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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]

scanned at sacred-texts.com, February, 2001. J. B. Hare, redactor. This text is in the public domain because it is a US Government publication. These files may be used for any non-commercial purpose, provided this notice of attribution is left intact.

p. I

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


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