For those living in smaller communities in the central part of the reservation and not directly connected to major roads, there was agreement that while religion and ceremonies are not appropriate for inclusion in school studies, traditional stories if taught within the proper season of the year, navajo history, and the clan system could be. Sep 10, 2008 now the navajo tribe has grown to it present system of about 70 or 80 different navajo clans. As a 100% navajo citizen, i am providing all navajo clans that i have learned growing up on the navajo. Kinyaaaaniikiyaaaanii the towering house clan original clan. We will survive by maintaining our clan traditions, our language, and our unique. Mar 12, 2015 mar 12, 2015 navajo clans names dine navajo kinship system stay safe and healthy. Introducing yourself in navajo navajo language dine bizaad. Kethe navajo kinship systemis the strength of the people. They study the four original clans system and the development of other adopted clans, e. This is the ultimate clan dictionary for the navajo people.
In the present, the overall number of navajo clans that were represented has been calculated in having more than 140 clans from 21 major groups. Students of the navajo know how strong the clan system is among the people. Apr 14, 2011 dine clanship system kinyaaaanii towering house people related clans. We grow up with images of cowboys and indians, but we dont have the vaguest idea what it all means. Indian education for all model teaching unitlanguage arts middle school level for joseph bruchacs code talker. The navajo creation story and modern tribal justice. The navajo tribe is matrilineal because changing woman created the clan system in the creation story. A novel about the navajo marines of world war two model teaching unit language arts middle school level for code talker by joseph bruchac unit written by justine jampublished by the montana office of public instruction 2010.
A lineage is a group of individuals who trace descent from a common ancestor. Indian nation, with its own government, judicial system, tribal police force, coun cil delegates. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and. The extended family system in the navajo family structure means more responsibilities because the family is larger than a typical family than only consist of wife, husband and their children. These navajo language materials will help reinforce clan traditions and help students learn the clan system. Blanca peak, the sacred mountain of the east sisnaajini, the dawn, or white shell mountain. Four sacred mountains on navajo land sacred mountain. Students identify the historical and traditional location of the navajo homeland. The students use the clan system to identify relationships among the din people and begin a conversation with the elders starting with their own clans.
There was the question of kinship and the related concept of incest. This is the largest land area retained by an indigenous tribe in the united states, with. An introduction to the basic values of dine society, past and present, including the clan system, philosophy of duality, oral narratives, and symbolic interpretations. Additionally, the complex navajo clan system, which is central to the navajo cultural identity as it prevents incest and mantains order and familial support, is explained through dine bahane as the first peoples of the earth marry, identify, and organize themselves in groups as they travel and inhabit the earth zolbrod, 290291. All members of your clan and bornforyourclan are relatives.
At a touch of a finger, you can easily find navajo clans by searching the english word counterpart. The tribe of navajo has grown into the present system of seventy to eighty various navajo clans. Dine or naabeeho are a native american people of the southwestern united states at more than 300,000 enrolled tribal members as of 2015, the navajo nation is the secondlargest federally recognized tribe in the u. Understanding the clan system is crucial to understanding who you are as a navajo individual. Explain clan kinship and terminology used to identify within this larger family. Mountains, plants, clan journey stories, and protection animals associated with the clans. Clans originated in various places, some of which are now considered sacred. Today, the total number of clans represented is calculated in to be over one hundred and forty, from twentyone major groups. The navajo nation extends into the states of utah, arizona and new mexico, covering over 27,000 square miles of unparalleled beauty. Apr 8, 2018 information about navajo native american history, traditions, and culture. Wyman there is no word or phrase in the navajo language that can be translated as religion in the sense of that term in european languages.
Little herder in winter bilingual childrens book, pdf file. This means all navajo people can trace their family through the bloodlines of the females in their family. The clan system is very important among the navajo. Matrilineal society, group adhering to a kinship system in which ancestral descent is traced through maternal instead of paternal lines. The navajo clan system has been their strength and this binds them together. Visitors from around the world are intrigued and mystified when they hear the navajo language so, too, were the enemy during.
The navajo traditional system of snbh emerged as a culturally salient framework for understanding the. Knowing all 4 clans to ones identity allows them totally freedom with themselves. The navajo are matrilineal rather than patrilineal, clan. Run centers on navajo clan system tribal college journal. Din4 government standards scope and sequence concept 2. This is the ultimate clan dictionary for the navajo tribe. Click here to view original web page at approximately 65 people completed a running event monday at navajo technical university that was designed to teach about the navajo clan system. When these areas are in harmony and balanced a person is. This spiralbound book is written in both navajo and english and is printed in black, white, and sepia tone. The navajo common law incorporation process is also essential to building a sovereign navajo nation that places the interests of the navajo people at the forefront. Navajo clans is a mobile device application that contains 80 navajo clans. Dine clanship system kinyaaaanii towering house people.
I knew as little about kinship when i became a navajo legal services lawyer as any average american. Navajos have single parent that is a non navajo and another parent from africanamerican, angloamerican and asianamerican. Now the navajo tribe has grown to it present system of about 70 or 80 different navajo clans. Traditional navajo clan practices discussion and references a personal recollection. Using navajo clan chart wheel and navajo clan legends book at front of class, while students work in cooperative group structures with clan word strip handout, teacher will discuss the four original clans system and the development of other adopted clans. Navajo linguistics by ken hale mit unpublished manuscriptpart i part ii part iii part iv. Nakai dine mexican, notahi dineute, ozii dine hopi. Nadleehe created the navajo clans by rubbing off bits of her skin to make the first four clans. By the way, i found that even navajo kids play cowboys and. Some of the clans came from other tribes, and were adopted, while others were created out of circumstance, and. A clan may be defined as a group of relatives who share an identity, hold property in common, and trace their descent from a common ancestor.
