Native American Voices The Navajo tribe

Hunting Song/Dinni-e Sin The hunter likens himself to the beautiful blackbird loved by the deer. The Navajos say that this bird alights on the animals, and sometimes tries to make its nest between the horns. The refrain of the song tells of the coming of the deer—how he makes a trail from the top of Black Mountain down through the fair meadows, how he comes through the dewdrops and the pollen of the flowers, and then how, startled at sight of the hunter, he stamps and turns to run, but the man kills him out of neccessity.

The Navajo Tribe

Navajos settled in Southwest between AD 1000-1400. Fierce warriors and hunters. Learned skills from Pueblo tribe that intermarried with their tribe. Mostly sheep and goat herders after introduction of domestic animals by Spaniards.

Early 1800’s – fought to drive settlers away. 1864 – US Army troops defeated Navajo and 7000 captives were marched across 300 miles of desert to New Mexico. Returned to own lands four years later and formed largest reservation, currently over 200,000 people.

Navajo Territory The Navajo are natives of the Four Corners region (Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado). The Navajo people are still living in their traditional territory today.

Canyon de Chelly, on Navajo lands

To a Child Running With Outstretched Arms in Canyon de Chelly – M To a Child Running With Outstretched Arms in Canyon de Chelly – M. Scott Momaday You are small and intense In your excitement, whole, Embodied in delight. The backdrop is immense; The sand drifts break and roll           Through cleavages of light And shadow. You embrace The spirit of this place.

Navajo Language as Code During WWII, the Navajo language was used by the US troops because it proved to be an unbreakable code. Navajo language is only spoken, not written. Used over radio frequencies to transmit vital data concerning orders and missions, and was never broken.

How was the literature recorded? Pictographs Word of mouth