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Fascinating Descriptions Of Native American Ceremonies. ... Read more

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This collection represents a segment of the lives of the Navajo and Pueblo people of the American Southwest--two diverse groups who are an important part of American culture today. Each year thousands of visitors from all over the world attend their various ceremonial dances and events and many arrive with a knowledge and understanding of these happenings. For others, these are totally new experiences and a door is opened to unfamiliar ways of life, customs, traditions, and beliefs that have existed for hundreds and sometimes thousands of years, long before this country was called America. The American-Indian Quarterly said that 'this text promotes the same kind of browsing magazines invite. Come to these gatherings and stroll, it seems to imply on page after page, at your leisure learn to appreciate how feasting and singing merge with dancing and storytelling.' ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Life on the Reservation
I enjoyed both the art work and the text in this short but well-written book.It certainly gives an outsiderreal information aboutthe lives of Indians living on the reservation today. MS Hotvedt is able to convey inher block prints something of what the dances and traditions must mean tothese people.I highly recommend this book to anyone interested incontemporary Indian life.

WONDERFUL WOODCUTS!
These wonderful woodcuts and related text take the reader into a world vastly different from mainstream culture.The images are taken from Kris Hotvedt's own experiences as she partakes in Pueblo and Navajo life. Owning several of the actual color woodcuts depicted in the book has givenour family great pleasure.We especially love "The Coming of theRivermen" (Cochiti Pueblo), a tradition not observed in any other NewMexico pueblo.This book is a highly recommended look at Pueblo and Navajotraditons as they are still practiced today.

A Peek at Pueblo and Navajo Life
A wonderful little book featuring original woodcuts, by the author, along with informative text explaining each illustration.

One greatly appealing aspect of this book is its simplistic depiction of Pueblo and Navajo life. It is an ideal learning tool for adults and children alike. ... Read more

Product Description
uring my visit to the Southwest, in the summer of 1885, it was my good fortune to arrive at the Navajo Reservation a few days before the commencement of a Navajo healing ceremonial. Learning of the preparation for this, I decided to remain and observe the ceremony, which was to continue nine days and nights. The occasion drew to the place some 1,200 Navajos. The scene of the assemblage was an extensive plateau near the margin of Keam's Canyon, Arizona.

A variety of singular and interesting occurrences attended this great event--mythologic rites, gambling, horse and foot racing, general merriment, and curing the sick, the latter being the prime cause of the gathering. A man of distinction in the tribe was threatened with loss of vision from inflammation of the eyes, having looked upon certain masks with an irreligious heart. He was rich and had many wealthy relations, hence the elaborateness of the ceremony of healing. A celebrated theurgist was solicited to officiate, but much anxiety was felt when it was learned that his wife was pregnant. A superstition prevails among the Navajo that a man must not look upon a sand painting when his wife is in a state of gestation, as it would result in the loss of the life of the child. This medicine man, however, came, feeling that he possessed ample power within himself to avert such calamity by administering to the child immediately after its birth a mixture in water of all the sands used in the painting. As I have given but little time to the study of Navajo mythology, I can but briefly mention such events as I witnessed, and record the myths only so far as I was able to collect them hastily. I will first describe the ceremony of Yebitchai and give then the myths (some complete and others incomplete) explanatory of the gods and genii figuring in the Hasjelti Dailjis (dance of Hasjelti) and in the nine days' ceremonial, and then others independent of these. The ceremony is familiarly called among the tribe, "Yebitchai," the word meaning the giant's uncle. The name was originally given to the ceremonial to awe the children who, on the eighth day of the ceremony, are initiated into some of its mysteries and then for the first time are informed that the characters appearing in the ceremony are not real gods, but only their representatives. There is good reason for believing that their ideas in regard to the sand paintings were obtained from the Pueblo tribes, who in the past had elaborated sand paintings and whose work at present in connection with most of their medicine ceremonies is of no mean order. The Mission Indians of southern California also regard sand paintings as among the important features in their medicine practices. While the figures of the mythical beings represented by the Navajo are no doubt of their own conception, yet I discovered that all their medicine tubes and offerings were similar to those in use by the Zuni. Their presence among the Navajo can be readily explained by the well known fact that it was the custom among Indians of different tribes to barter and exchange medicine songs, ceremonies, and the paraphernalia accompanying them. The Zuni and Tusayan claim that the Navajo obtained the secrets of the Pueblo medicine by intruding upon their ceremonials or capturing a pueblo, and that they appropriated whatever suited their fancy.


