Ceremony for Boys and Girls in Navajo Tribes
Navajo is one of the largest tribes of American Indians. They lived in areas that are the four corners today, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah. The name “Navajo” originated from the Spanish who called the “Apaches” of their tribe. Today the Navajo people are still living in their standard territory. Their land is under their control and they live on reservations. Navajo learned many skills to survive in the desert. They gathered plants to eat, they grew food like corn, beans, and squash. As the desert had little rain, they planted seeds deep enough to reach underground water. In the Navajo tribe, the boys take their first step into manhood when their voice begins to crack and the girls learn how to care for their family and begin the first chapter of womanhood.
The boy's rite of passage consists of the boys getting into a line and they lash with the yaka ( very painful ), when these men come together for the ceremony they invite older men so that way the boy is the youngest present. They go into the Sweat Lodge. The Sweat Lodge is a dome-shaped hut. During this ceremony they teach you about the four types of men, one of the four that are evil and don’t make good choices, there are men that are not responsible, the men that are strong and look after their family, and the last man is the spiritual man and that is the main one they commonly focus on. They inform the young men to get a medicine bundle so that way when you begin a new family you can teach your children to have a tight bond with their deity and holy people. The lashing you receive before going into the Sweat Lodge is to tell you that the holy people will punish you spiritually, physically, emotionally, and mentally. They want to show the young boys that the lashing you get is nothing compared to what the holy people will do. This ceremony is called Kinaaldá.
The girl's rite of passage (the four-day public ceremony), begins when they start their menstrual cycle. This ceremony is held on the fourth night after the first step into womanhood. The girls wore their finest clothes and present themselves. During the ceremony, they face downward on the blanket with their head toward the floor. They tie the girl's hair in knots using deerskin strings, “Tsklóh.” She runs toward the East, this shows strong and dynamic traits throughout womanhood. She runs every day in the morning, in the four directions, and other people run with her. She runs ahead, and when she runs they shout. The first day consists of only women present. Only the women stay with the young ladies and give her advice on how to be a good mother and wife. She is told what her responsibilities will be as a mother as she brings children into the world. This would involve having a husband, so they let her know about how her husband will have to provide for and protect their children. The first day would be the spiritual aspect of her responsibilities she must learn that her future husband will have some separate responsibilities. The husband for spiritual and herself for the physical welfare.
Furthermore, their clothing choices were to wear breechcloths for men, and woven yucca fiber skirts for women. Some example materials for clothing made from animal fur/skin were deerskin cloaks or ponchos made of rabbits. They also created wool blankets and dresses. Their homes were caked with “hogans.” These homes were made from a special wood framework packed with clay into a dome shape.