It is what they have passed on to us, the younger generation, so that we, as dine people can survive. The navajo clan legends book is the story of changing woman and the creation of the first four original clans. Clan relationship group 12 iichah dinee the moth peopleextinct clan. Dzi l naoodi l nii the turning mountain people clan.
However, this word is the most convenient label for navajo beliefs concerning the dy namics of the universe and their techniques for con. Ashiihnii salt people clan extinct clan ashiihi salt people clan. People from scotland and ireland might understand this easily, because they, too, have clan organization. The navajo clan wheel can be used with the navajo clan legends poster and the clan legends book. See more ideas about native american history, navajo people and navajo. There used to be some 250 different clans a long time ago, but there are about 53 still in existence today. I will understand and apply the navajo nation laws traditional law, customary law, natural law and common law. Navajo clans is a iphone, ipod touch and ipad mobile device application that contains 80 navajo. This book is designed to be used either independently or with the navajo clan wheel. Pdf dont even talk to me if youre kinyaaanii towering house. Navajo clans by carol j amato teachers pay teachers. At the present, there are no authorized clans that represent the anglos, asians, blacks and the like. Dine bikeyah, or navajoland, is larger than 10 of the 50 states in america.
The chief clans and their subsidiaries are exogamous. Each clan was created from the skin rubbed from different parts of her body. A few suggest that this could be done as part of a special month set aside for navajo studies or as a unit that would be part of the existing curriculum in his. Apr 22, 20 ke dine navajo kinship system april 22, 20 by harold carey jr the dine society is based primarily upon kinship arising from clan affiliation, as each person is a member of the tribe by reason of his or her affiliation to one of the numerous clans. Each member of an extended family structure of navajo is expected to do certain tasks for the welfare of the family.
Navajo family relationships are very different from american western family relationships. This is the largest land area retained by an indigenous tribe in the united states, with a population of roughly 350,000 as of 2016. Clanship basics in navajo mythology a god named changing woman created the four original clans, who were then followed by other clans. Teaching dine language and culture in navajo schools. Tsenjikini honey combed rock people or the cliff dwellers people clan. Some tribes, including the navajo, crow, iroquois, and the cherokee, were and are organized around the clan system.
Draft on navajo culture david cable ant 101 introduction to cultural anthropology prof. Dine clanship system dine doonee navajo clans facebook. Ke dine navajo kinship system april 22, 20 by harold carey jr the dine society is based primarily upon kinship arising from clan affiliation, as each person is a member of the tribe by reason of his or her affiliation to one of the numerous clans. It is forbidden to intermarry within ones own clan group. As of now, no official clans are represented for anglos bilagana, blacks zhini, or asians, although navajos who have one parent that is nonnavajo are still born to or born for angloamericans, africanamericans, asianamericans, etc. This activity requires internet research and writing of 500word papers on different aspects of navajo clan. How does the clan system keep the people organized. It is through the clan groups that navajo life is recognized by the holy gods. Naabeeho binahasdzo is an american indian territory covering about 17,544,500 acres 71,000 km 2. Navajo clan legends book heritage language resource center. In this navajo nation lesson plan, students also write a letter to the colonists describing the benefits of the nation.
The way this clan system is structured results in the mothers clan being carried forward always, whereas the fathers clan cycles out after two generations. As of now, no official clans are represented for anglos bilagana, blacks zhini, or asians, although navajos who have one parent that is non navajo are still born to or born for angloamericans, africanamericans, asianamericans, etc. Y11t44h shi din4, being navajo you should know what your clans are. Each of the clans has a story about how they were created and named. Navajo clans is a iphone, ipod touch and ipad mobile device application that contains 80 navajo clans. Kinyaaaaniikiyaaaanii the towering house clan original clan dzi l taadi near the mountain clan azeetsoh dinee the big medicine people clan. Dine language and english language instruction in navajo. The four original clans were created by changing woman when she was living with her husband, the sun. Compare and contrast other cultures relationship systems to navajo clans system by oral discussion and using venn diagram. Leaf clan or under his cover clan halgai dine4 people of the valley clan adopted clan shash dine4 the bear people clan adopted clan naad33 dine4 the corn people clan adopted clan clan relationship group 2 hon1gh1ahnii one walks around clan original clan t01han7 near the water clan. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. Our clans are our roots and our foundation to life as navajo people.
The navajo child, traditionally, is introduced into the world by. Descriptorsamerican dictionaries, navaho, standard. Explain not being of the fathers clan, father clan is the bornforclan. The navajo nation is the largest native american group in america today, and is the biggest indian reservation in the united states.
Display the traditional narrative depicting the way in which changing woman created the four original clans. The foundational doctrines examined in this work are hozho harmony, balance, and peace, ke kinship solidarity, and kei clan system. The navajo language itself lacks a direct method of commanding an other person, and traditional navajo consider it extremely poor manners to tell or order someone else to do something. Navajo has been matrilocal and matrilineal society. The traditional philosophy of the dine navajo people evolves around four main areas. This is a list of names and nicknames of the navajo clans. Reading material navajo now learning and perpetuating the. However, not all dine people go by or believe in the clan system, for exam ple, dine citizens who belong to one of the many navajoled neopentecostal. Students work on building stronger relationships with community members.
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