and women were made by Yolkai Estsan at her home beyond the western ocean, whence they migrated eastward, far inland, joining others of their kind created but a short time previously. Each parent pair was given a sacred jewel wand with which to bring water from the earth if no springs were found during the journey. The first man brought water with ease, remarking, "The water is close," owing to which circumstance he came to be termed To Ahani, Water Is Close. In a similar way the other three pairs received the names of To Dichini, Bitter Water; Hashkli{~COMBINING BREVE~}shni, Mud; and Kinya Ani, Houses in the Cliffs. It required four days to make the journey from the ocean to what was to be their homeland. On the first day children were born to the several pairs; they matured by nightfall and camped apart from the parents as though they were not of kin, and received in turn a family name derived from their camp surroundings, from peculiarity of dress or form, or from remarks they made. These in turn bore children on the following day, who gave birth to others on the third. Thus were produced three new generations from each parent pair. All these then became clanship groups bearing names now applied to various Navaho clans. The four generations, including the original pairs, formed phratries, which have no names. The clans in each phratry in the order of generations are as follows:

To Ahani - Water Is Close Tzilh Klaani - Mountain Corner Tane Zani - Scattered Mounds Hone Gani - Goes Around

To Dichini - Bitter Water Tsins Akani - Under the Trees Bin Betoni - Deer Spring To Dakoshe - Salty Water

Hashkli{~COMBINING BREVE~}shni - Mud To Tsu{~COMBINING BREVE~}hni - Big Water Bitani - Folds her Arms Hluha Dine{~COMBINING BREVE~} - Reed People

Ki{~COMBINING BREVE~}nya Ani - Houses in the Cliffs Be Aani - Fallen Leaves Tzilh Tad - In Front of the Mountains Ki{~COMBINING BREVE~}nya Ani - (An inferior clan of the same name as the first of this group)

Cliff people already occupying the country formed three clans: Tsenijikinne{~COMBINING BREVE~}, In the Rock Houses; To Het Kli{~COMBINING BREVE~}ni, Where the Waters Come Together; and Tzilhnuhodinli, Beside the Mountain. An old woman joined the Navaho from the salt lakes to the south, heading the Ashihin clan. People from Jemez formed the Mai Deshkis, or Coyote Pass, clan; Apache from the Cibicu canon, the Deschini clan, or Red-light People, and families from Zuni the Nashtezhe{~COMBINING BREVE~}, Blackened Eyebrows, clan, and Tuh'chini, Red Heads, clan, so called from their painted faces and bodies. There are numerous other clanship groups derived from adopted peoples now recognized as being distinctly Navaho; the first sixteen clans here named are accepted in the tribe as being strictly Navaho in origin.

MARRIAGE--The girl's consent is necessary to marriage, but tribal custom demands that the intended husband compensate her parents, the usual price being fourteen horses and a silver belt. Indeed, the bringing of the horses is a part of the ceremony. When a young man desires to marry, but does not have the necessary number of horses, his friends aid him by presenting horses until he has the required number. The marriage ceremony takes place at night under the direction of a medicine-man.

_Ga__n__askidi_ - Navaho

_From Copyright Photograph 1904 by E.S. Curtis_

ORIGIN--Mythical First People produced from corn, rain, pollen, and precious stones in a miraculous manner by four gods and the Winds.

PERSONS OF MIRACULOUS BIRTH--Naye{~COMBINING BREVE~}nezgani and Tobadzischi{~COMBINING BREVE~}ni are the sons of the Sun and Water respectively, and the virgin Yolkai Estsan, White-Shell Woman. Man-destroying monsters, symbolic of earthly evils, infested the earth until destroyed by these two miraculous personages.

CEREMONIES--The Navaho life is particularly rich in ceremony and ritual, second only to some of the Pueblo groups. Note is made of nine of their great nine-day ceremonies for the treatment of ills, mental and physical. There are also many less important ceremonies occupying four days, two days, and one day in their performance. In these ceremonies many dry-paintings, or "sand altars," are made, depicting the characters and incidents of myths. Almost every act of their life--the building of the hogan, the planting of crops, etc.--is ceremonial in nature, each being attended with songs and prayers.

