Table of Contents
Navajo Traditional Teachings gives an elders’ warning, not a story of origins. The speaker recalls ceremony breaks where older relatives passed on what they had heard as children. A time would come when hair was cut, the language slipped, and the old manner of life was ignored. He lingers on a word from those lessons for taking instruction to heart, and on a child set to watch sheep. Caring for the animals, he says, trained a person to think about his own life. In the translation he offers, the prophecy names ignorance as the danger ahead. Refusing to learn, then failing when trouble comes. There is no excuse, he repeats. People can learn what the holy people asked, can see the harm in envy, greed, hatred, and killing, can learn clan history, and can refuse liars who sound sure of themselves. The last charge is for parents. Once there are children, not knowing that duty is not permitted. The title calls this a prophecy already unfolding. The talk itself is about responsibility.
Key points
- Elders foretold cut hair, a fading language, and neglected customary practice.
- A childhood job minding sheep is his picture of learning to think for oneself.
- He translates the prophecy as a warning that ignorance is the greatest danger.
- Refusing to learn is described as a choice, not as a lack of opportunity.
- Envy, greed, hatred, killing, and liars who sound convincing are dangers he says no one may ignore.
- Parents, in the last lesson he recalls, have no excuse for neglecting the family in their care.
Short quotes
there will become a time when you will cut your hair
Navajo Traditional Teachings, Ignorance as the prophesied danger
The elders’ forecast begins with people giving up the old way of wearing hair. Watch at 1:23
the greatest danger they tell us is something like ignorance
Navajo Traditional Teachings, Ignorance as the prophesied danger
He sums the prophecy up as a warning against not knowing. Watch at 6:02
you do not need to be ignorant about the responsibility of being a father or a mother
Navajo Traditional Teachings, Ignorance as the prophesied danger
The closing lesson he remembers is the duty of parents. Watch at 9:03
Video by Navajo Traditional Teachings. Watch on YouTube.