NAVAJO NATION CULTURES AND SONG
In America, the Navajo community comes second as the most populated native tribes. Apachean is the primary language that the Navajo speak. They migrated from Canada to the southwest of the United States. Their significant activities were hunting and gathering. Currently, the Navajo live in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. They are known for referring to one another as Dine, meaning, ‘the people.’ Therefore, this essay will evaluate the Navajos culture and music.
The culture of Navajo revolves around the life of their families. The Navajo love for the land and its sacredness influences the Indian Navajos games, religion, song, and culture. During winter, they perform their plays for entertainment and amusement. Most of their ceremonies and rituals can take between four, two, or one day to complete. The primary importance of their celebration is on the treatment of ills, both physical and mental. Due to their love of nature, they embrace their art to depicts the sceneries oft nnature, as is evident in their building of Hogan and agricultural activities. Songs commemorate their ceremonies and cultures. Twenty-four different Chant ways ceremonies singers perform during cultural festive. During services, the sand paints themselves to signify spirits as a way of healing the sick. Chants accompany the celebrations as a link between the dead and the living. Sand paints can be ochre with colors like yellow, black, blue, and white with meanings indicating directions. The Dine believes that their spirit sustains them on their nation and will forever continue surviving because of it (Bertha, 1975).
The Navajo explanation of the universe as harmonious and beautiful based on their religion. They believe rituals bring balance, harmony, which they call ‘rhozho’ upon which only death, evil, and violence can tamper. They have myths that tell of people’s origin. As a chanter in the Navajo nation, one must devote himself or herself to learn certain ceremonies either as life way or evil way, hunting or mountain top ways. Amidst challenges of threats, their traditions give them strength and direction using words like “sa’ah ynaaghaii bikeh ehozho.” The words mean the struggle for the beautiful long life and ecological harmony
Songs from the Navajo nation are vocal with drums, flute, whistle, raps, and drumstick. This instrument applies to a particular specific type of song (Gladys 1950). Most singers perform in rituals and ceremonies and medicine people. The song emphasized the beauty of the universe as being beautiful and harmonious, as well as the serenity of health and balance. The songs are very sacred, only used for spiritual purposes. Other groups of songs engage people on work and duties, patriotism, jokes, and recreations. They’re not considered sacred though they are popular. Popular songs performed in public as opposed to songs that are used for their intended purpose. Popular songs are characterized by melodic motion, leaps, octave, repletion, few phrases.
Navajo are very peculiar people. Their unique culture mesmerized me with a feeling of investigating them to learn more about them. I am impressed by the way they have protected and preserved their culture amidst all odds. I thought Navajo people were secluded with barbaric culture before. Still, now, because of what I have read, I have gotten effective cultural practices that make me want to visit them and experience for myself.
References
Bertha, P. Dutton. (1975). Indians of the American Southwest, Prentice-Hall. Retrieved from: https://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/navajo
Gladys, A. Reichard, (1950.) Navajo Religion, Princeton University Press. Retrieved from: http://navajopeople.org/blog/navajo-religion/