BURIAL--The Navaho dead are buried by others than immediate relatives in unmarked graves. No ceremonies are held, for the dead are considered evil and are feared. The hogan in which death occurs is forever abandoned, often burned. Sometimes a hogan is demolished over the dead and then left to decay.

AFTER-WORLD--An under-world whence came the spirit people who created man and to which spirits return.

NAMES FOR INDIAN TRIBES--

Acoma - Haqoni (An Acoma word) Apache - Tzlih A Gon (On the Mountains) Chiricahua - Kli{~COMBINING BREVE~}shni (Red War-paint) Cochiti - To Gad (Cedar Water) Comanche - Ana Tlu{~COMBINING BREVE~}ni (Many Enemies) Havasupai - Gohni{~COMBINING BREVE~}ni (A term borrowed from the Hopi) Hopi - Aya Kinne{~COMBINING BREVE~} (Hole Houses) Isleta - Ana To Ho (Tribe by the Water) Jemez - Mai Deshkis (Coyote Pass) Laguna - To Tlu{~COMBINING BREVE~}ni (Have much Water) Mohave, Pima, Maricopa, Yuma, Papago - Be Esa Ntsai (With large Jars) Navaho - Dine{~COMBINING BREVE~} Sandia - Kin Nodozi (Striped Houses) San Felipe - To Hachele (Pull up Water) San Ildefonso - Tse Tu Kinne{~COMBINING BREVE~} (Houses between Rocks) San Juan - Kin Klechini (Red-house People) Santa Clara - Ana Su{~COMBINING BREVE~}shi (Tribe like Bears--from skunkskin moccasins, first thought to be of bearskin) Santo Domingo - Kin Klekai Ni (White Houses) Sia - Tlogi (Hairy) Taos - To Wolh (Water Gurgles) Zuni - Nashtezhe{~COMBINING BREVE~} (Blackened Eyebrows)

SOUTHERN ATHAPASCAN COMPARATIVE VOCABULARY

ANATOMICAL TERMS _English_ _Apache_ _Jicarilla_ _Navaho_ ankle-joint ko-ka{~COMBINING BREVE~} ke{~COMBINING BREVE~}t-sin a-ke{~COMBINING BREVE~}ts-in ilh-ru-nu-ni-wu arm ko-gun gon a-gan blood dilh ti{~COMBINING BREVE~}l-the dilh bone its-i{~COMBINING BREVE~}n i{~COMBINING BREVE~}ts-in ts'in chest i-ti{~COMBINING BREVE~}l ko-ye{~COMBINING BREVE~}-te a-je-i{~COMBINING BREVE~}ts-in chin ko-ye{~COMBINING BREVE~}-da is-e{~COMBINING BREVE~}-ta a{~COMBINING BREVE~}-yats-in ear id-ja id-ja a-ja elbow ko-gun id-an-hla osh-le ilh-ru-nu-ni-wu eye in-da{~COMBINING BREVE~} it-a an-an face ko-ni in-ni an-in finger ko-lu-zhuzh in-la shi-la finger-nail ko-lu-gun in-la-go{~COMBINING BREVE~}n shi-la{~COMBINING BREVE~}sh-gan foot ko-ke{~COMBINING BREVE~} i-ka ke hair tsi-ra it-se{~COMBINING BREVE~} tsi-gha{~COMBINING BREVE~} hand ko-gun u-la shi-la head kots-its-i{~COMBINING BREVE~}n i{~COMBINING BREVE~}ts-its-in si{~COMBINING BREVE~}ts-its-in heart kod-ji ko-cha a-je-id-i{~COMBINING BREVE~}sh-jalh did-ju-la knee ko-qut i-ko a-whod leg kod-jak i-jad a-jad lip su-su-ba-ne{~COMBINING BREVE~} i-ta a-da lungs kod-ji i-ta-le{~COMBINING BREVE~} a-je mouth ko-za i-ze{~COMBINING BREVE~} si-ze neck ko-gus i-ko{~COMBINING BREVE~}s ak-as nose ko-chi i-chin a-chi{~COMBINING BREVE~}n nostril ko-ni{~COMBINING BREVE~} in-ne{~COMBINING BREVE~} a-ni{~COMBINING BREVE~}n shoulder ko-hwas ih-hwas a-hwas toe ko-ke-zhuzh ih-ke{~COMBINING BREVE~}sh a-ke{~COMBINING BREVE~} toe-nail ko-ke-gun ih-ke{~COMBINING BREVE~}sh-gon a-ke{~COMBINING BREVE~}sh-gan tongue ko-za ih-za-te a-tso tooth ko-wu ih-gwo a-hwo

