The Dine' (Navajo)
South West Native American Indian tribe/people
Origins, History, Story, Description, Biography,
Religion, Beliefs, Language, Family, Ceremonies

ORIGINS OF THE DINE'
Long before the theory of the 'land bridge from Asia to North America  across the Bering Strait', Dine' elders told their own story about their own origin. The Dine' creation is the story of their origin through a series of emergences through a series of different  colored worlds.

Accounts vary as to the exact number and colors of the worlds, for example, black, then blue, then yellow, then glittering, all of which lead up to their final emergence in the present world.

Stories by the Dine' and scientists differ about the first Dine' people. Traditional Dine' legends tell how First Man, First Woman, the Holy People and all the animals of earth came up to this world from the different worlds below. Traditional Dine' history accounts for how the first Dine were made, who made the first clans, and who made the first hogans. Traditional Dine' stories tell how the Holy People fought against the floods, monsters, and evil giants.

THE FOUR WORLDS OF THE DINE'
First/Black World:  The beginning of time. In the First World, there lived various spiritual beings. They were given Dine' names describing certain insects and animals. Altse Hastiin (First Man) and Altse Asdzaa (First Woman) were created. The beings couldn't get alson with one another so they decided to leave through an opening in the east into the Second World.

Second/Blue World:  This world was already occupied by the Blue Birds, animals and other beings who were in disagreement and couldn't get along with one another. There was severe hardship so they decided to leave this world. First Man made a want of white shell, turquoise, abalone, and jet. This wand carried everyone through an opening in the south into the Third World.

Third/Yellow World:  This world was entered first by Bluebird, First Man, First Woman, Coyote, and other beings. This land had great rivers crossing from east to west and north to south. One day, Coyote stole Water Baby from the river, causing a great flood. First Man ordered everyone to climb into the reed to escape the rising waters. As the beings climbed out of the reed into the Fourth World, the people discovered Coyote was the one who had stole Water Baby. Coyote took the Water Baby back to its mother and the flooded waters began to recede.

Fourth/White World:  Locust was the first to enter the fourth world. He saw water everywhere and other beings living there. The beings in the Fourth World would not let the beings from the Third World to enter unless the Locust passed certain tests. Locust passed all the tests and the people entered into the Fourth World. Later, First Man and First Woman formed the four sacred mountains. The sacred dirt was brought from the First World to form these mountains.

THE FOUR DIRECTIONS OF THE DINE'

East:
This is the direction of the dawn and it is our thinking direction. We should first think before we do anything. When the sun comes up, we look to the...

South:
This is our planning direction where we plan what we are going to do. The sun sets in the...

West:
This is our life, and is where we do our living. Here is where we act out our plan and our thoughts of the east and south directions of our lives. The sun goes down in the.

North:
This is the evaluation portion of our lives. This is where we get our satisfaction and we evaluate the outcome of what we first started in the east. Here is where we determine to change things to make it better, or to see we are on the right path and should continue the cycle.

Every day the cycle is repeated. In each cycle there is a lesson to be learned. During the day when we fall, we stand back up and see what we can do differently the next day. Each dawn is a new start. If you are an alcoholic, if you are a drug abuser, if you did something in the past, early dawn is when you can start a new life again. There is a new renewal. This is how much Mother Earth and Father Sky love us. They give us the chance every morning to start our life new. The Creator answers our prayers in the early morning. We ask for their guidance and assistance to help us with whatever we do.

THE SACRED STONE OF THE DINE'
Turquoise (Doot kl'izhii), the Dine' Sacred Stone

Turquoise is considered one of the four sacred stones of the Dine'. For centuries they have regarded it as a valuable talisman and take pride in its possession. Sheepherders have carried a turquoise fetish to insure fertility of the sheep, hunters to insure success in the hunt, and warriors to insure victory and a safe return.

Traditionally a bead of turquoise was fastened to a lock of hair to protect the Dine' from being struck by lightning and believed to be a safeguard against snake bite. Every household would have a buckskin pouch of herbs, turquoise and shell to add protection against any unexpected event or catastrophe.

The four sacred stones of the Dine' are: turquoise, white shell, abalone and jet.

THE PEOPLE
The Dine, as they call themselves, need no separate word for religion; all life is lived in sacred relationship to the land. With healing ceremonies to bring them back to harmony with each other, they sing of a beauty and harmony which is apparent to all visitors to Dine' Country.

The Dine' legend says that the Dine had to pass through three different worlds before emerging into the present world - the Fourth World or Glittering World. So, the Holy People put four sacred mountains in four different directions. Mt. Blanca in the east. Mt. Taylor in the south, San Francisco Peaks in the west, and Mt. Hesperus in the north, thus creating the boundaries of Dine' land.