Download Ceremonial Of Hasjelti Dailjis And Mythical Sand Painting Of The Navajo Indians Now! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Native American
This was one of the most beautiful & interesting books I've ever read. The pictures are breathtaking. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves history.

Magnificent!
The pictures will take your breath away. Absolutely magnificent. The photographer has managed to capture the beauty and sacredness of his land. What a gift!

Very nice book, well worth owning, wish it shipped faster & was HBK
I saw this book mentioned on NBC Nightly News and decided to get a copy as a gift for my brother, just about all I can find to complain about is the long shipping time and the fact that it only comes as a paperback, not hardback.
Both in Mr. Hillerman's forward and in the photographer's own text you get some Navajo history and philosophy about how/why things happened and their beliefs. Apparently the ancestral Navajos considered four mountains to be the boundaries of their territory, much of that land is still inside present day reservation borders.
The book is divided into four sections, by mountain and north,south,east and west. Each section of the land is represented by some very nice photography, some of it similar to what you might have seen before but more often unfamiliar scenery. It's well worth owning.

I knew there was magic and this book proves it....
What beautiful pictures ...waves of emotions rippled thru my soul as I turned these timeless pages.Truly a gift to those fortunate enough to find this book in their hands.The history was as incredible as the Sunrise of course! ... Read more

Product Description
Discusses the establishment of the Marine Corps unit made up of Navajo Indians who served as radio operators, using their own language as a secret code, during World War II. ... Read more

Product Description
One hundred documents written by Diné men, women, and children speaking for themselves and on behalf of their communities are collected in this book. Discovered during Iverson’s research for Diné: A History of the Navajos, these letters, speeches, and petitions, almost all previously unpublished, provide a uniquely moving portrait of the Diné during an era in which they were fighting to defend their lands and to build the Navajo Nation.

Six crucial, overlapping subjects are addressed here: land, community, education, rights, government, and identity. Brief introductions to each chapter and each document provide the necessary context, and historic photographs selected by Monty Roessel (Navajo), an outstanding photographer, supplement the words of the people.

Most of the vast literature about American Indians emphasizes the actions and words of non-Indians. Indians become the victims, the people to whom things happen. This volume furnishes a different view of the native past. It shows Navajos making their own history. It demonstrates how the Diné worked to keep their lands, develop their economy, build their communities, educate their young people, affirm their rights, govern themselves, and maintain their heritage while forging a brighter future.

Included are the words of such prominent leaders as Chee Dodge, Jacob Morgan, Tom Dodge, Annie Wauneka, Sam Ahkeah, and Paul Jones, and less widely known but significant spokespersons like Howard Gorman, Scott Preston, Roger Davis, and Lilly Neill. It also presents the words of students at boarding schools, soldiers fighting in World War II, and members of the Native American Church speaking out for religious freedom. This book celebrates the resilience of the Diné and salutes their resolve. It honors the men, women, and children who built the Navajo Nation.

Monty Roessel (Navajo), Executive Director of the Rough Rock Community School, has written and provided photographs for award-winning books for young people. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

No starts
Ordered on March 19, 2009.Haven't received yet.Asked for dispositon, and have not received information re: my order from seller.Asked for a refund and haven't received that either. ... Read more

Product Description
A classic of ethnology, reproducing in full color 35 sandpaintings from this important Navajo healing ceremony and analyzing their composition and artistic devices. The rites are described and explained and the symbolism and myth they express thoroughly explored.
... Read more

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Carmean's book focuses on traditional cultural properties and cultural resource management among native people in the United States. Describing her work with the Navajo Nation, she examines the specific geographical locations and landforms that contain significant cultural and/or religious meaning to the Navajo people. She outlines how the cultural value of the sacred geography can be in direct opposition to the need to modernize, including building roads, power lines, housing, and a variety of natural resource extraction activities that can earn much-needed money for the tribe. The book describes the legal process through which traditional cultural properties are managed during federal undertakings. Carmean outlines the dilemma of _sustainability_ common to many traditional societies as well as to the Navajo Nation, as they undergo the tremendous cultural changes that accompany industrialization and seek a balance between continuity and change. It is written as an accessible text for undergraduates, and for an interested general public. ... Read more

Product Description

Encompassing sections of Arizona, New Mexico, and southern Utah, the Navajo Nation is the largest American Indian reservation in the United States and home to numerous sites of historical interest and breathtaking natural beauty.

