El Navajois an educationa

of the desert and Rise ride the Navajo Indians greatest of all they occupy America's largest Indian Reservation 25,000 square miles arid but grandly beautiful country on Horseback and wagons on but always in picturesque costume they this weird land some of them are always on hand to welcome visitors as the train comes into Gallup New Mexico the nation's Indian Capital the Navajo reservation located in New Mexico and Arizona is easily accessible from the city of Gallup is Gateway to this vast primitive land far from being the vanishing American the navajos are on the increase and number upwards of 50,000 they lead a somewhat nomadic life roaming the same mountains and deserts their ancestors knew so well visitors are always welcome seen from your train window are the colorful red Clips typical of the scenery near gallop but let's be on our way into the Navajo reservation Windle Rock is in the heart of the Navajo country it takes its name from The Peculiar rock formation carved by the elements in the side of a high cliff an inspiring natural window seen through this opening are the buildings and grounds of the Navajo Indian agency nearby is St Michael Mission and mon operated by The Franciscan fathers who early won the confidence of the navajos Indian day schools are scattered over the reservation famous is gonado Mission and hospital with its nurses training school for Navajo girls hbl's Trading Post at gonado is the same today as when built in 1873 all these are typical of what the white man has done for the red man but even so the Navajo retains his ancient tribal customs spring and Indian Riders slowly Drive their sheep toward a Carell for the shearing which follows the lamming season desert Maes Echo with the voices of the sheep herders as they sing their riding song this country a pinion Cedar and Sage Brush abounds in grma grass good range Beast sheep are important to the navajos they eat the meat use the hides for clothing or beds the wool for blankets or rugs and the flock itself as a medium of exchange one flock like this may have many part owners children and women usually tend to flocks you will see them on the coldest days loyally watching their sheep sheep corals are made of dried wood when a child is born its parents present it with two or three lambs and thus a new flock is started the Lambs become pets and the child a sheep H her well well look here a hungry youngster after his breakfast he's uh getting it too preparations are underway for the shearing a wool sack is made ready for filling little lumps of wool are tied into corners of the sack to facilitate handling when full the bags weigh 3 to 400 lb as they hang in this simple frame to the Indians their economic bag of gold Indians love brilliant colors as we can see from this brave shirt rushing excitedly from a small pen the Sheep seem to Delight in eluding their captors but once caught they are peaceful victims and seem to enjoy the oran deal of being sheared in early days shearing was done with tin can tops sharpened on Sandstone today modern shears are in use clipping the wool that is the chief economic product of the Navajo tribe shorn of its woolly coat this sheep really looks and feels a little silly oh well back to the range to grow another crop the sheared wool is carefully gathered up none of it is wasted it is then packed in the long sack and is ready to head for Market at sharing time relatives and friends gather around to help with the work they get paid with wool and plenty to eat because the Navajo method of ear marking sheep was confusing they are now branded with black paint at government request while the wool sack is being filled it is stomped down in this manner Co wool specially selected is picked out to women for use in weaving done on the reservation it is placed in a separate sack and now to the cleansing holy plant the fora modern Beauty parlors as a shampoo Moy root is pounded into pul a stone by the women it is used as a soap to wash sheared wool after years of living in a Barren land the Navajo make exhaustive use of M's natural supplies you can see Navajo women are practical minded they bury the so it won't go scooter work yes it's a far cry from this ancient method madame's if necessary the w is washed several times the root soap cuts the grease and dirt from the wool leaving it fluffy and soft it is then spread out in the hot desert sun to dry the cleaned wool is used by the Navajo women to weave the far-famed Navajo blanket or rug it is carded laboriously in the oldfashioned way and then expertly spun on homemade spindles much as grandma Smith used to do it in the early colonial days this part of the work is usually usually done by the older women the squa do everything connected with producing blankets or rugs from tending the flocks to spinning and weaving Grandma cards and Spins the wool making it ready for daughter who will later weave it although the women have found that store Di are easier to handle and much less trouble the