Traditional Navajo teachings describe the Anasazi as people who worshipped the darkness.
When the Navajo first arrived, they found the Pueblo people and another group called the cliff dwellers.
The cliff dwellers hold special significance because they became part of the Navajo.
The cliff dwellers eventually became the Navajo and developed their own clans.
The Anasazi differed greatly from the Navajo people.
Other pottery depicts slaves mocking the holy people of the Navajo and asserting that they were more intelligent and should serve as gods.
The Navajo call it “Chaco.” It is considered a very evil place after the destruction of the people who practiced slavery and other actions described in the stories.
My uncle(Navajo) use to tell a story of the great gambler who came from the south(Mexico) and took over Chaco.
When the Navajos(Dine’) came across Chaco, they notice them practicing dark magic and had enslaved the pueblos.
The Navajos raided them and freed the slaves(Pueblos) who went on to create other villages within New Mexico and Arizona.
Some of the slaves married into the Navajo tribes.
Post is based on this video from Navajo Historian, Wally Brown and other sources.
Navajo Traditional Teachings (link)
Navajo myth (Native American, Southwest US): Insect people emerge from underground realms, evolving physically and morally as they ascend through worlds.
It appears at lower rates in the Sioux (15%), Nuu-Chah-Nulth (11–13%), Navajo (7%), and Yakama (5%).
Navajo (Four Corners area):The first world, where Navajos originated, was inhabited by Insect People of twelve types.
Within traditional Navajo teachings, discussions on witchcraft or the "Black Arts" are rare.
Navajo people are taught to pray for the protection of their body, mind, heart, and spirit, as all aspects of one’s being require safeguarding.
In Navajo teachings, there is a phrase that emphasizes the importance of timely action: "Do not take your time." This principle encourages individuals not to delay tasks but to accomplish what is necessary in the moment, ensuring future actions can proceed unimpeded.
Time, as taught in Navajo culture, is a resource that cannot be saved or stored.
In Navajo tradition, life progresses through distinct stages, each with responsibilities appropriate to that stage.
Movement, both literal and metaphorical, is an important concept in Navajo teachings.
The concept of "The Beauty Way Path" in Navajo culture highlights the importance of continual forward movement.
Navajo teachings emphasize that taking advantage of present opportunities prepares individuals for future opportunities.
A central teaching in Navajo tradition is the act of listening.
When caring for sheep, Navajo people learn to use all senses—sight, smell, touch, taste, and hearing—to detect potential threats and ensure safety.
The Navajo teaching emphasizes using intelligence to its fullest extent.
In Navajo tradition, remaining constantly aware of one’s surroundings and responsibilities is encouraged.
The video discusses the importance of unity within families, communities, and nations, rooted in traditional Navajo teachings.
The speaker explains that the Diné (Navajo) people’s origin is traditionally understood to come from the East, countering more recent teachings suggesting a northern origin.
Navajo history also speaks of an ancient division that separated males and females by a wide river.
This area is known in traditional Navajo teachings as the setting of some of the earliest Diné stories.
Navajo teachings emphasize that true progress cannot occur if there is division within a group.
Unity is central to the concept of the Beauty Way, a traditional Navajo prayer and path that seeks harmony in all directions: before, behind, above, below, and around.
Navajo ceremonial songs, prayers, and practices reiterate the importance of avoiding division and conflict.
In Navajo teachings, the Hero Twins, or the "two boys," journey to their father to acquire weapons needed to eliminate evil from the world.
The teachings mention specific mountains within Navajo territory.
Navajo teachings stress that work is essential to life, symbolizing movement and growth.
Despite challenges in some parts of the Navajo reservation where employment may be limited, families pass down skills to promote self-reliance.
Navajo wisdom encourages earning both essentials and luxuries through work.
The speaker discusses sacred teachings within Navajo tradition, focusing on human growth across different planes of existence.
In Navajo tradition, existence begins in the First World, known as the dark, initial realm where awareness and life originated.