Centuries ago, the Dine' people were taught by the Holy People to live in harmony with Mother Earth and how to conduct their many activities of everyday life. The Dine' believe there are two classes of beings: the Earth People and the Holy People. The earth People are ordinary mortals, while the Holy People are spiritual beings that cannot be seen. Holy People are believed to aid or harm Earth People.

When disorder happens in a Dine's life, such as illness, herbs, medicine men (diagnosticians), prayers, songs and ceremonies are used to help cure the ailment. Some tribal members prefer modern day hospitals on the Dine' Reservation; some seek the assistance of a traditional Dine' medicine man, some combine both methods.

The Dine' believe that a medicine man is a uniquely qualified individual bestowed with supernatural powers to diagnose a person's problem and to heal or cure illnesses. The Dine' believe they are sustained as a nation because of their enduring faith in the Great Spirit. Because of their strong spirituality, the Dine' believe they will continue to survive as an Indian nation forever.

For a Dine', to be a well balanced person, he/she must have equal development in the four values of life. When a Dine' has been well taught in all areas of life, that person is a harmonious person and well educated. Just as corn needs four things: sunlight, water, air, and soil to grow; so a Dine' needs the four values: values of Life, values of Work, values of Social/Human Relations, and values of Respect/Reverence to grow.

LANGUAGE
The Dine' people are very dynamic and creative people who strongly believe in the power of the mind to think and create; finding expression in the myriad symbolic creations of the Dine' language, art and ritual ceremonies.

The Dine' language has a great sense humor in day to day conversation. Humor transforms difficult and frustrating circumstances into bearable and even pleasant situations. The strong emphasis and value the Dine' place on humor is evidenced in the First Laugh rite. The first time a Dine' child laughs out loud is a time for honor and celebration.

Aside from being the mother tongue of the Dine' Nation, the Dine' language also has played a significant role in helping the entire nation. During World War II, the Dine' language was used as a code to confuse the enemy. The Dine' bravery and patriotism is unequaled. Dine' were inducted and trained in the U.S. Marine Corps to become "code talkers" on the front-line.

Shrouded in secrecy at the time, these men are known today as the famed Dine' Code Talkers, proved to be the only code that could not be broken during World War II.

Although not all tribal members speak the language fluently, most Dine' have a deep respect for it.

On December 7, 1941, the Japanese in a surprise attack, bombed Pearl Harbor and started World War II. The Japanese eavesdropped on the Marines and decoded every code that the Marines sent out.

In early 1942, a man by the name of Sgt. Phillip Johnston, a missionary's son, who was raised on the Dine' Reservation guaranteed unbreakable codes that the Marines could use in the war.

The Marines had been from the Halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli, but they came to the Dine' reservation to recruit the Dine' boys who became known as the Code Talkers.

The history the older Dine' teach states that the Dine would one day save the world.

The Dine have been known to remember and carry out their religion and believed to have used their memory in decoding and coding their messages.

While other (non-Dine') Marines stumbled in the dark and recoiled from wild terrain, the Dine' proved to adapt in night scouting and were natural guerrilla fighters.

The Code Talkers survived on c-rations, living off the land, hunting, making stew from chicken, goats, and horses that they picked off with their sling shots.

FAMILY
Family is very important to the Dine'. There is the immediate family, and the extended family. The extended family is broken up into clans, which were created by the Holy Ones. The four original clans are 'Towering House', 'Bitterwater', 'Big Water' and' One-who-walks-around'.

Today there are about 130 clans. When we meet another Dine' for the first time we tell each other from what clan they are from.

Navahos identify how we are human by the clans of our mother, father, and ancestors. This is who we are. We also have our immediate family. We have a great responsibility to our family, for without the family we as a people would have an end.

DWELLINGS
A Navaho house is called a "hogan" and is made of logs, brush, and earth. Summer houses are also utilized and made of brush with a windbreak.

MUSIC AND DANCE
Nothing depicts the American Indian better than his love for dancing. The traditional song and dance and inter-tribal pow wows are only some of the many aspects in which the Dine' Nation continues its cultural tradition. Most social events held on Dine' land are held mainly for pleasure and outsiders are welcome to attend.

The traditional song and dance (a ceremony called the Enemy way Ceremony) is an increasingly popular event. One of the reasons an Enemy way Ceremony is conducted is to help cure an individual who has become ill after going to war. The ceremonial dancing is to relieve tension in the patient.

Today, the cultural aspects of the ceremony live on through song and dance contests or festivals. Participants dress in their finest traditional Dine' attire and recreate the traditional dances of their forefathers.

