The Dîné: Origin Myths of the Navaho Indians

by AILEEN O'BRYAN

Bulletin 163 of the Bureau of American Ethnology of the Smithsonian Institution. 1956

 

 

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL

    SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION,
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY,
Washington, D. C., June 27, 1955.

SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a manuscript entitled "The Dîné: Origin Myths of the Navaho Indians," by Aileen O'Bryan, and to recommend that it be published as a bulletin of the Bureau of American Ethnology.

        Very respectfully yours,

M. W. STIRLING, Director.

Dr. LEONARD CARMICHAEL,
        Secretary, Smithsonian Institution.

p. III

CONTENTS

  PAGE
Preface VII
The Creation or Age of Beginning. 1
    The First World 1
    The Second World 4
    The Third World 4
    The Fourth World 10
    The Fifth World 11
The Order of Things, or the Age of Animal Heroes 13
    The First Hogan 13
    The Creation of the Sun and Moon 14
    The Twelve Months of the Year 16
    The Sun's Path 21
        The Sky and the Earth 21
    The Mountains Sacred to the Dîné 23
        Mountain Chants 27
    The Coming of Death and Life 30
        Old Age and Illness 32
    The Plan, or Order of Things 32
The Age of the Gods, or the Story of the Twins 35
    The People of the Stone Houses 35
    The Stick Race 36
    Prayer Sticks 36
    Weaving 37
    The Monsters Appear 39
    When the Coyote Married the Maiden 40
    The Maiden who Became a Bear 44
    The Story of Noqoil pi, the Great Gambler 48
        The First Game, that of the Seven Sticks 56
        The Second Game, that of the Rolling Ring 56
        The Third Game, that of the Stick the Shape of the Rainbow 57
        The Fourth Game, that of Hitting the Ball 58
        The Fifth, the Guessing Game 58
        The Sixth Game, the Kicked Stick 59
        The Seventh, the Game of the Planted Sticks 60
        The Eighth Game, the Foot Race 60
        The Story of the Moccasin Game 63
    The Story of the Coming of the White Bead Woman 71
    The White Bead Maiden's Marriage with the Sun 75
    The Story of the Twin Brothers 77
    The Story of the Twins and the Giant Yeitso 83
    The Story of the Twins and Teel get, the Giant Elk 84
    The Story of the Elder Brother and Tse na'hale, the Giant Birds 87
    The Story of Tse'naga'hai, the Rolling Rock 92
    The Story of Tsadidahalt' a li, the Twelve Antelope 93

p. IV

The Age of the Gods, or the Story of the Twins-Continued PAGE
    The Story of Tse'tahotsilta'li, He-Who-Kicks-People-Off-Cliffs 94
    The Story of Loka'adi kisi, the Slashing Reeds 95
    The Story of the Beautiful, Dangerous Young Woman 96
    The Story of the Last Great Grief, the Swallow People of Mesa Verde 97
    The Story of Tse'yeinti'li, the Rocks that Crush 98
    The Story of Nayie a'anyie, or the Evil Eyes 98
    The Story of the Four Last Ills 99
The Wanderings or Age of the Patriarchs 101
    Introduction: Sandoval's prayer 101
    The Origin of the Dîné 102
        The First Clans of the Dîné 103
        The Making of the Headdress 107
    The Story of the Water Buffalo's Kingdom 109
    The Naming of the Brothers, and Their Departure 109
        The Departure of the First Four Holy Ones 111
        The Departure of the Holy Beings 111
        The Departure of the White Bead Woman 112
    The Story of the Clan Called Tqo yah ha'tline 115
    The Story of the Rain Ceremony and Its Hogan 117
    The Two Who Returned 119
    Two Clans Related to the Clan Tqo yah ha' tline 119
    The Story of the Pictograph of the Coil 119
    The Story of the Mountain Chant and the Fire Dance 121
    The Story of the Flint Knife Boys and the Great Warrior of Aztec 126
        The Journey of the Elder Brother 127
        The Story of the Younger Sister 130
    The Story of the Mountain Top Chant, or the Story of the Maiden and the Bear 131
    The Story of the Summer Dance 138
    The Story of San'hode'di'begaeye, the Beggar's Son 143
    The Story of the Two Maidens and the White Butterfly 157
    The Story of San'hode'di's Medicine 164
    The Story of the Dîné 166
    The Story of the Two Boys and the Coming of the Horses 175
    The Story of the Navaho and the Apache Peoples 181
Literature cited 185

p. V

ILLUSTRATIONS

PLATE

Frontispiece. First Man and First Woman.

TEXT FIGURES

PAGE
1. The Calendar Stone. (The plan of the year.) 16
2. The Coyote's five marks 19
3. Sand Painting of the Earth. (The plan of the earth.) 22
4. The stick used in the Third Game 52
5. The sign the Great Gambler used in the Guessing Game 52
6. The game of the Planted Sticks 53
7. The sticks used in the game of the Rolling Ring 57
8. The Foot Race game 60
9. The chart of the Moccasin Game 63
10. The Sacred Mountain Dzil na'odili, also called Chol'i'i 71
11. The cloud circle on top of the mountain 71
12. The cradle of the White Bead Baby 71
13. The hogan 85
14. The entrance to the Gopher's tunnel 86
15. Hasjelti 106
16. The scalp 110
17. The ceremonial hogan 118
18. The Great Coil 121
19. Artifacts and designs on the Medicine Stick 141
20. Position of maiden's legs 158
21. The Guessing Game 165
22. Where the people crossed the running water, the level land, and the mountains 174
23. The Bear's mark 174

p. VII

Navajo texts | Preface