Traditional music is always vocal. There are instruments included with the chants, with drums, rattles, whistles, and rasps often part of the experience. The Navajo Nation has come to include flutes and the bullroarer as part of their composition as well. Even the drumsticks are useful in the creation of the sacred and holy songs.

Lyrics of Navajo Music

The lyrics of a song in Navajo music may take more than an hour to complete while the instruments accompany those who sing. These songs are usually performed in groups, offering an epic story that starts with the beginning of the world. There are lessons on morality, life balance, and phenomenology included in the words as well.

Many of the songs performed in Navajo music, either for a ceremony or for a modern recording, are often cyclical by design. There are 2-4 balanced parts, featuring active choruses that incorporate men’s and women’s parts. Combined singing occurs frequently in this culture as well.

Children’s Songs in Navajo Music

Most of the songs which children sing in Navajo music are about pets, livestock, or other animals. There can be lyrics that include family, games, or various activities as well. Although it seems like the structure of the music is different, the tunes are about the everyday life moments that each child experiences, making it similar to what the adult songs are.

Even when babies cry, the rhythmic songs help to sooth the infant to help the child go back to sleep Everyone from an early age is exposed to the melodies of Navajo music, which is why it is such a significant component of their culture.

Shoegame songs are another element of the Navajo Nation that is quite unique, with prominent singers offering their songs during the attendance of this moccasin game. Some communities even play against each other during the winter.

Navajo music traditions are steeped in history and a joy to hear in person. If you have the opportunity to attend a ceremony, festival, or game that includes their melodies, then take the opportunity because it will be a life-changing experience.

These spirits helped to form life on the planet’s surface, which allowed it to reproduce. In time, at a place that is called Háyoolkáál Bee Hooghan, man was created.

Dawn and darkness were placed on man’s feet. He was dressed in white coverings to cover his nakedness. Rain clouds helped to form his hair. Then sunlight made his hair string to tie the hair at the nape of the neck.

As man emerged from this early world into the White World, he took the hair tie and formed a tsiiyéél, a hair bun, because he wished to gather his plans and thoughts. This would allow him to be focused as he worked to resolve issues in this new place.

The Tsiiyéél and Navajo Identity

The traditional hair bun is an essential component of life. It is comparable to the relevance of eagle feathers or tobacco because it represents the identity of each person, their intellect, and even their way of life.

It is a hair style worn by men and women. Each yarn strand used to form the bun is sacred and purposeful. The tsiiyéél is as much a spiritual practice, or a form of prayer, as it is a way to put one’s hair up.

To create such a beautiful (nizhóní) outcome, it is necessary to care for the hair in specific ways. The washing of the hair, adorning it, and how one chooses to dress with it all becomes part of an individual expression of belonging to the entire Navajo people.

It would be fair to say that, for many, one’s connection with their hair is a connection to the memory of creation. It allows one to connect to that first man, who felt the need to tie up his hair as a way to gather his thoughts.

When someone does so now, the same is true. It is also a way to celebrate family heritage, connect with the Spirits, and find one’s own story through the journey of life.

Here is a brief list of the most important symbols of the culture and what they mean.

Bear: Within the Navajo culture, the symbol of the bear is a representation of strength.

Bear Paw: This Navajo symbol is a representation of having good luck or that a good omen is present.

Big Mountain: This symbol represents having great abundance.

Bird: The Navajo bird is a representation of internal peace. Its display shows that anxiety is no longer present.

Broken Arrows: With this symbol, peace is either being offered or spoken about.

Crossed Arrows: This represents friendship, either between people, tribes, or cultures.

Deer Tracks: This symbol represents that food is abundant or that wild game is plentiful.

Eagle Feather: Within the Navajo culture, this symbol often represents the chief of the tribe.

Headdress: This often represents a ceremony.

Horse: The Navajo used horses for their general transportation needs once they were reintroduced to North America. Their symbol is a representation of a journey being taken.