ANIMALS (See also FOODS) _English_ _Apache_ _Jicarilla_ _Navaho_ antelope ja-ge ta-ga-te ju{~COMBINING BREVE~}-di badger bu-nta-le{~COMBINING BREVE~} na-as-chid na-gans-chi-tn bat cha-ba-ne{~COMBINING BREVE~} cha-na-mi-in ja-a-ba-ni bear sush shash sush beaver cha cha cha blue-bird rush-ta do-lo do-li du-tli{~COMBINING BREVE~}sh buffalo bi-shish-jik a-yan-de a-ya-ni buzzard chi-sho-gi ta-cha-ze je-sho chipmunk gu-sus-si in-se-zu-so tsid-i{~COMBINING BREVE~}t-i{~COMBINING BREVE~}-ni coyote ban tsil-i-te{~COMBINING BREVE~}n mai crow ga-ge ka-ge ga-ge deer bin bin bin eagle tsa-cho i-tsa a-tsa elk bin-nal-de{~COMBINING BREVE~} tzes tze gopher na-ilh-tli-gi ma-i-ne-lin na-a-zi-si hawk it-sa it-se{~COMBINING BREVE~}-so-ye g'i{~COMBINING BREVE~}-ni mountain lion ndu-chu en-to-ye nash-tu-i-tso mountain sheep de-be{~COMBINING BREVE~}-chu tse-tu{~COMBINING BREVE~}-de-be zi-de-be{~COMBINING BREVE~} owl bu yi-ye nas-cha rat (wood) klosh-chu kle{~COMBINING BREVE~}-tso kle-e{~COMBINING BREVE~}-tso skunk gu-lizh-i kel-din-she{~COMBINING BREVE~}n wo-li{~COMBINING BREVE~}-zhi spider na-alht-lo-le{~COMBINING BREVE~} mans-che{~COMBINING BREVE~} nash-je'i squirrel tse-skus-si na-jil-kai-i t'la-zi turkey ta-zhi ka-zhi ta-zhi wolf ban-chu bai-e{~COMBINING BREVE~}-tso mai-i{~COMBINING BREVE~}-tso

_Zahadolzha_ - Navaho

_From Copyright Photograph 1904 by E.S. Curtis_

CARDINAL POINTS _English_ _Apache_ _Jicarilla_ _Navaho_ north na-ak-ku-se{~COMBINING BREVE~} na-ko-su no{~COMBINING INVERTED BREVE~}-ho-kos bi-ya-yo bi-ya-ye{~COMBINING BREVE~} south nu-dit-u{~COMBINING BREVE~} sha-ti ai-ye{~COMBINING BREVE~} shu-tu-u{~COMBINING BREVE~} bi-ya-yo east hu-na-it-u{~COMBINING BREVE~}kh sha-ha ai-ye{~COMBINING BREVE~} ha-i bi-ya-yo west on-ud-u{~COMBINING BREVE~}kh sha-i ai-ye{~COMBINING BREVE~} i-yu-u{~COMBINING BREVE~} bi-ya-yo zenith nokh-ge{~COMBINING BREVE~}h-yo ya-alh-ni-gi nadir nokh-tluh-yo a-ya-i des-a-i-gi

COLORS _English_ _Apache_ _Jicarilla_ _Navaho_ black di{~COMBINING BREVE~}lh-kih di{~COMBINING BREVE~}lh-i-li di{~COMBINING BREVE~}lh-kih blue du-tli{~COMBINING BREVE~}sh-i da-tlish do-tli{~COMBINING BREVE~}sh-i brown hish-tli{~COMBINING BREVE~}zh kli-pa di{~COMBINING BREVE~}-nil-zhin gray qul-ba tne-na-tlish kle-pa green tloh-du-tli{~COMBINING BREVE~}zh-a ye-da-tlish do-tlish red tli-chu kli-chi kle-chi white tli-kai kli-kai kle-kai yellow tli-tso kli-tso kle{~COMBINING BREVE~}-tso

