A study of Navajo symbolism - Free History Ebooks

A STUDY OF NAVAJO SYMBOLISMFigs. 31-35. 3 1 . "Teoltsodi," water monster. 32. "Tabasteen," otter. 33. "Tchah," beaver. 34. "Kahtsen," alligator.35. Big fish.symbols variously called moon shadows, orpossibly phases of the moon (fig. 26). 5"Jalth," the frog, is pictured in the form ofa monster and used as a guardian symbol (fig.27). The turtle (fig. 28) is in this same classwith the frog, as both are amphibious anddivide their time between land and water.The dark, underneath world is symbolizedby two monsters, the horned toad and theGila monster. The horned toad (fig. 29) wearsarmor of arrow points and carries lightningarrows in both hands and feet. His body andhis head are diamond-shaped. In sand-paintedpictures of the Gila monster (fig. 30) theangles of the diamond are rounded so thebody is fatly oblong; he is marked with goldand black stripes, then dotted with variouscolors, especially red, to denote the glitter ofhis scales. The horned toad is the protectorand messenger of the Gila monster, who seldomventures away from his dark home. Thesecond sight of the trance rite called the"Shaking Hand" is attributed to the power ofthe Gila monster.Water monsters included "Teoltsodi,"Water Monster, who has control of the ocean(fig. 31), tidal floods, gulfs and bays: Tabasteen,otter (fig.32), who governs the waters ofrivers, creeks and any flowing streams; Tchah,beaver (fig. 33), whose domain includes lakes,ponds, and all fresh water behind dams. Kahtsen,alligator (fig. 34), rules over swamps andmarshes, also stagnant water back into baysand lagoons and is represented as a long oblongwith oval head and extended snout. Hisarms are black crossed with white.Water Monster (fig. 31) is pictured as alarge white diamond with smaller diamond6Like Yin and Yang symbol in the East.