The Navajo People
Originally the Navajo lived in the subarctic. They descended down north America, moving in small bands until settling in the Southwest. They blended as an Athapaskan group with the Pueblo cultures, picking up farming along the way among the Plains. Athapaskan and Spanish contact dates from 1582, marking the “agrressive” stereotype of the Navajo as raiders and looters. After the Pueblo revolt of 1680 and the Spanish retaliation in 1692, Pueblo Indians fled and sought refuge with the Dinetah, the Navajo people. Athapaskan merging with Puebloan refugees critically shaped the emerging Navajo. With the Pueblo Indians they were taught pottery, weaving, ceremonial masks, religious concepts. The Spanish at this time also brought in herding animals such as goats, sheep, horses, cattle, as well as and metallurgy. Assimilation shaped Navajo tribal identity as they continued to emerge. The Navajo have been a continual independent people, some raiding, some herding, some creating peace with Spanish and Mexicans.
The Navajo call themselves Diné, which roughly translates to "The People." Their land is referred to as Dineh'tah, or "the Land of the People." The image above depicts the Navajo Reservation in purple. Today the Navajo reservation makes up 24,000 square miles of land, covering the states of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. There are over 173,300 Navajos who live on the reservation.
Navajo Culture
Navajo men work on a sand painting
Navajo woman works on blanket weaving
A traditional Navajo dwelling, the hogan
Right: The hogan is the traditional dwelling place of the Navajo. This image was taken in 1970 and depicts a more modern and common housing style of the hogan today.