Humans: This is a representation of life itself.

Kokopelli: Usually depicted as a flute player, this is a trickster god which may preside over agriculture and childbird. This god may also represent the spirit of music.

Lightning: This Navajo symbol represents speed and swiftness. It also represents certain taboos. Using wood for a fire that was burned by lightning, for example, is often blamed for bad luck and sickness.

Mountain Range: With this symbol, a great journey may be depicted. It may also represent an intended destination.

Sun: For the Navajo people, sunshine is a reflection of universal harmony. It speaks of happiness.

Thunderbird: When this symbol is displayed, it is a representation of unlimited happiness. It may be a depiction of personal feelings or offered as a sort of blessing to others.

Water: For the Navajo, running water represents constant life. Without a source of water, there could not be balance found in the universe.

There are many more Navajo symbols that are important parts of the culture. When you see these symbols, you’ll have a clearer idea of what is being communicated to you.

Knee-high moccasins are common for women to wear in the Navajo culture. Foot moccasins were used for more every-day activities. Then personal jewelry choices would be made, with a sash belt or concho rounding out the look.

What Do Men Wear in the Navajo Culture?

For men, the traditional clothing options have fewer varieties. Shirts made of velveteen were common, paired with trousers, foot moccasins, and their preferred jewelry. Depending upon the occasion, a simple material tied around the waist, fitting like a pair of shorts, would be used for daily chores or certain celebrations.

Within the culture, the choices of clothing and fashion have developed along similar lines as the surrounding society. In the early 19th century, for example, the Navajo women began to transition to modern Mexican fashion choices. Woolen blankets and ponchos were worn, with some women choosing to even wear woolen dresses.

Later in the century, the influences of Caucasian settlers around the Navajo transitioned their fashion choices even further. One of the most popular additions to the culture from this influence was the calico skirt.

For many, the moccasins would be replaced with shoes as well.

What About Modern Navajo Fashion?

Most men and women within the Navajo culture wear something contemporary as they go about their day. They tend to reserve the traditional elements of their dress and culture for certain social gatherings or ceremonies.

That means you’ll find men and women both wear t-shirts frequently. Skirts are common for women, while men may wear trousers or jeans. Women tend to wear lighter blouses to complement their look, while men tend to prefer polo shirts or a button-down shirt if a more formal presentation is required.

It should be noted, however, that the Navajo culture still believes that appropriate clothing is necessary to encourage help and recognition from the Great Spirit. It is only the definition of “appropriate” that has evolved over the years.

The head of each household was the father. The father in the oldest household of a group was the headman of the group. Women held a status that was equal to men.

Except for the family relationships and structures that helped to allocate labor, there was no traditional political organization in Navajo politics.

Reservation Life Changed Navajo Politics

During the preservation period for the Navajo people, leading into reservation life, the political structures of the tribe began to change. The tribe was divided into smaller, more localized tribes that were treated as an independent people instead of one great Navajo nation. Each of these smaller tribes had an individual who was a figurehead leader with no real political power.

As the reservation structures became formalized, community leaders began to emerge for these smaller groups. Many of these leaders were the medicine men, finding a new role as an arbitrator when disputes would arise between the small groups.

Based on this structure, Navajo politics then shifted toward a parliamentary structure beginning in 1923. The small groups came back together as a whole nation, following the political structures of Europe and the United States, to create cohesiveness.

How Navajo Politics Work

In the Navajo Tribe, there is a chairman and a vice-chairman. The entire reservation elects these two positions based on a popular ballot vote. Each serves a 4-year term in office.

The chairman and vice-chairman are supported by a Tribal Council, which is composed of elected delegates from each local chapter – the small groups that used to be treated as individual “tribes.”

An Executive Committee is also part of the leadership. Members of the committee are elected by the delegates which form the Tribal Council.

To elect the delegates, each chapter nominates officers or runs a local election based on the political needs of the community.