The Hogan, a traditional Navajo dwelling, embodies the principles of continual growth.
Continual growth is integral to Navajo belief, emphasizing progress in awareness, intellect, and spirituality across all stages of existence.
A speaker shares the teachings passed down by Navajo elders regarding personal responsibilities, character development, and the spiritual journey.
When introducing oneself, sharing clan information helps establish familial connections, which the Navajo value deeply.
This practice fosters a sense of unity within the Navajo Nation, where everyone can see themselves as part of a larger family.
The Navajo teaching emphasizes regular prayer to honor the “holy people.” Daily prayers, especially in the morning before sunrise, express appreciation for the gifts of air, water, land, and loved ones.
According to Navajo beliefs, when one transitions to the next life, only character accompanies them.
The speaker shares insights on how traditional teachings of the Navajo people are closely tied to their language, which is considered sacred and was given by the holy people.
The speaker reflects on the warnings from elders about a future when the Navajo language may be forgotten.
In Navajo culture, virtues such as courage, confidence, joy, happiness, tolerance, loyalty, and integrity hold great significance.
These actions reflect the teachings of Navajo elders, who believed that unnecessary complications in life should be avoided to maintain a life of meaning.
He notes that while not everyone may agree with his interpretations, the responsibility to carry on these teachings belongs to the Navajo people.
The video presents Navajo teachings about the Anasazi, known as "Anaza" by the Navajo people.
According to Navajo teachings, there are three time periods associated with the Anaza:
During their time among the Navajo people
This time was marked by significant cultural differences between the Anaza and the Navajo.
The Navajo teachings describe distinct differences in worship and worldview between the Navajo and the Anaza.
The Anaza reportedly worshipped darkness and mocked the deities respected by the Navajo, who valued their connection with sacred beings.
The Navajo people maintained a separate identity, with the Anaza referring to them mockingly.
The Navajo responded by continuing their traditions and resisting the Anaza’s influence.
Traditional stories recount that the Anaza’s downfall resulted from their defiance of the sacred Navajo deities.
They claimed superiority over the Navajo gods, which, according to legend, led to their eventual destruction through natural disasters and internal conflict.
The Anaza were known for controversial practices such as cannibalism and child sacrifices, which were in stark contrast to the Navajo’s peaceful and respectful ways of life.
Some Navajo clans later adopted certain practices from the Anaza, including slavery, which led to divisions within the Navajo community.
Families that chose to adopt these practices often moved away from the main Navajo society.
Despite their differences, the Navajo people traded with the Anaza for various goods.
This trade extended to agricultural knowledge, with the Navajo exchanging seeds and agricultural techniques with the Pueblo peoples and the Anaza.
The teachings about the Anaza emphasize the importance of understanding the past and respecting traditional Navajo beliefs.
The video encourages viewers to consider the history and values of the Navajo and to reflect on the cultural impacts of different groups within the region.
In this video, a Navajo elder shares a teaching passed down by his family on the importance of returning to one's birthplace.
In traditional Navajo teachings, sacred places are considered essential.
Navajo teachings advocate for keeping life sacred, including relationships and commitments within the family.
The speaker discusses the origins of the Navajo people, explaining that all Navajo holy figures, or “holy people,” were beings of peace.
According to traditional teachings, the Navajo people arrived on Earth from a place of peace, and upon returning to the holy people after life, they are expected to embody peace.
The Navajo people traditionally count generations in cycles of twelve years, which dates their history to approximately 19 generations ago when they first arrived in the area.
In contrast, the Navajo people, referred to as “Diné,” maintained a peaceful existence.
Their supreme being, or the "Speaker of Peace," embodies the principal force of peace among the Navajo.
As they believe, to live in harmony with the holy people, the Navajo must lead peaceful lives, promoting peace in thought, heart, and action.
The speaker describes sacred markings on the hands, feet, and head that symbolize the peace bestowed upon the Navajo by the holy people.