native dyes are still often prepared to color the wool used in blankets which have made the Navajo known throughout the world the loom is a crude homemade Affair constructed by binding two crossbars to Two Poles driven into the ground the pattern for any Navajo blanket or rug exists only in the mind of the Weaver she follows no se design and so no two products are exactly the same yes our old silly looking sheep would feel a little better if he could see this beautiful rug into which his wool was going and here is the portrait of a Navajo Weaver come to life with flying fingers the Weaver places the WFT threads through the suspended warp threads and battens them down with a smooth flat stick Navajo girls start learning to weave at 2 years of age under the watchful eye of their mothers of course and uh speaking of eyes notice the young ladies many hours of Labor go into the creating of a Navajo blanket or rug when finished they are brought to some nearby Trading Post and exchanged for food clothing and other necessities often the Weavers work on special orders received from White Traders expressing in this medium the finest development of their artistic instincts there is an ancient Navajo legend that the earliest Weavers learned their art from the Spiderwoman if so they learned extremely well at the slightest provocation navajos will gather to enjoy a feast and here we see Indian Riders bringing in cattle for the hungry family and friends gathered to celebrate an Indian holiday prepare and the women follow through by cutting up them or boiling on an outdor bed of hot cold is ingeniously made from bailing wire but it serves its purpose well and food is is on the way here the navajos are preparing a beef hide for drying in the sun they Peg it onto the ground after stretching it later it may find its way to a trading post for barter or be used for moccasins notice the skill with which this Navajo woman skins this hide off a sheep the hide may be used for a bed or covering at night and has many other yes indeed this skinning takes teamwork this Trading Post on the banks of the Pueblo Colorado Creek is deep in the Navajo reservation trading day for the Indians is a festive occasion when sacks of wool hides finished blankets and Calico or many other necessities visiting reaches a high point at the trading post and bits of news are heard and overheard the bartering goes on with a genial white man who is patient and understanding in dealing with his Indian customers navajos have a rich sense of humor and enjoy a good joke for wise crack and the Traer brightens up proceedings with a few good ones he picked up from the tribal comedian watch this couple as they deal with a man behind the counter and notice those sparkling eyes of the young Navajo woman as she guesss what she wants and today Father Navajo wants a new Bridal for his favorite horse well looks a little loose around the ears but uh I think I'll take it yes sir that looks all right well that's about all for this trip and all done with their trading and visiting and with groceries piled in their wagon this Navajo family leaves for home to continue their ancient ways of living the Navajo shoe problem well that was solved many generations ago let's watch a pair of 11 Double A's made to measure shall we before working a c hiide into new moccasins it is buried in damp Earth to soften the hide is then pounded on a stone to facilitate handling new moccasins last the wearer about a year with ordinary use that little extra care now means comfortable feet for a long time ahead after measuring the foot the leather is selected cwh hide is used for the soul buck skin for the uppers Navajo men are the marus and makers the pattern is cut with a practiced eye a common jack knife and an all are the only tools used by the moccasin maker the all is sharpened on Sandstone senu of sheep or goat is used for sewing and usually outlasts the rest of the moccasin no you may not have your choice of a dozen Styles but you'll have a snug and a comfortable fit well here's a novel and a practical method to soften up a moccasin in the making yeah it's tasty too and even Junior gets fitted for Footwear the Navajo attitude toward corn planting is one of veneration the corn field is a holy place just like the home the novaj whole word for corn means that which you eat the men use the digging stick or hole while the women follow dropping kernels and using their feet to cover the planting the corn planter digs deep to find moist soil care is your used not to press the dirt too firmly lest it stop the corn from growing the colorful fruit of the Corn Harvest is ready for grinding and use in tasty Indian dishes Navajo jewelry remains on the hands of the women as they go about their work work still performed in the ancient manner of early Navajo tribes one of the most necessary of these tasks is the grinding of the Corn that is an essential part of the Navajo diet say any chance of getting a little cornbread no evidently not aha but this healthy looking