The Navajo  By Sydney

            Can you believe people ate sheep? The Navajo liked sheep, corn, and fry bread and ate much more! The Navajo were known for their favorite food, fine arts, legends, and religion. The Navajo are a very interesting tribe.

            First, the Navajo's favorite foods were sheep, corn, and fry bread. Sheep was their original food because they raised it. They had to raise the lamb until it could leave its mother, and then they killed her by stabbing her. Then the boys skinned it. Last, the men hanged it up for the blood to drain out. Corn was another thing they grow. They cut it everyday with knives. One of their favorite corn was blue corn.  They used blue corn on special occasions, like a new Navajo born to the tribe. Fry bread is one food they served every night. They traded things they made for ingredients like flour and powdered sugar. Then they ground it with corn, mixed with water, and pounded it. Last they left it over a fire. They also used corn, sheep, and fry bread in their tacos.

Navajo tacos made with sheep, corn, cheese, and fry bread

            Navajos fine arts are weaving, master silver smithing, and painting. Navajo rugs are highly prized for colorful designs as well as their durability. Different rugs come from different regions of Navajo. Eastern Arizona has bright red and black geometric designs on their clothing. Two Grey Hill blankets include more intricate designs and are crafted in lighter earthly tones. The wool in these blankets are from the sheep that the Navajo eat. Master silver smithing fashioned magnificent necklaces, bracelets, and belts. On the necklaces they shape the middle piece into crosses, flowers, and feathers. On the bracelets they shape the middle piece into mini crosses, flowers, and feathers. On the belts they used hides off the buffalo and scraped wood across rocks to make latches. Painters painted for ceremonies, their Almighty, and for themselves. They painted people dancing at ceremonies during the birth and the death ceremony.  When a baby was born and died shortly after birth, they drew the mother crying with the baby in her arms. They drew themselves on the floor in their house, but some were really good and add details. They painted extras of the ceremonies to show to their Almighty. They only sent the good ones; only once they sent a child's painting.That child must be gifted to have his or her painting sent.

            Next, the Navajo history includes many legends such as  “How the Cat Got Its Claws," “Why the Snake Has No Legs," “How the Ladybug Got Its Spots," and” How the Cat Got Its Whiskers." “How the Cat Got Its Claws” is about cats having to run away from the dogs every night. One cat jumps from a tree and lands in the right spot; he lands on nails. The next night he shows his paws to the dogs and they all run away.  “Why the Snake Has No Legs” is about a snake walking in the desert and a hawk starts chasing him. He hides under a rock and then calls his friends to come help him. They lift up the rock, and the snake runs into a rabbit’s hole, and the hawk eats his legs. “How the Ladybug Gets Its Spots” is about ladybugs thinking there is only white rain. The next day it rains black rain and it dried on them and made spots. “How the Cat Got Its Whiskers” is about a cat and a tiger. The tiger thinks the cat is a nerd. The cat goes over to visit the tiger at his house. The tiger scratches the cat on both sides of his face and the fur sticks up.

            Lastly, the Navajo religion consisted of their Almighty, the sun, and the afterlife. Most Navajo believed that in the universe, there an Almighty. The Almighty was a spiritual force that is the source of all life. The almighty belief was not pictured as a man in the sky but believed as formless spirit and existed in the universe. The sun was believed as power of the Almighty. They did not worship the sun, but by praying to the Almighty, they also prayed to the sun. The sun was a sign and symbol of the Almighty. The Navajo were less interested in afterlife. They thought the souls of the dead went to another universe, where new existences carried on everyday activities as if they were still alive. They said they were just in a different world.

            As you can see, the Navajo lifestyle consisted of their favorite food, fine arts, legends, and religion. I thought it was disgusting to put sheep meat in a taco. Only once they sent a child’s painting to the Almighty. The Navajo are mysterious tribe.

Works Cited

Dwenger, Diane. Navajo Indians.  IUPUI: April 22, 1998

Eck, Pam.  Navajo Indians.  IUPUI: April 22, 1998.

Iverson, Peter. Navajo Encyclopedia America 2008. Grolier Online. 29 October

            2008. <httpi//ea.grolier.com/cgibinlArticle?  Assetid =0282610=00>

Marcello, Patricia. The Navajo.  San Diego: Lucent Books, INC.2000.

last updated 12/14/08