WEAVING
The art of Dine' weaving reflects a wondrous spiritual quality that transcends all time.

Weaving a rug is a slow, painstaking process that begins with shearing the wool.

The wool is then spun by hand, often as many as 16 to 20 times. In some cases, the wool threads are left in their natural state. In others, the yarn is dyed with natural vegetal dyes such as those from grapes, oak, juniper, choke cherry, prickly pear cactus, larkspur, Dine' tea, and wild plum roots.

The colors are both rich and subtle at the same time. Shadings of peach, orange, coral, green, tan, purple, and other natural hues create a breathtaking display of color.

The Patterns of the rugs are learned in childhood, and passed on from generation to generation. There are no written directions. Designs are memorized by the artists. That's why certain artists specialize in certain designs. These are the patterns that their mothers or grandmothers taught them long ago.

SAND PAINTING
Sand-paintings are another unique and symbolic art form originating with the Holy People who lived in the underworld. Sandpaintings were, and still are, primarily ceremonial.

Depicting the tools used by the Holy People, which were strictly intended for ceremonial purposes, sand paintings represent an array of ceremonies and sacred songs. However, today many artists create pictures of ceremonial figures for commercial purposes. Sand painting in itself is not forbidden as long as Holy people are not depicted.

Tribal legend indicates that most Dine' arts and crafts sprang from roots that began with the Holy People. Virtually everything a Dine' says or does is somehow linked with his cultural past, consequently they help him set the course for the future. Dine' land is, as it has always been, a land in transition, a blending of the past and the present, reaching out confidently to embrace the future.

This sand-painting is similar to one that is done during a Blessing Way ceremony. The representation of Sun Father is in the center, the four sacred plants like spokes from the center, and four deities. As with all ceremonial paintings, each symbol has specific meaning with its own story and chants.

The Eagle Dancer kachina is beautifully adorned and displayed in sand art. The Dine' believe the universe to be delicately balanced. Only man can upset it, causing disaster and/or illness. Each illness or disaster has a particular part that is related to a portion of Dine' history. Balance is restored in the universe by healing the offender with chants, herbs, prayers, songs, and sand-paintings.

The Healer (Medicine Man) or Singer goes to the offenders hogan. Restoration begins with chanting accompanied by rattles and recounting adventures of Dine' heroes.

The sand painting is begun on a bed of clean white sand on the dirt floor, Mother Earth.

Sand paintings are created with an opening facing east - the same direction as the door to the hogan, to make it difficult for evil to enter. In the sand-painting design itself, the rainbow yei is used to provide protection for the design.

Each design and figure must be produced carefully and in a knowledgeable way, using only the five sacred colors of sands. Every detail must be completed with exactness, or the harmony of the universe will not be restored, but worsened.

Decorative variations can be left out, but never introduced to a ceremonial sand-painting.

Some symbolic designs provide additional power or strength; i.e., buffalo
horns added to increase the dosage. When the sand-painting is completed, the patient is seated in its center.

The Medicine Man then touches a particular place on the painting and relays the medicine by touching the patient, restoring harmony and health.

The sand painting is then erased and swept into a blanket. Before sunset, it is carried outside and blown into the wind, returning it to Mother Earth so that trapped evil forces will not escape. sand-paintings which are done at night ceremonies are similarly destroyed before sunrise.

There are more than a thousand ceremonial sand-paintings; less than half are produced today. Many are only in the memories of Medicine Men and unless they are recorded in some way, will be lost as these old men die off.

In addition to healing, sand-paintings have been used to relate folklore stories. One of the most common is the Coyote Stealing Fire part of the Dine' creation story.

SACRED SITE
CANYON DE CHELLE

Canyon De Chelle lies in the heart of the land of the Dine' between the Four Sacred Mountains. This is a very sacred and beautiful place. It is a place where all the life giving sources are abundant. It is a place of great peace where important lessons can be learned. There are ancient ruins in the canyon.

The people who lived in them form a basis of who and what we are today. This is one of the most important places for a Dine' to visit today. For millennia our people have been coming to this canyon to receive of the great strength and power that is found here. The Dine' past and present is hidden within the walls of this hallowed place.

Rather than reaching skyward from the plains as most mountains do, the canyon is hidden from the world until one happens upon it. Some of the most important things that have happened for our people has happened within this canyon. On the top of Canyon De Chelly is one of the places the Holy Ones first set their foot. This is a very holy place. It is here within the canyon that the Holy Ones taught us how to live.

SPIDER ROCK

Spider Rock stands with awesome dignity and beauty over 800 feet high in Arizona's colorful Canyon de Chelly National Park (pronounced da Shay). Geologists of the National Park Service say that "the formation began 230 million years ago.