Navajo mama is making some tortillas Indian style yes she uh looks as though she may have sampled several on the side from time to time too the Indian tortilla is actually bread fried in muton fat most white folks like it very much yes indeed it looks mighty good from here practically everything Navajo women do they do in groups with the children laying around nearby here they are needing bread and still that jewelry remains on their hands after the dough is needed it is cut into to loes much like mother used to do it and of course this is an excellent opportunity to exchange news wood is chopped by the this young athletic squa to make fire in the baking ovens nearby it seems Navajo women are always busy hey she's handled that axe before a hot fire is built inside the bake oven and kept roaring until the temperature is right for baking then the coals are removed and the oven swept and clean the loaves are placed inside the oven directly on the hot ground yes large quantities of bread are baked each time the opening in the top is used as a damper to control the heat and here is the finished product vitamins and all with a little dusting off it's ready for the table gather around the festive board Papa Navajo here come your bread Bakers for a look at the artistic side of Navajo life we visit a silver smith at his outdoor workshop and arrive just as a customer rides up to do some outdoor window shopping as usual greetings are exchanged first then Wares are brought out for inspection a newly made Concho belt is displayed yeah it's very pretty well have to have a little better crop of wool before I can afford that and so on his way again and as he leaves let us move closer and watch the silver smith at work all Navajo silver work is manufactured by the men and the art requires exact skill with the crudest of equipment the metal is heated and pounded then a sharp point tool is used to make designs of various kinds and the final polishing finishes the job they create a wide variety of jewelry including Concho bels perfume bottles silver beads bow plates and other decorative gifts which find their way through the trading posts to Modern stores and a ready market and strangest of all Navajo jewelry plays a prominent part in getting married Navajo marry early in life and choosing a bride follows an age-old custom let's watch while the father of the groom approaches the bride's family and offers gifts his presents are actually in the form of barter for the bride who sits Charly nearby with a handy Shaw to hide her face in case she blushes she listens attentively as her parents praise her virtues and try to add another horse to the barter price as they look over the gift and yes sir she blushes as she finds out how valuable she is well it's all settled when the groom's father agrees to add a few horses to the jewelry and then heads for home to tell his son of his newly one bride horses of the groom's father are rounded up the bride's parents arrive to make a careful selection they may receive from 1 to 10 horses for marrying off their daughter and now we have a novel wedding to attend even the Barrel Cactus is In Bloom as everybody prepares for the wedding and the feast which follows among the preparations is the famous Navajo sweat bath stones are being heated in this fire to be placed placed in the sweat bath house as friends gather from near and far to enjoy this unique Navajo version of a Turkish steam bath the hot stones are placed inside on the north side of the bath house to ward off coughs and colds which are believed to originate in the north then several men enter to perspire and cleanse their body and remain inside as long as 20 minutes a blanket is placed over the door to keep the steam in yes everybody inside seems to be steaming beautifully dripping wet they come out of their bath clean and happy then shower their bodies with sand to dry themselves and sit in the sun before dressing they bathe this way about once a week on the way to the wedding we stop in front of this novaj H Hogan to watch a bit of family life that is familiar all over the world preparing baby for a nap Navajo babies are beautiful with huge eyes and bulging Cheeks baby is placed on an Indian cradle made of a flat board with a little canopy to offer Shades the mattress on the Cradle is cedar bark dried and soften yes a convenient substitute for that well-known Three Corner Affair next he is laced securely in the Cradle by Loving Hands baby is then ready for lunch and a nap just like babies all over the world the sharp son disturbs this little one though and so the mother like all mothers knows the answer a light lunch and neither sun moon or Stars will bother baby as he slips into Dreamland Navajo women too are fussy about how their hair is done and a coming wedding is a splendid reason to use this open air beauty parlor their hair shines from free use of the amoi root soap suds except for very young girls the hairdress is the same for all women and many of the men after brushing the hair