FOODS (PRIMITIVE) _English_ _Apache_ _Jicarilla_ _Navaho_ acorns chid-ji{~COMBINING BREVE~}l na-to-ka-tse che{~COMBINING BREVE~}-chil bi-na antelope ja-ge ta-ga-te ju{~COMBINING BREVE~}-di beans (native) be{~COMBINING BREVE~}s-tsoz na-o-hle-tsos-tet nu{~COMBINING BREVE~}-o-hli cedar berries dil-tu-hla kal-tu-ste-ih dit-ze{~COMBINING BREVE~} du-tli{~COMBINING BREVE~}sh-i corn na-tan na-tan na-tan deer bin bi^{n) bin elk bin nal-de{~COMBINING BREVE~} tzes tze grapes (wild) duh-tsa tut-ze{~COMBINING BREVE~} tut-ze{~COMBINING BREVE~} juniper berries dil-tu-hla chil-ha-zhe mescal (agave) na-ta na-ta na-ta mountain sheep de-be{~COMBINING BREVE~}-chu tse-tu{~COMBINING BREVE~}-de-be zi-de-be{~COMBINING BREVE~} pinon nuts o-be{~COMBINING BREVE~} nes-chi nes-chi potatoes (wild) ilh-tsu pi-ji-ne{~COMBINING BREVE~} na-ma-si si-tsi{~COMBINING BREVE~}n-ni prairie-dogs an klun klun pumpkins belh-kun na-yi-ze na-yi-zi-chi rabbits (jack) gah-chu gah-tso gah-tso rabbits gah-chi-le{~COMBINING BREVE~} gah-chi-she{~COMBINING BREVE~} gah (cottontail) rats (wood) klosh-chu kle{~COMBINING BREVE~}-tso kle-e{~COMBINING BREVE~}-tso squash go-chi belh-kun na-yi-ze na-yi{~COMBINING BREVE~}-zi yucca fruit gu-sku{~COMBINING BREVE~}n kash-kan kush-kan

HANDICRAFT _English_ _Apache_ _Jicarilla_ _Navaho_ arrow-point besh-go-li{~COMBINING BREVE~}n be{~COMBINING BREVE~}sh-te bes-est-a-gi arrow-shaft tsi-ga ki-ish-tlu-ze{~COMBINING BREVE~} ts'ak-a{~COMBINING BREVE~} basket (tray) tsa-nas-ku{~COMBINING BREVE~}-di ts'a i-tsa basket (burden) tu{~COMBINING BREVE~}t-za i-tsa-nas-ka tsi-zi{~COMBINING BREVE~}s bow ilh-ti{~COMBINING BREVE~} it-kin-chai alht-hin cap cha cha cha deerskin e-pu{~COMBINING BREVE~}n e-pu{~COMBINING BREVE~}n e-pu{~COMBINING BREVE~}n fire-sticks koh-til-di t'te wolk-an head-band tsi-noz-de tsi-naz-de cha house ko-wa ko-zhan ho-gan leggings is-kle{~COMBINING BREVE~} tli-kai is-kle{~COMBINING BREVE~} e-pu{~COMBINING BREVE~}n is-kle{~COMBINING BREVE~} loin-cloth chosh-ta tsa-a-te t'lests-os moccasins e-pu{~COMBINING BREVE~}n ke ke{~COMBINING BREVE~}'it-ze ke pottery nulh-ki-de bi i-tsa{~COMBINING BREVE~} i-de{~COMBINING BREVE~} kush-ti{~COMBINING BREVE~}sh shirt e-pun-tle-sis e{~COMBINING BREVE~}'it-ze e-pun'e{~COMBINING BREVE~} sweat-lodge ka-che{~COMBINING BREVE~} ke{~COMBINING BREVE~}lh-cha ta-che{~COMBINING BREVE~} water bottle kun-che-e to-zus tus