A thoughtful source of travel plans and cultural advice, The Navajo Nation: A Visitor's Guide promises visitors a rich experience of the people and places of Navajoland.

Customer Reviews (2)

A useful collection of information about the Navajo Nation
At outset it's important to recognize that this is not a tourist's guide in the traditional sense.The maps are sketchy and there are no detailed suggested itineraries. It is essential to obtain an excellent map of any areas of interest so that you can find your way to your destinations and back home again.

That said, there are real treasures here, describing in clear and detailed language many of the aspects of Navajo culture. The official Navajo website invites the visitor to explore the Nation:

"The Navajo Nation extends into the states of Utah, Arizona and New Mexico, covering over 27,000 square miles of unparalleled beauty. The Navajo Reservation is home to more than a dozen national monuments, tribal parks and historical sites, and is peppered with a dozenlakes and ponds - Lake Powell alone has 186 miles of Navajoland shoreline.

"Here, you can step back in time and see how the ancient ones - the Anasazi people - lived thousands of years ago. The Navajo Nation has an array of ancient ruins, including the world renowned Navajo National Monument and the tranquil Chaco Culture National Historical Park. From the towering formations of Monument Valley to the majestic red sandstone walls and lush green valley floor of Canyon de Chelly, this is a land of great contrasts. We invite you to Discover Navajo."

The official site describes the Nation from the perspective of Native Americans; Patrick Lavin does so from the perspective of a visitor from a different culture. His Irish gift of language makes his descriptions even more interesting. For example, he provides a glossary of words and phrases and a bit of advice: '"Navajo speakers will appreciate your interest, chuckle at your efforts, and then will go out of their way to help you pronounce the words."

My advice: read the book, visit the official website [link in the first Comment], print out the official Guide, get a detailed map of any areas of personal interest, and learn about a fascinating culture.

Robert C. Ross 2009

This hit the spot!!!
I was looking for more than just listings of restaurants, accomodations, etc, and this book is IT!! Yes, it has listings, but so much more--history of Navajoland, beliefs of the Navajo people, visitor etiquette, safety information, Navajo language translations, and much, much more. Timelines, appendices, glossary, references, and index complete this excellent work, not to mention a good number of full-color scenic photographs. I highly recommend this book for multi-faceted information about "Navajoland" and its people. ... Read more

Product Description
Essays by noted archaeologists and historians that help give some insight into the Anasazi inhabitants and their way of life, along with useful information on the recurring patterns and motifs in the rock art, and photographs and descriptions of basketry, textiles, hides, wooden and bone implements, wild plant and animal foods from the cliff dwellings. ... Read more

Product Description
The controversial native American leader describes his role in Navajo tribal government, his election as tribal chairman, and the actions that led to his conviction for bribery, ethics violations, and conspiracy, crimes for which, he claims, he was framed. 15,000 first printing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Simply an outstanding & gritty book!!
This book methodically moves through Peter MacDonald's political life, but offers a biting criticism of the hypocritical nature of American politics.How can it be, MacDonald ask, that congressional people can do what I did,and NOT be held accountable for their actions?This compelling question isoften repeated throughout the book & does deserve serious treatment byIndian and nonIndian scholars alike.MacDonald also eludes of "twostandards of justice" for American politicians, an undisputed standardthat is clearly separated by color!This book is essential reading forthose interested in the rise and fall of a modern-day Indian leader and thecompromises he has made to maintain his political life.

Free Peter MacDonald!
Great comprehensive look into the making of a Navajo leader.From Peter MacDonald's birth to his incarceration he wanted only to serve his people.The book is also a great historical look at the dynamics of Navajo tribal government and politics.He was truly a leader of his people who had the vision and the foresight to take on the "great" United States.Even 500 years plus, the U.S. is still taking down Indian leaders today!Write U.S. President Clinton for Peter MacDonald's release from federal prison today ... Read more