These markings signify that the Navajo should never use their hands or feet to harm family members, including children, spouses, or relatives.
Throughout history, the peaceful approach of the Navajo influenced surrounding groups in the Southwest.
Many groups, including the cliff-dwellers, were impacted by Navajo teachings and became peaceful.
The Navajo oral history records that the Diné first encountered Spanish explorers around 1520–1530 near the Rio Grande, in present-day Texas.
Initially, the Navajo observed the Spaniards from a distance, hearing about their slave-taking and violent actions against other groups with whom the Diné had peaceful relations.
In response, some refugees fled northward, where they were taken in by the Navajo.
The refugees integrated into Navajo society, creating new clan affiliations, including the Zuni Clan.
To discourage the Spanish settlers, the Navajo engaged in non-violent raids on livestock and temporary captures of women and children, hoping these actions would prompt the settlers to leave.
This term was later adapted by the Spanish, leading to the term “Navajo.”
Over time, captured Spanish settlers were adopted into Navajo society rather than enslaved.
They married into Navajo clans, leading to the establishment of a “Spaniard Clan.” This clan became fully integrated into the peaceful society of the Diné.
The Navajo teachings emphasize the importance of maintaining peace throughout one’s life.
This path of peace remains central to Navajo cultural values, ensuring continuity and harmony with their origins and teachings.
The speaker introduces a word from traditional Navajo teachings that is often misunderstood.
It conveys the idea of "it can be done" or "it will happen." This term embodies confidence in achieving goals, which is central to Navajo values.
This difference illustrates the balanced approach to confidence in Navajo culture.
In Navajo teachings, the phrase "it can be done" is used as an affirmation of support from the Holy People.
The speaker discusses the concept of family in traditional Navajo teachings.
The Navajo term for family, K’é, encompasses more than just the immediate family of parents and siblings, extending to grandparents, clan members, and distant relatives.
The formation of the Navajo clans began with four original clan groups:
These clans represent various geographical areas and natural features from which the ancestors of the Navajo people came.
Throughout history, the Navajo people encountered other groups, including those from the far north and the Spaniards.
Many captives taken during conflicts with the Spanish were integrated into the Navajo society and given a unique clan designation.
This process added diversity to the Navajo clan system, allowing those with mixed heritage to be fully recognized within the community.
In Navajo culture, children undergo coming-of-age ceremonies around the ages of 11 or 12.
Navajo teachings emphasize that both mothers and fathers have unique roles in supporting their family.
This connection, compared to an umbilical cord, serves as a spiritual link to the holy people, who are integral to Navajo life.
She rose each morning to pray for their safety, and they returned home unharmed, underscoring the importance of prayer in Navajo culture.
The speaker shares Navajo (Diné) perspectives on wealth, money, and the impact of European contact on their cultural values and practices.
Historically, the Navajo people did not place high value on money; instead, they valued jewelry, which represented wealth and personal accomplishment.
With the arrival of Europeans in 1492, and later the Spaniards in 1520, Navajo people were introduced to new materials and ideas, including metal currency.
Previously, the Navajo used trade systems involving herbs, plants, foods, stones, animal skins, and furs.
Navajo ceremonial songs and prayers reference metals as armor, with each type representing different aspects of the world.
For over 300 years, the Navajo experienced conflict with the Spanish, which often involved raids on settlements and taking captives.
Navajo captives were usually adopted into Navajo clans, while Spanish captives were frequently forced into slavery.
The Spanish also compelled the Navajo to work in mines, a practice that went against Navajo beliefs about respecting the earth.
Through extended contact with the Spanish, the Navajo people adopted the Spanish language and concepts of currency.
The Navajo term for money, "béeso," derives from Spanish, reflecting the introduction of metal coins and structured currency.
The Navajo incorporated livestock, particularly sheep and horses, into their economy.
government policies led to the destruction of Navajo livestock herds, severely impacting their economy and cultural practices related to animal husbandry.