Windblown sand swirled and compressed with time created the spectacular red sandstone monolith. Long ago, the Dine' Indian tribe named it Spider Rock.

Stratified, multicolored cliff walls surround the canyon. For many, many centuries the Dine' built caves and lived in these cliffs. Most of the caves were located high above the canyon floor, protecting them from enemies and flash floods.

Spider Woman possessed supernatural power at the time of creation, when the Dine' emerged from the third world into this fourth world.

At that time, monsters roamed the land and killed many people. Since Spider Woman loved the people, she gave power for Monster-Slayer and Child-Born-of-Water to search for the Sun-God who was their father. When they found him, Sun-God showed them how to destroy all the monsters on land and in the water.

Because she preserved their people, the Dine' established Spider Woman among their most important and honored Deities.

She chose the top of Spider Rock for her home. It was Spider Woman who taught the Dine' ancestors of long ago the art of weaving upon a loom. She told them, "My husband, Spider Man, constructed the weaving loom making the cross poles of sky and earth cords to support the structure; the warp sticks of sun rays, lengthwise to cross the woof; the healds of rock crystal and sheet lightning, to maintain original condition of fibers. For the batten, he chose a sun halo to seal joints, and for the comb he chose a white shell to clean strands in a combing manner." Through many generations, the Dine' have always been accomplished weavers.

From their elders, the Dine' children heard warnings that if they did not behave themselves, Spider Woman would let down her web-ladder and carry them up to her home and devour them!

The children also heard that the top of Spider Rock was white from the sun-bleached bones of the Dine' children who did not behave themselves!

One day, a peaceful cave-dwelling Dine' youth was hunting in Dead Man's Canyon, a branch of Canyon de Chelly. Suddenly, he saw an enemy tribesman who chased him deeper into the canyon. As the peaceful Dine' ran, he looked quickly from side to side, searching for a place to hide or to escape.

Directly in front of him stood the giant obelisk-like Spider Rock. What could he do? He knew it was too difficult for him to climb. He was near exhaustion. Suddenly, before his eyes he saw a silken cord hanging down from the top of the rock tower.

The Dine' youth grasped the magic cord. which seemed strong enough, and quickly tied it around his waist. With its help he climbed the tall tower, escaping from his enemy who then gave up the chase.

When the peaceful Dine' reached the top, he stretched out to rest. There he discovered a most pleasant place with eagle's eggs to eat and the night's dew to drink.

Imagine his surprise when he learned that his rescuer was Spider Woman! She told him how she had seen him and his predicament. She showed him how she made her strong web-cord and anchored one end of it to a point of rock. She showed him how she let down the rest of her web-cord to help him to climb the rugged Spider Rock.

Later, when the peaceful Dine' youth felt assured his enemy was gone, he thanked Spider Woman warmly and he safely descended to the canyon floor by using her magic cord. He ran home as fast as he could run, reporting to his tribe how his life was saved by Spider Woman!

CREATION
The Dine' belief is that their Creator placed them on the land between the following 4 mountains representing the 4 cardinal directions:

These mountains represent the major parts of the traditional Dine' religious beliefs, helping them to live in harmony with both nature and their Creator.

RELIGION AND CEREMONIES
The majority of their ceremonies are for curing mental and physical ills and for restoring universal harmony, once disturbed. In these ceremonies, many dry paintings or sand altars are made, depicting the characters and incidents of myths.

Most Dine' ceremonies are conducted, at least primarily, for the purpose of healing disease; and while designated medicine ceremonies, they are, in fact, ritualistic prayers. There are so many ceremonies that no student has yet determined their number, which reaches into scores, while the component ritual prayers of some number hundreds. The principal ceremonies are those that require nine days and nine nights in their performance. Each is based on a mythic story, and each has four dry-paintings, or so-called altars. besides these nine days' ceremonies there are others whose performance requires four days, and many simpler ones requiring only a single day, each with its own dry-painting.

The Dine' culture is kept alive through ceremony. There are many  ceremonies for different things. The ceremonies were given by the Holy ones. Through these ceremonies, the important lessons are taught to help preserve us as a people, The ceremony teaches about history and responsibilities as a human being inside the universe and the Dine place in it. They teach about this world, and how one can also help with this world. It also teaches patience.

Through ceremony the language is kept alive. The ceremony is also the place to talk with the Holy Ones and the Creator. They help to bless the sick in body and mind. Ceremonies are also used to celebrate joyous occasions and they are also used to help solve problems within Dine' society and within the family. During these counsels everyone must agree on what is best, or they will come together again until they can. Dine' music is a very important part of the ceremony and also has great power.