NAVAJO CEREMONY

LUCI IS A POET AND PROFESSIONAL OF THE NAVAJO. SHE IS BORN IN SHIPROCK, NEW MEXICO.
MY COMMUNITY HAS BEEN A MAJOR INFLUENCE. SHE SPEAKS ABOUT THE MEANING OF HER CEREMONY AND THEIR FAMILY CONCERNS. LUCI SAYS THE HOLY PEOPLE GAVE GREAT POWER IN THE LIVES OF HER RELATIVES. IN THE ORIGIN STORY IN THE 'NIGHTWAY CEREMONY TALKING" GOD ASKED RED GOD 'DO YOU KNOW WHO THESE RED PEOPLE ARE?" GOD SAID NO.TALKING GOD SAID THE PEOPLE WERE THEIR KIN.THEIR IS AN ANCIENT CONNECTION, THIS IS ALIVE WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT. CEREMONY PLAYS A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE LIVES OF MANY PEOPLE.

THE HOPI PRESENT THEIR CHILDREN TO TAWA, THE SUN AND PLACE A SMALL AMOUNT OF CORNMEAL INTO THEIR BABIES MOUTHS, AND SAY " THIS IS WHAT WE EAT.?"

MANY NAVAJO PEOPLE INTRODUCE THEIR CHILDREN TO A LARGER COMMUNITY, AND ANIMALS, PLANTS, AND SPECIAL PLACES OF THEIR REGION. SOME WALK WITH THEIR CHILDREN AT NIGHT AND TELL THEM THEIR RELATIVES LIVE AMONG THE MILKY WAY.

EACH STAGE OF LIFE IS CELEBRATED AS IS THE CYCLE OF THE SEASONS. WHEN A NAVAJO BABY LAUGHS ALOUD THEY HOLD A FIRST LAUGHING CEREMONY. IT IS MEANINGFUL BECAUSE HER LAUGHTER SHOWED SHE HAD CONNECTED HER THINKING WITH HER EMOTIONS. IT IS RELATED TO A NAVAJO CONCEPT THAT THINKING IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE BEGINNING OF CREATION, CHILDHOOD AND SUNRISE.

THE CEREMONY IS HELD WITHIN FOUR DAYS OF THE FIRST LAUGH. OTHER GRANDCHILDREN WERE LAUGHING WITH DELIGHT AS THEY KNEW ABOUT THE CEREMONY. THE HOUSE WAS CHEERFUL AND PLANS WERE MADE TO ISSUE INVITATIONS TO OTHER FRIENDS. THIS CEREMONY WAS PERFORMED FOR WHITE SHELL GIRL WHO GREW UP TO BECOME CHANGING WOMEN, WHO WAS A DIETY WHO CREATED THE ANCESTORS OF THE PRESENT DAY DINE.

DURING THE MID 1990'S THE NAVAJO ECONOMY CHANGED FROM THEIR TRADITIONAL LIFESTYLE TO A WAGE ECONOMY THAT FORCED PEOPLE TO SEEK EMPLOYMENT AWAY FROM THE RESERVATION.

EACH TIME THEIR RITUALS ARE PERFORMED, SPECIFIC STORIES, AND SONGS AND PRAYERS ACCOMPANY THEM. THE FIRST LAUGH STORY IS A COMING OF AGE STORY FOR GIRLS - AND PART OF THE BEAUTY WAY CEREMONY.

THE FIRST LAUGH CEREMONY INCLUDES NATURAL ROCK, SALT, AND TSAD, A CEREMONIAL BASKET USED IN THE RITUAL. THE MAIN EVENT IS WHEN THE BABY GIVES GIFTS TO EVERYONE.
A LINE FORMS BEFORE THE BABY AND PARENTS DISTRIBUTESALT AND GIFTSTO EACH PERSON. ORIGINALLY OLD SALT WOMEN MADE WHITE SHELL GIRL LAUGH, AND SHE WAS A SPONSOR.

SHEEP ARE IMPORTANT SYMBOLS TO THE NAVAJO AND ARE PART OF ALL EVENTS INCLUDING THE FIRST LAUGH DINNER. THE CHILDREN MAKE GIFT BUNDLES AND TREATS FASTENED WITH RIBBON. ACOMA CUSTOMS HAVE INFLUENCED THE NAVAJO HERE.

THE MEN BRING HOME BAGS OF GIFTS AND FRUITS. THEY ARRANGE WOOL BLANKETS. FOR THE CEREMONY.

ORIGIN OF CEREMONY

THIS CEREMONY IS TRACED BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF TIME. HANE MEANS STORIES AND INCLUDES A SENSE OF HISTORY. PEOPLE PAY ATTENTION TO EACH OTHER.THUS CHILDREN UNDERSTAND EVENTS FROM CENTURIES AGO ARE IMPORTANT FOR THEIR OWN DAILY LIVES. TODAY THE DINE ARE AWAY FROM SIGHT OF THE SACRED MOUNTAINS AND THEIR HOMES. THEY PRAY AT DAWN. THEY ARE GRATEFUL TO BE DINE PEOPLE. THIS STORY GOES ON AND ON. IT RESOLVES THAT WE CARE FOR EACH OTHER AND WE RESPECT AND CONTINUE TO ADHERE TO THE HOLY PEOPLE'S TEACHINGS.

AFTER SLEEPING THE CHILDREN ARE GIVEN CORN POLLEN FOR PRAYERS. THE PARENT'S OF THE HOUSE WERE GRATEFUL FOR THE HOLY PEOPLE AND CHANGING WOMEN'S QUALITIES THAT THEY INSTILL. THEY WERE HAPPY FOR THEIR FUTURE.


LUCI TAPAHONSO











LUCI TAPAHONSO