Navajo politics is designed to keep the tribe operating in a self-governing way while still being cohesive with the U.S. government. This unique structure accomplishes both goals.

Views on Marriage

Marriage for most Navajos was of economic necessity. Because they relied on the basic two-person unit to have a functioning future, it is very critical that their arranged marriages were between multiple parties that were economically sound on both ends. For one, it was incumbent upon the man to handle most of the “heavy lifting” in terms of what a man is supposed to bring to the table. Aside from that, but it was critical that the Navajo man is understanding of what it takes to make things work for the long haul. For this reason, most of the marriages were pre-arranged and done to ensure that the two kin groups being married would be able to sustain their relationship for many decades.

Reasons for Marriage

Navajos always married for practical purposes and to sustain the tribe. Getting married out of pure love and affection honestly secondary for them. In the past, it also wasn’t uncommon for Navajos to have multiple wives, but much of that has changed due to more recent legislation and law. But for the most part, most Navajo relationships were one man, one woman.

Divorce

As far as divorce was concerned, it was a rarity, but it did happen on occasions. But for the most part, the Navajo relationship was, again, to preserve and advance the culture forward. It was very important because this was a communal culture. While the culture was very communal and emphasized togetherness, for the most part, it was all about sticking together in the individual family units. They lived in structures called hogans, which were their typical housing structure. This is where the families lived and spent most of their family time together. This was an important part of their bonding because, for the Navajo, the community was vital to sustaining everything. Aside from that, but it was very common for a lot of these family units that were associated with one another to commonly engage in other sorts of issues. But by just knowing a few of them, most crises could be averted for the long haul and is a testament to the strength of the Navajo tribe.

Weapons and Tools Used for Navajo Hunting

The Navajos were good at creating tools and weapons for use during hunting and developed several hunting equipments that helped them achieve such great success in this field. They were particularly known for their bows and arrows, clubs, knives, tomahawks, and spears, which they crafted to be lightweight and sharp to eliminate the need for multiple blows when hunting their game.

Aside from use in Navajo hunting however, these tools were also commonly used in battle with colonizers. Bows and arrows, tomahawks, and knives were their weapon of choice when defending their settlements, but they also used these items when building structures and shelter.

To capture and immobilize fast or large game, the Navajos used bolas which were long, thick stretches of rope with heavy ball-like attachments tied to either end. The bolas were thrown at game to entangle them and make it difficult to flee. Blowdarts were laced with poison from herbs or plants and were commonly utilized for catching birds and other smaller game that were hard to chase around.

Animals Hunted by Navajos

The Navajos settled in vast land areas across what was soon to be the United States, and that’s why they had access to a wide variety of different animals. The hunted for deer, rabbit, mountain goats, and prairie dogs which they mainly hunted for their meat. Bigger animals were also skinned for their pelt or to make leather, while those with sturdy bones were used for structures and other tools that could be used to further improve their settlements.

They didn’t just hunt to kill however as some of the animals they captured were kept alive to be raised in their settlements. The Navajo tribes were well known for their ability to rear sheep and goats which they harvested wool and milk from. The fleece would be woven by women into clothing, blankets, or tents, allowing them to have a much more comfortable living situation.

The best way that the Navajos knew to combat these illnesses was with traditional Navajo healing. Under this belief, there are two main roles that need to be met in order to achieve proper healing – the medicine man and the hand trembler.

What is the Medicine Man?

These specially trained Navajo men were aptly knowledgeable on the process of Navajo healing, and were trusted by the tribe to bring about good health to anyone who was afflicted with illness. To become a medicine man, a Navajo tribesman should first study under the instruction of an experienced medicine man. During this time, the learner is instructed to prepare herbs and healing tools for the process, and is taught the different skills and techniques used in Navajo healing. Several chants, songs, and prayers were used to cast away disease, and these all had to be mastered before a medicine man could practice his craft. Once a student is deemed ready for healing others, they are allowed to independently render service and can become instructors of other learners later on as they gain knowledge and experience.