is folded in a knot at the back of the head then tied with white wool which is wound securely around the knot to give it nov style and hourglass form most Navajo women have a luxuriant growth of hair and naturally want to look their best the bride and groom are briy and w the medicine man is ready to conduct the ceremony let's listen n n foree a handshake of congratulations from the medicine man and the couple will be Mr and Mrs Navajo since early morning the women have been cooking baking broiling and frying a variety of foods for the feast that follows the wedding always there is mutton product of their beloved sheep it is roasted stewed barbecued and fried and served with whatever Delicacies The Trading Post affords everybody at the wedding has a good meal and a good time this is the medicine man's Hogan when an Indian is sick the proud and dignified medicine man is consulted here he is blessing his Altar and praying in preparation for a healing ceremony which includes a chant and a sand painting He blesses the altar with sacred meal all the while saying a prayer to the many gods of the Navajo world now let's go inside the Hogan and watch the sand painters and join in the observance of this ancient ritual if a family is wealthy one of the major chants may be given some major chants last nine days and nights the medicine man makes a considerable charge for his Services especially if he has a good reputation it takes years of training and study to become a medicine man there is no book to learn from it is all handed down by Word of Mouth the Solem faed Medicine Man carefully outlines the design of the sand painting and an assistant as carefully sketches it in the plain sand this is the start of a task that may take many hours but must be completed before sunset the medicine man continues directing the painting one sand paintings while others assist with the painting one Navajo prepares the various colored Sands used he grinds and mixes the sand on a matate or grinding stone creating Colors by mixing different kinds of clay sand charcoal and ground rock these colors are carefully placed in bark receptacles until needed Guided by the medicine man who is supreme in this ceremonial the expert fingers and practiced hands of the helpers bring into bold relief the shape of the painting now we recognize the center figure as representing the endless snake within which according to Navajo Legend the universe and everything in it exists when completed it will be surrounded by four smaller snake figures placed in the four cardinal points they represent the guardian of the Endless snake who himself lives on the edge of the universe navajos take pride in their worship and zealously protect their beliefs we watch strangely fascinated as this weird picture reaches its climax it leaves little doubt that this ancient custom of the navajos peculiarly their own has been handed down from generation to generation here we find the medicine man busy with a paraphernalia of his craft his bundle or medicine bag of buck skin from an animal ritualistically killed and contains all the things necessary for conducting the chant inside are prayer sticks decorated with feathers from aive Eagle Raffles Stones pollins animal tissues native herbs ochers and clayes many of them difficult to obtain these things he prizes highly with the painting finished the medicine man carefully places the fetishes or prayer sticks at the correct points on the sand painting where the gods they invite to the ceremony will not fail to see them the patient for whom the painting was created enters and sprinkle sacred cornmeal over the painting from east to west from south to North exactly as the medicine man has done hot coals from a fire are brought in and placed in front of the painting from an abalon shell containing dried and fresh herbs mixed with water the medicine man dampens the tip of a fetish and anoints each part of the sand painting then strip to a loin clock the patient seats himself in the center of the painting he always faces East each chanter in the Hogan holds a rattle from the medicine man's bundle the rattle is rhythmically shaken as the chance continues the patient is offered sacred medicine which has been blessed with the strength of the sand painting a helper places hot coals in front of the patient the medicine man drops some sacred incense upon the coals the patient touches the coals with his hands inhales the fumes from the incense rubs his head and Rises to his feet convinced that what he has experienced will help him before the sun sets on this day every trace of the sand painting must be systematically destroyed by the medicine man and the sand used taken outside and deposited in each cardinal direction at a place care y stipulated by the medicine man Homeward Bound are the novels and so ends our visit to their land they ride into the distance silhouetted against a glorious Southwestern Sunset riding down the trail into their fantastic country where the ancient and the modern find a Str