MONTHS (MOONS)(8) _English_ _Apache_ _Jicarilla_ _Navaho_ January It-sa Bi-zha{~COMBINING BREVE~}zh Ku-wan-de{~COMBINING BREVE~} Yas Nlht'es February Buh Is-chi{~COMBINING BREVE~}t Is-sai-za A-tsa{~COMBINING BREVE~} Bi-yash March T'a Nu-chi{~COMBINING BREVE~}l It-a-na Chi-tai Wozhch'td April T'a Nu-chu It-a-na Tso At-an Chil May Shosh-ke{~COMBINING BREVE~} Ku-ski It-chi At-an Tso June Bin-ni-tsi{~COMBINING BREVE~} Ta-ge It-chi Nesh-ja Chil-i Dilh-tsi{~COMBINING BREVE~}k July Bin-ni-tsi{~COMBINING BREVE~} Bi It-chi Nesh-ja Tso Chi-e{~COMBINING BREVE~} August Bi-ni-tun Tsos-se{~COMBINING BREVE~} Ke-tle-pe{~COMBINING BREVE~} Lak-tai-ke Bint-an Ts'an-si September Bi-ni-t[u.]n It-ha-sti-ki{~COMBINING BREVE~}h Bint-an Tso Chu October Ran-zhi Iz-te{~COMBINING BREVE~}-o-e Ghan-ji November Ka-ruh-nul-gus Bin-za-ki-a Nlhch-i Ts'an-si December Sos-nalh-tus Bin-nai-a-she{~COMBINING BREVE~} Nlhch-i Tsa

_Hasche{~COMBINING BREVE~}lti_, _Haschebaad_, _Zahadolzha_--Navaho

_From Copyright Photograph 1906 by E.S. Curtis_

NATURAL PHENOMENA _English_ _Apache_ _Jicarilla_ _Navaho_ ashes ilh-chi kus-chi-ish hlesh-ch'ai charcoal tli-te{~COMBINING BREVE~}sh kus-chi t'esh cloud ya-ko{~COMBINING BREVE~}s kos kos darkness chalh-ke{~COMBINING BREVE~}lh klin cha-halh-kelh day dji djin jin earth ni-go-stu{~COMBINING BREVE~}n ni-to-gus-an ni-ho-es-tsan fire koh ku kun ice ti i-la tqin lake tu-si-ka ko-zilh-ka to light go-ti go-tih a-di{~COMBINING BREVE~}n-din lightning ha-dilh-kih i-dilh-chil a-tsin-il-klish Milky-way I-ku{~COMBINING BREVE~}tl ba-ha Tsos-pai Kle-kai sta-i mist at ku-be-zha-zi i-dzi moon kle-ga-na-ai kle-na-ai kle-ho-na-ai mountain tzilh tzilh tzilh night kle kli kle-je Pleiades Nus-ka-o-u-hu Sons-chi-ste{~COMBINING BREVE~} Di{~COMBINING BREVE~}l-ge-het rain na-il-ti na-golh-kin nit-su{~COMBINING BREVE~}n rainbow hi-tsa-tlul it-sun-to-le{~COMBINING BREVE~} nads-i-lid river tu-ndli ko-dle{~COMBINING BREVE~} to rock tse tsi tse shooting-star titl-son-se{~COMBINING BREVE~} sush-na-tse{~COMBINING BREVE~} son-a{~COMBINING BREVE~}-dal-dsid (meteor) nul-tu{~COMBINING BREVE~} sky ya-dilh-kih ya ya-dilh-kih smoke tlik kli hlid snow sos zos yas star titl-so{~COMBINING BREVE~}n-se sons son sun chu-ga-na-ai chun-na-ai che-ho-na-ai thunder i-da-ndi i-dilh-ni i-ni water tu ko to wind ni{~COMBINING BREVE~}l-chi nl-chi ni{~COMBINING BREVE~}l-chi

