After organizing Mother Earth, the Holy People allowed their children to use this language. However, the children began to misuse it, moving parts of Mother Earth, causing damage and creating mountains for fun. Observing this misuse, the Holy People decided to take the language away.
Navajo Traditional Teachings
The promise was made to the Holy People that they would pray. Your personal prayer is unique to you, and how you pray to the Holy People is very personal. Many people don’t know how to pray or feel they need to know how to pray traditionally. In our tradition, we use corn pollen. I’ve carried a corn pollen pouch for about 25 to 30 years.
In our traditional teachings, one thing we always encourage is prayer. Prayer has a long history, and it starts with language. The words we use as Diné, or surface people, are important. The story begins with the Holy People using a sacred language to organize everything in the heavens and on Mother Earth. The word applied to this organization is significant. In our language, we don’t have a word for “create” because you cannot create something from nothing.
When the Holy People organized everything, they used words and phrases that all things would respond to. This sacred language held great power.
After organizing Mother Earth, the Holy People allowed their children to use this language. However, the children began to misuse it, moving parts of Mother Earth, causing damage and creating mountains for fun. Observing this misuse, the Holy People decided to take the language away.
However, a group of children, recognizing themselves as Diné, sought permission from the Holy People to keep the language. After several refusals, they promised not to abuse or misuse the language and to use it only for sacred purposes and raising families. On the fourth attempt, the Holy People agreed to let them keep the language, provided it was used only in sacred ways.
The way to communicate with the Holy People hereafter was through prayer. “T’áá hwó’ ajít’éego” is a word we use often. It’s important and sacred. Unfortunately, some misuse it, thinking it means “give me permission to speak,” but its first use is when a child begins to speak. It’s also used in prayers over food and on special occasions to speak to the Holy People.
Your personal prayer to the Holy People is your communication with them. You address them, recognize them, and express your desires and gratitude. When driving or seeing something beautiful, you can express gratitude to the Holy People for their creations.
In ceremonial settings, there are set prayers. The original teaching allowed us to keep the language, and we promised the Holy People we would pray using sacred words. Misusing the word “T’áá hwó’ ajít’éego” is not good. There are other ways to ask permission to speak. Our teachings on this are extensive.