What is a Hand Trembler?

A medicine man is only able to heal an identified sickness, but if a tribe fails to put a reason for the illness, they call in the expertise of a hand trembler. These Navajo healers were responsible for identifying the illness that afflicted patients by rubbing herbs, chanting, and singing in order to summon the healing power bestowed upon them by the Gila monster. The hand trembler merely diagnoses the condition, and once a cause is pinpointed, the patient is referred to a medicine man or singer in order to receive proper medical attention under the Navajo healing practice.

Navajo Healing Ceremonies

The Blessing Way, the Enemy Way, and the Night Way are all different ceremonies used during Navajo healing in order to attract positivity and expel negativity, which ultimately results in the total healing of a person. The Blessing way is ideal for those who are pregnant, who are leaving for battle, and those who need extra positivity to be introduced into their body. The other two are intended for removing evil spirits and negativity.

One thing is for certain. With the idea of the Navajo jacket, you are talking about something that provides a very clear example of creative Navajo fashion statements. In addition to these, Navajo jackets also offer a glimpse into these people utilize style. The best examples of these jackets provide a formidable marriage of both form and function.

Navajo Jackets

As mentioned before, there are really two different types of Navajo jackets. While it is certainly true that there are different styles, as well as Navajo jackets for men, Navajo jackets for women, and Navajo jackets for children, it is also true that you can really break down everything into two categories. There are jackets that could be considered genuine examples of the Navajo jacket. These are jackets that come from actual Navajo artisans. They are true examples of the spectacular craftsmanship that the Navajo people put into weaving and various handmade items. In terms of their styles, colors, patterns, and other elements, they offer a glimpse into the history of Navajo weaving and Navajo culture.

And then there are Navajo jackets that some do not consider to be true representations of the Navajo culture and the Navajo people. Furthermore, some do not believe they are true reflections of Navajo fashion. These are jackets that are very clearly influenced by Navajo culture, but they were not created by Navajo designers or weavers. The level of influence can vary from one jacket to the other. There are certain jackets that very clearly are designed to carry as much design influence from true examples of Navajo jackets as possible.

In a very general sense, combining both of the camps that have been covered, there are tons and tons of examples of the Navajo jacket out there. Some consider certain examples to be examples of cultural appropriation. Others do not believe this is the case. These jackets continue to be popular with a wide variety of cultures around the world.

Within the Native American Community, the Navajo Dance is one such example of something truly unique and irreplaceable. Lets take a moment to learn more about the Navajo dance and point out 5 quick things that it stands for.

1. In Honoring Oneself

The Navajo Dance serves a number of purposes, not excluding the honoring of oneself while doing the dance. As life makes perfectly clear and psychology continues to remind us, having an innate and respectable relationship with oneself is the best way to be authentic, alive, and in the moment. The Navajo Dance serves to create this sense within the individual, bringing them to a more powerful and meaningful experience centered around the moment.

2. A Connection To One’s Surroundings

Along with focusing one’s attention inward, the dance is a reflection of those exterior elements that play into everyday life for the Navajo people. A celebration and a confirmation of these events, the Navajo Dance works to bring everyone to a greater understanding of the role the surroundings play.

3. A Traditional Tool For Teaching

The Navajo Dance is full of important messages, lessons, and instructions for all parts of the Navajo community. As a result, the dance works to teach and reinforce important lessons regarding being a Navajo.

4. A Means To Continue a Community and Sense of Culture

Performed for longer then can be remembered, the Navajo Dance is a shining example of a cultural pride and activity that refuses to die.

5. No Separation of Belief and Living

Within the Navajo community, there is no separation between religion and life. Every day is spent living a life where all the elements of the divine and unknown play out. The Navajo Dance is a way to communicate and celebrate this aspect of life, brining the mind of both the dancer and those watching towards a greater understanding of not only themselves, but the greater world around them.