A study of Navajo symbolism - Free History Ebooks

THESYMBOLISM OF PLANTS, SEEDS,AND POLLEN HERB INFUSIONSearliest plant symbolism used in connectionwith Navajo ritual and sandpainting seems to be that of plants growing inor near water. An ancient and now obsoleteform of the Night Chant called "Tohe Klehje"emphasizes this fact. Klah informed us thatin this ceremony all knots used to bind prayersticks and ritualistic articles were tied underwater. The Water Chant, in which waterpollen and water plants are used ritualistically,is one of the earliest Navajo ceremonies, onlyparts of which are still remembered by Navajomedicine men.Willow is the wood generally used for thebase of all prayer sticks, and the pollen fromthe catkins is gathered in the spring to use inblessing rites. Withes of willow are used inthe water chant in place of the yucca strandsemployed in the releasing rite or other evildispelling ceremonies. When a Navajo sheepherder fell into a flooded arroyo and wasnearly drowned, Big Man Begay, who wasthe medicine man chosen to hold the restorationceremony, asked me to send to the oceanfor long strands of kelp and three other varietiesof seaweed. In a certain rite the sheepherder patient was bound in a net made ofthis seaweed; then at the proper moment inthe ritual, he was gradually released. This indicatedthat he had escaped the anger andpower of the water.Wands of willow (fig. 72), growine at theedge of water, are sjathered and dried severaldays before they are to be used. The sectionscut from these wands to make prayer sticks(see fig. 9) must have no branches and mustbe free of all blemish. The bark is peeled off,one end is sharpened and painted white to beinserted into the ground. The other end isshaved flat on one side, then painted whitewith black dots for eyes and mouth. If thereare eight sticks being prepared, two will bepainted white, two yellow, two blue, and twoblack. Then turkey and eagle down andshredded herbs are tied to the back of thehead and bound to the neck with cord spunfrom wild cotton.Rattles are made of gourds or of skins withlightning arrows and stars pricked on them.On the sand paintings most of the figures carrysmall medicine bags attached to their wristsby cords of rainbow (fig. 73).A medicine man may possess four, eight, ortwelve prayer sticks which he keeps with hisother permanent equipment, and as long asthese are used with the correct rites and prayers,and occasionally blessed with a pollenblessing, they continue to gain power. Forthis reason, an older medicine man often sellsor trades a few of his prayer sticks to a neophytewho is studying his ceremony, afterthe student has learned the prayers and ritual.If a ceremonial article is given away or stolen,it loses all of its sacred significance. It alsoloses its power if it is picked up by a dog orpushed around by any other animal. In a ceremonyDejoli Begay had erected four prayersticks and a beaver collar outside the door ofthe ceremonial hogahn; then he went insideto supervise the sand painting. A couple ofsheep dogs came along and carried away twoof the prayer sticks and the beaver collar.When the attendants discovered what hadhappened, theceremony ended abruptly andthe medicine man, the patient, and the guestshurried to their homes.Dejoli Begay was very disgruntled becausehe had not only lost two prayer sticks and avaluable beaver pelt, but his whole ceremonyhad lost favor in the minds of his friends andthe community.He must now pay a medicineman from some other section of the reservationto hold a ceremony of exorcism to dispelthe evil influences causing his ill luck in orderto restore his prestige as a medicine man.Other water plants of ceremonial importanceare those of the cane and reed family."Lukatso" generally refers to the bamboowhich is often mentioned in the legends, butis seldom used in present day ceremonies.J 5