The Navajo

skinwalker

a person who can turn into any animal, perform some horrible act to be able to do this

yeibeichai

bear ceremonial, most often held because of suspected witchcraft, performed in winter, performed in the event of a disaster or illness that cannot otherwise be treated

hozho

beauty principle, balance, doing things well and with reciprocity

girl's sing

four day ceremony held to announce and celebrate a girl's first menstrual period

singer

hatli, the core of navajo religious activities

yei

holy people, associated with specific natural features of the land, with other holy people and with aspects of the weather, vegetation, mineral deposits and with certain animals, can be persuaded by proper ritual acts

hogan

home of nuclear units

changing woman

most important figure in navajo mythology, conception and birth were miraculous affairs, mated with the sun and water, personification of earth

long walk

moving of the navajo from their land, burned their crops and killed their sheep, marched to fort sumner by foot, trying to break the spirit of the navajo, led to the formation of a treaty stating the navajo would cease raiding

southern athapaskan

navajo descended from these people

homestead

nuclear family

squaw dance

only performed during warm months, performed when an individual feels ill and suspects that a ritual cure might relieve him

dine bikeyah

the scene of miraculous events from which the navajo society is felt to have evolved, the land of the people