Ceremonial of Hasjelti Dailjis and Mythical Sand Painting of the Navajo IndiansStevenson, James
Religion
Ceremonial of Hasjelti Dailjis and Mythical Sand Painting of the Navajo Indians
Stevenson, James
Navajo Indians -- Rites and ceremonies
The black cross-bars in the illustration denote pine logs; the white lines
the froth of the water; the yellow, vegetable debris gathered by the logs;
the blue and red lines, sunbeams. The blue spot in center of cross denotes
water. There are four Hostjobokon with their wives the Hostjoboard; each
couple sit upon one of the cross arms of the logs. These gods carry in
their right hands a rattle, and in their left sprigs of piñon; the wives
or goddesses carry piñon sprigs in both hands; the rattle brings male
rains, and the piñon, carried by the women, female rains; these rains meet
upon the earth, conceive and bring forth all vegetation. Their heads are
ornamented with eagle plumes tied on with cotton cord. (Note: In all cases
the round head denotes male and octangular head female.) The gods have
also a bunch of night-owl feathers and eagle plumes on the left side of
the head; both male and female wear turquois earrings and necklaces of the
same. The larynx is represented by the parallel lines across the blue. A
line of sunlight encircles the head of both males and females. The white
spots on the side of the females’ heads represent the ears. The arms of
the goddesses are covered with corn pollen, and long ribbons of fox skins
are attached to the wrists, as shown on painting number one. All wear
beaded moccasins tied on with cotton cord. Their chins are covered with
corn pollen and red sunlight surrounds the body. The skirts only have an
additional line of blue sunlight. Hasjelti is to the east of the painting.
He carries a squirrel skin filled with tobacco. His shirt is white cotton
and very elastic. The leggings are of white deer skin fringed, and the
moccasins are similar to the others. His head is ornamented with an
eagle’s tail, and to the tip of each plume there is a fluffy feather from
the breast of the eagle. A bunch of night-owl feathers is on either side
of the eagle tail where it is attached to the head. The horizontal and
perpendicular lines on the face were referred to in the description of the
first sand painting. The projection on the right of the throat is a fox
skin. Hostjoghon’s headdress is similar to that of Hasjelti’s. Two strips
of beaver skin tipped with six quills of the porcupine are attached to the
right of the throat. The four colored stars on the body are ornaments of
beads. The shirt of this god is invisible; the dark is the dark of the
body. Hostjoghon carries a staff colored black from a charred plant. The
Navajo paint their bodies with the same plant. The top of the staff is
ornamented with a turkey’s tail tied to the staff with white cotton cord;
eagle and turkey plumes are alternately attached to the staff with a cord.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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