Navajo Tribe Beliefs

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The Navajo or Diyin Diné, meaning the holy people, is the largest Native American tribe in the United States. With their rich history and stories dating back centuries, the Navajo, like many tribes have beliefs in gods, the first man, and the first woman, and many more. Their stories like other cultures have deep rooted meaning. Navajo mythology is full of deep-rooted history and a deeper meaning to stories of life. Although some may argue that these old wives tales do not have any truth, but the Navajo have lived by these stories for centuries. The Navajo tribe had stories for everything, but one of the most important stories was that of the creation of the Navajo tribe itself, “Before this world existed, and far below it, the First…show more content…
From the cloud the couple saw a baby girl who was Estsanatlehi. She was the daughter of the Sky god and the Earth goddess. The couple took her home and within 18 days she had grow up. Estsanatlehi, which means the “Woman who changes”; she is also known as the Earth goddess and is typically a seasonal deity for the Navajo. Estasnatlehi has the ability to change her appearance from being childlike to aged old woman similar to how the seasons change. Another extremely important god to the Navajo tribe was, Tonenili the god of rain. Tonenili controls the sky water. Hastsehogan the god of farming and household is though of as the compassionate deity. He is responsible for curing diseases and assisting mankind. Hastsehogan is also has the ability to casts evil spells. There are many more gods and goddesses that gave the Navajo nation meaning and stories to pass down to other generations. Navajo mythology is full of deep-rooted history and a deeper meaning to stories of life. Although some may argue that these old wives tales do not have any truth, but the Navajo have lived by these stories for…show more content…
Storytelling is very important to the Navajo Indian culture, being located near the four corners of the United States this played a huge roll in the stories and figures they used. Many of the natural beauties of the four-corner area assisted in the ideas of the myths, and give them the added bonus of sounding and feeling factual. Diné Bahané or stories of the people “Navajo creation story, describes the prehistoric emergence of the Navajos, and centers on the area known as the Dinetah, the traditional homeland of the Navajo people. This story forms the basis for the traditional Navajo way of life” (crystalinks.com). Native Americans were very close with nature and all that it provides for the community, “If myths are part of the structure upon which traditional Navajo morality has been built, ethics has been the work of Navajo individuals”(Vecsey 1). “The importance of the four (or six) sacred mountains is beyond esthetics—although it includes that dimension, since hózhó stands both for beauty and goodness—because Holy People embody those mountains. To harm mountains is to endanger the Navajo gods, the world itself, a sacred cosmos” (Vecsey 14). Navajo mythology is full of deep-rooted history and a deeper meaning to stories of life. Although some may dispute that these old folklore stories do not have any truth, but the Navajo have lived by these stories for

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