The Navajo People

The Navajo People Or, The Dine

Bell ringer • Brainstorm everything you know about the Navajo people (feel free to look at your notes). Write it down.

Now… • Share what you have with your group

Finally… • Raise your hand and share with the rest of the class

Get Notes Ready • Pull out a piece of paper • Title it: The Navajo People • Write these categories on the left side of your paper, leaving about 3 lines between each one: • Oral Tradition • Environment • Language • Jewelry-Making • Basket-weaving and Sand Art • Weaving • Ceremonies and Traditions

Oral Traditions: • Prehistoric until Spanish • Only recently did Navajo write themselves • Origin Myths? • Navajo migrate • Certain times of year • Coyote and the Stars

Environment • Dry and barren

Environment Continued • Four Sacred Mountains

Environment Continued • Four is a sacred number • Four Sacred Mountains • Four Sacred colors: • Red, White, Yellow, Black • Four elements • Four directions • Four winds • New Mexico Flag

Environment Continued • Food? • Use meat, skin, and wool • Previous to Pioneers, lots of tension with Spanish/Mexicans. • Raids • Boast: Could get rid of all of the settlers except they raised livestock for them.

Language • Describes, doesn’t name • Takes a long time to say things • Not actually a written language • When you meet someone, you don’t just say your name. You give your name, your parents clans (tribes within a tribe), and where you are from • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waELx-wZm0c

Jewelry Making • Beaded • In the 1800’s began to make silver jewelry, usually with turquoise • Turquoise is a sacred stone to the Navajo • Learned from the Spanish • Main method: melting silver and pouring it into molds • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwAT6qKRjQ8

Basket-Weaving and Sand Art • Baskets • Made from coiled sumac • Mainly used for ceremonies now • Always has a pathway- • Progression to next stage • Sandpainting • Had healing properties, used during ceremonies • So powerful that it has to be destroyed after • Some people make them to display now, but always made with an error

Weaving • According to tradition first brought by Spider Woman and Man • Shares many things with Pueblo weaving • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hscu4nLFUQw

Ceremonies and Traditions • Rite of Passage- what ones do you have? • Cradleboard- father makes • Girl Coming of Age- runs • Boy Coming of Age- sent into wild

Ceremonies and Traditions cont.

Think-Pair-Share • Name one thing you learned today that you think is important or interesting, and that you will go home and share with your family. • Think about it silently and write it down • Share within your group • Share with class

The Navajo People