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TRANSCRIPT
The Sun’s Medicine BundleThe Sun’s Medicine BundleA doctor’s encounters A doctor’s encounters with Navajo Medicinewith Navajo Medicine
Navajo Shaman Medicine BundleHuman nerve cell
Native AmericansNative Americans
• Original inhabitants of North America – before white-skinned Europeans arrived
• First came 25,000-12,000 years ago – during last Ice Age – crossed a “land bridge” from Siberia.
Native American HistoryNative American History• Over 13,000 years, Native Americans spread
throughout North America • Formed different groups (tribes)
– different languages and cultures– allies and enemies
Native American HistoryNative American History• In the 1400s and 1500s
– Europeans came to America. • brought new diseases → millions died
• From the 1600s to the 1800s, – Descendants of European colonists– spread westward across the Continent– As they met Native American tribes, they fought/took their
land
Native American HistoryNative American History
• By 1900, all Native American tribes were defeated – Forced to live on “Reservations”
• isolated places, with few things of value
Native American HistoryNative American History• For most tribes, a tradition of movement/migration • No jobs, few resources, and a lot of alcohol →
poverty and loss of culture
Navajo HistoryNavajo History
• Navajo - one of the last groups across the land bridge – called “Athabaskans” – avoided warrior tribes in middle of the country– settled in the American Southwest.
Navajo HistoryNavajo History
• Athabaskans encountered Pueblos and Hopis– Were taught to farm, raise sheep and horses
• Athabaskans settled down, became Navajo people – Some Athabaskan people didn't want to settle down
• continued to migrate • became the Apaches
Navajo HistoryNavajo History
• Navajo people fought against U.S. army. – defeated by Col. Kit Carson in 1864
• The Long Walk in 1864– 9,000 Navajo men, women and children were forced on
The Long Walk of over 300 miles (480 km) to Fort Sumner • The Navajo Reservation formed in 1868.
Navajo People TodayNavajo People Today
• The largest Native American tribe– 250,000 live on the Reservation– 250,000 live off the Reservation
• Reservation is size of 5 New England states put together
The Navajo NationThe Navajo Nation
• Executive Branch– President and Vice-
president
• Legislative Branch – Navajo Nation Tribal
Council
• Judiciary Branch– Navajo Courts– Navajo Nation Police
Navajo Tribal CouncilNavajo Tribal Council
Navajo TodayNavajo Today
• People on the Reservation sometimes live in very small towns – near hospitals or “trading posts”
• Most live far from each other in “camps”– large family groups that live together– often no electricity or running water– traditional dwellings, called “hogans”
• Many others live in border towns or big cities (jobs)
A Navajo Hogan
JobsJobs
• Women - rug weaving.• Men - jewelry making,
tour guides.• Tending sheep. • Hospitals and schools.
Navajo MythologyNavajo Mythology
• Emergence from “underworld” after a great flood• First Man and First Woman, Talking God and
Changing Woman • Heroes, gods, and magical creatures• Myths and stories take place in the land where the
people still live
Navajo WorldNavajo World
• Universe is based on four directions and cycles of time and life– East- sunrise, birth, spring, white – South- daytime, youth/maturity, summer, blue– West- evening/sunset, old age, autumn, yellow– North- night, death, winter, black
• Four Sacred Mountains, North, South, East, West
Navajo World. Navajo World.
• Universe is also based on “male” and “female.”
• Male = Red, positive aggressive, sharp, hot, day, summer, etc.
• Female = Blue, negative,peaceful, protective, dull, cold, night, winter, etc.
Navajo MedicineNavajo Medicine
• Health = balance and harmony– within a person & between a person and the world– physical, psychological, social, emotional
• Disharmony and imbalance come from: – leaving the four sacred mountains– by breaking “taboos” – by witchcraft
Navajo Medicine ManNavajo Medicine Man
• Medicine Hand Trembler – makes diagnosis – recommends a healing ceremony
• Navajo Medicine Man (shaman) – carries out a ceremony → restore health, balance,
harmony to the “sick” person
Navajo CeremonyNavajo Ceremony
• 1-7 days in length• Different ceremonies “cure” different types of
illnesses• Many people come to support the patient• Medicine Man chants a story from mythology• Important parts of the story are drawn as sand
paintings on the floor of the hogan
Navajo CeremonyNavajo Ceremony
• In some ceremonies, people dress up as gods who dance around and chant
• The patient may be asked to drink or eat special herbs
Navajo Sand paintings. Navajo Sand paintings.
• Very detailed pictures from colored sand • Take many hours to make • Sand painting and hogan represent the universe• Gods are called to the sand painting• The patient is identified with the gods
Navajo Sand paintingsNavajo Sand paintings
Tibetan Sand PaintingsTibetan Sand Paintings
Native American ChurchNative American Church
• Started in Northern Mexico • Spread to Texas and Oklahoma• After World War II, spread to all Native American
tribes• Uses peyote cactus as part of the ritual
– gives people special visions
The Native American ChurchThe Native American Church
Where Scientific Medicine meets Where Scientific Medicine meets Navajo MedicineNavajo Medicine
• Understand Navajo medicine• Support their ideas• Translate my diagnosis and treatment into ideas
they understand• Know the Medicine Man and learn to work together • Attend Navajo ceremonies when invited