Under federal control, Navajo lands and resources are held in trust by the U.S.
This system restricts Navajo ownership, limiting opportunities for building wealth independently.
Misconceptions persist about Navajo financial independence; however, resources like land, water, and minerals are controlled federally, hindering local economic growth.
Jewelry remains a powerful symbol within Navajo culture, linking individuals to spiritual teachings.
Wearing turquoise, silver, and other sacred metals serves as a reminder of Navajo history and cosmology.
Each piece represents different stages of existence and a connection to the sacred worlds of the Navajo belief system.
The Navajo concept of wealth extends beyond money to embody a spiritual, cultural, and economic legacy.
Jewelry and livestock signify Navajo heritage, resilience, and respect for traditions, while economic understanding remains a challenge within the framework of government regulations.
The teachings emphasize the importance of understanding and valuing Navajo wealth in both spiritual and material aspects of life.
In Navajo teachings, one prophecy warns that people will eventually lose the ability to plan, leading them to simply follow others.
The Navajo tradition recognizes four sacred directions, each associated with a specific aspect of life:
This discussion focuses on planning, linked to the southern direction, as a key aspect of Navajo leadership and personal responsibility.
In Navajo culture, true leaders are known as "Na'aná," a term often misunderstood.
Navajo teachings highlight the duty to plan for the wellbeing of future generations, including children and grandchildren.
The teachings emphasize that living without planning leads to ignorance, a condition foretold in Navajo prophecy.
A daily practice in Navajo tradition involves offering prayers with corn pollen or cornmeal each morning.
Navajo teachings advise against publicizing plans to avoid attracting unwanted attention from those who may seek to disrupt them.
Navajo teachings advise keeping personal plans close.
Navajo elders warn that if individuals do not take responsibility for their own lives, they may be influenced by those with harmful intentions.
Growth is a continuous process that originates from the earliest stages of existence, progressing through different realms or "worlds" in traditional Navajo teachings: the First World, the Second World, and the current Third World.
According to Navajo tradition, growth began in the First World, known as the "Dark World," and progressed through subsequent worlds.
The Navajo people follow specific practices that reinforce the idea of continual growth.
These are traditional Navajo teachings that are meant to help individuals understand who they are and act according to that understanding.
The traditional teachings of the Navajo, conveyed by elders, begin with understanding oneself as a "five-fingered being"—a person who has come to the physical world from a spiritual existence.
When a person states their clan lineage, they confirm their identity as a man or woman within the Navajo tradition.
Kinship and family are central in Navajo teachings, particularly in understanding clan heritage.
A fundamental part of Navajo identity is recognizing oneself as a descendant of the Holy People.
Navajo language, taught as sacred, is to be used peacefully, reflecting the Holy People’s values of peace rather than conflict.
Navajo teachings are not about following a specific belief system but about self-knowledge and living according to traditional values.
Navajo (Diné) Mythology: Spider Woman, or Spider Grandmother, is a key figure who taught the people how to weave and is associated with creation and wisdom.
Spider Woman (Navajo and Hopi): Sixth Dimension.
Spider Woman (Navajo, Hopi): Embodies the archetypal patterns and serves as a creator and teacher in the Sixth Dimension.
The cliff dwellers eventually became the Navajo and had clans of their own.
When the Navajo teach about these things, they emphasize the distinction between the Anasazi and other groups.
The Navajo tell stories about how the Anasazi used slave labor, how those huge logs were transported from over 150 miles away, and how they constructed those walls.
Pottery shows some slaves mocking the holy people of the Navajo, claiming they were more intelligent and should be their gods.
The Navajo say that the Holy People caused a big wind to destroy the crops and drive away the Anasazi's slaves.
The Navajo say the Holy People caused the rocks to cave in on some structures, destroying the Anasazi dwellings.
In Navajo culture, the bat is seen as a shy, intelligent creature.
Meanwhile, the Navajo speak of the Ye’iitsoh, a giant who was slain by the hero twins.