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Navajo Night Chant

navajocodetalkersadmin on June 18, 2014 - 10:00 am in Navajo Rituals

Known as the Mountain Chant, the Navajo night chant is being given only during the winter season or hibernation. Apart from it, this is also being given as the wings started and the thunder storms ended.

History Of The Night Chant

For the Navajos, they believed the legends that are being told, songs being sung and ceremony being given. This even results for a snake-bite or death. If an animal appears by the moment that the ceremony takes place, it is brought in the ceremony. Furthermore, the Navajo Night Chant is truly important among the many medicine men. Every shaman has the opportunity of displaying his magic and observing it. There are times that a lot of medicine-men from the many different areas of the reservation attend. There are mainly four ceremonies that are established in the common legend. However, they differ greatly in the presentation detail and song words.

As per the mountain chant and its legend, there are six Navajos such as two daughters, two sons, mother and father that are wandering from one place to another. As they all continued, they developed the spring water and discovered the important use of the many different berries and seeds. They also created for sweat house and Hogan. The young men are also taught by their own father on how to learn the best possible ways of killing and hunting deer. They even learned magic.

Actually, the Navajo Night Chant existed during 1000 B.C.E. The Indians living in Canyon de Chelly performed the night chant. It is also considered as the sacred of the Navajo ceremonies and believed to be the most hard to learn. It mainly involves memorization of prayers, complicated designs and songs.

Even Further Back

Just like the mountain chant, this is mainly considered to be a healing ritual. This is designed in curing sick people and restoring the balance and order of the human relationships. The chant always starts with the medicine man. The medicine man is a priest and doctor who learned the most detailed and intricate practices important in the chant. The chant is also led by the dancers that stand for the Gods. The man utters a long and sincere healing prayer for the sick people. He also performs his other important ritual acts. The dancers start the chant along hypnotic effects and variations for the listeners.

As per the origin of the night chant, this is mainly a part of the religious tradition. Although the history of the belief and religious systems are not known, there is a data recorded about the native cultures.

The Nightway or Night Chant is a ceremony that is being conducted for nine nights. As mentioned, this is considered as the sacred of all the ceremonies. Although it is quite difficult to learn, this is great that is being held for the single season and lasted for about 18 to 20 weeks.

Even the young children also participated in the tribal tradition. Young boys and young girls also participate as part of the crowd. There are dancers and teams who also engage in the playful antics.

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