NUMERALS _English_ _Apache_ _Jicarilla_ _Navaho_ one hla-i hla-i hla-i two na-ki na-ki na-ki three ta-gi ka-i ta four din-i din-i din five ash-tla-i a{~COMBINING BREVE~}sh-tle a{~COMBINING BREVE~}sh-dla six gus-tan kus-ku{~COMBINING BREVE~}n has-tan seven gus-tsi{~COMBINING BREVE~}-gi kus-tsi{~COMBINING BREVE~}t-i tsosts-ed eight tsa-bi tsa-bi tse-bi nine ngus-ta-i nkus-ta-i naas-dai ten gu-nez-na ku-nez-ni ne{~COMBINING BREVE~}z-na eleven hla-za-ta hla-i-za hla-za{~COMBINING BREVE~}-ta twelve na-ki-za-ta na-ki-za na-ki-za-ta thirteen ta-za-ta ka-za ta-za-ta _English_ _Apache_ _Jicarilla_ _Navaho_ fourteen din-za-ta din-za din-za-ta fifteen ash-tla-a-ta ash-tle-za ash-dla-a-ta sixteen gus-ta-a-ta kus-kun-za has-tan-a-ta seventeen gus-tsi-za-ta kus-tsit-za tsosts-ed-za-ta eighteen tsa-bi-za-ta tsa-bi-za tse-bi-dza-ta nineteen ngus-ta-dza-ta nkus-ta-za naas-dai-dza-ta twenty na-di{~COMBINING BREVE~}n na-tin na-din twenty-one na-di{~COMBINING BREVE~}n-hla na-tin-hla na-din-hla thirty ta-di{~COMBINING BREVE~}n ka-tin ta-din forty dis-di{~COMBINING BREVE~}n dis-tin di{~COMBINING BREVE~}s-din fifty ash-tla-din ash-tle{~COMBINING BREVE~}-tin a{~COMBINING BREVE~}sh-dla-din one hundred ne{~COMBINING BREVE~}z-na-din gu-nez-na-din ku-nez-ni-tin

PERSONAL TERMS _English_ _Apache_ _Jicarilla_ _Navaho_ aunt ko-ba{~COMBINING BREVE~}-zhe ku-ba-zhe shi-bi{~COMBINING BREVE~}-zhi baby me o-ja-zi{~COMBINING BREVE~} a-we{~COMBINING BREVE~} boy skhin ish-ki-in skhi brother ku-i-zha si{~COMBINING BREVE~}-tsi-li (younger) ko-ki{~COMBINING BREVE~}zn ko-ka-ge{~COMBINING BREVE~} na-ra-hi{~COMBINING BREVE~} brother (elder) ku-na-a shi{~COMBINING BREVE~}-nai ko-ki{~COMBINING BREVE~}zn un na-ra-hi{~COMBINING BREVE~} child cha-ra-she ilh-chi{~COMBINING BREVE~}n shi-ya{~COMBINING BREVE~}zh clan nde-az-di-i i-chu-ge-de{~COMBINING BREVE~} di-ne{~COMBINING BREVE~}-e enemy e-na ko-nda a-na father ko-ta{~COMBINING BREVE~} ku-ka-i shi-zhe{~COMBINING BREVE~}-e girl na-li{~COMBINING BREVE~}n ish-te{~COMBINING BREVE~}tn at-e{~COMBINING BREVE~}d man nde tin-de{~COMBINING BREVE~} di-ne{~COMBINING BREVE~} medicine-man di-gi{~COMBINING BREVE~}n tin-da-ko-ka-tle{~COMBINING BREVE~} ha-ta-li mother ko-ma ku-si sha-mu{~COMBINING BREVE~} people ko-ki she-tin-de{~COMBINING BREVE~} di-ne{~COMBINING BREVE~} (tribesmen) people tluh-go nde{~COMBINING BREVE~}-hi ta-a-tso a-na (strangers) person tsilh-ki{~COMBINING BREVE~}dn ti-ni di-ne{~COMBINING BREVE~} sister ko-di-zhe{~COMBINING BREVE~} she-la shi-de-zhi (younger) sister (elder) ko-lu she-nda-te{~COMBINING BREVE~} shu{~COMBINING BREVE~}d-di uncle ko-da-u{~COMBINING BREVE~} she-ka-na-tle{~COMBINING BREVE~}n shi-bi{~COMBINING BREVE~}-zhi woman ist-so{~COMBINING BREVE~}n es-tsan es-tsan