Native Americans are the indigenous people of America. They had lived in America for thousands of years before the Europeans began exploring the continent in the 15th century. The Native Americans are made up of numerous distinct American tribes and ethnic groups. They are categorized as the American Indians or Indians, the native Hawaiians, and the Alaskan Natives. Currently, the Navajo tribe is the largest Native American tribe of the North American Indians. The first part of this paper discusses the Navajo tribe. It provides a brief history of the tribe, highlights where they originated from, and reveals where they currently live. Part two provides an in-depth analysis of the characteristics of the Navajo tribe, which together defines its unique identity.
The Navajo, also called the Dine, is the largest Native American tribe. The ancestors of the Navajo people lived in the Northwestern Canada and Alaska thousands of years ago. They began travelling southwards and reached the southwestern United States over 1000 years ago (Eck, 1998; Kidport, 2009). In the southwestern United States, the Navajo people met the Pueblo Indians who were farmers by then. The Navajos settled near the Pueblos and learned some farming skills like how to plant beans, melons, corn, and squash. They also learnt similar weaving styles from the Pueblo. Their homes were called Hogan and were made from tree bark, wooden poles, and mud (Eck, 1998).
The Dine established a sovereign Native American nation called the Navajo Nation. The Nation’s Reservation covers approximately 70,000 square kilometers (27,000 square miles) of land. It occupies the whole of northeastern Arizona and extends into Utah and New Mexico (Kidport, 2009). In United States, Navajo Nation Reservation is the largest land area assigned to a Native American jurisdiction. The members of the Navajo nation are referred to as the Navajo, or the “Dine” which in their language means people. The Navajo and the Apache are closely related. The Navajo language together with other Apache languages forms the Southern Athabaskan language family (Kidport, 2009).
The Navajo economy is based on the traditional activities such as weaving, fiber production, jewelry making, art trading, and sheep herding. There are also some newer industries like uranium and coal mining. Navajo Nation is reach in mineral resources, which are among the most valuable resources held by the Native American nations within the U.S. Before 2004, the Nation had refused to join the other U.S. indigenous nations who have opened casinos. However; in that year, it signed a contract with New Mexico State to operate a casino (Kidport, 2009).
The Navajo have three times refused to establish a new government. They have rejected the constitutional initiatives twice, in 1935 and in 1953 (San Juan School District, 2003). Reservation-based initiative failed in 1963 after the Navajos found that it had potential threats to their self-determination, and the process was also cumbersome. The governing council drafted and adopted a constitution that was never approved by the members. These efforts were rejected by the members on the basis that they did not give enough freedom to develop the livestock industries and the mineral resources.
The Federal and local law enforcement agencies within the Navajo Nation are the Navajo Police, also called the Navajo Division of Public Safety, the BIA (Bureau of Indian Affairs), and the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation). Controversies between Navajo Nation and the federal government are settled by political agreements and negotiations. The Nation’s laws are codified in Navajo Tribal Code.
The Nation’s governing council continues to prohibit the sale of alcohol within reservation boundaries, a Navajo’s historical practice. The Nation’s residents who consume alcohol are forced to obtain it from the nearby cities like New Mexico, and Gallup and Grants. The Area has numerous sources of attraction to its visitors. They include the Indian jewelry trade, the Interstate Highway which passes through the heavy traffic area to the off-reservation liquor stores, tourist attractions, and public drunkenness. The public drunkenness has created an impression that Indian culture is described by drunkenness. Some Navajo members have actively opposed alcohol sale and have taken initiatives to help the alcoholic members. During the 19th century, the U.S. military was involved in the Navajo Wars which greatly reduced the number of the Native Americans. The Navajos were fought mainly for their land.
The characteristics of the Navajo tribe
The Navajos have been greatly modernized; however, they have retained their cultural identity. The native language is still spoken by many. Besides, most of them still adhere to the traditional beliefs. Sometimes in the past, the Navajo children were required and forced to go to school and were punished whenever the spoke in their language. This made them lose their cultural heritage. However, the trend stopped in recent years and the Navajo children are nowadays taught to appreciate their culture (Western Navajo Details).
The lifestyle (Specialty craft, trade, technology)
Navajos stay in small compounds or isolated houses within the Reservation. Farming and sheep herding is practiced by many families. Also, some Navajos commute into the cities and others perform skilled trade. Not every part of the area is served by modern amenities. Besides most parts do not have running water or electricity. Some of the Navajos still live in the traditional hogans; however, most of them live in contemporary homes. Some households live much as they have done hundreds of years. The area has land lines, although a growing percentage of the population has mobile phones.
The religion
Navajo people still believe in their Traditional Navajo Religion. They are extremely spiritual and have no clear distinction between religion and the daily life. They have a mythological structure which explains the elements of the world. The community leaders are the medicine men who engage actively in the spiritual world. Navajo believe in the multiplicity of gods, and that the spirits are very active in the world. For the Navajo, physical ailment is a direct result of a spiritual torment. Their lifestyles are packed with ceremonial significance. Despite the strong traditional religion, there are several Christians and churches within the Reservation. The Christians, however, are normally disregarded by those adhering to the traditional religion, who view Christianity and the church as destructive to the native culture.
Marriage and family
The nuclear family is the basic domestic unit of the Navajo society. The members of the family live in a single Hogan. The extended family is the basic economic unit. The marriage is largely an arrangement between the families more than the involved individuals. There is a short wedding ceremony with great significance. The wedding forms the beginning of a new Hogan. The lady becomes the manager of the home, the home functions, and the happiness. The husband is responsible for both his nuclear family and the extended family, and is expected to help his parents. The husband is the head of the household, but cannot make any decision without consultation with the wife.
Clothing and Adornment
The Navajo Indian cloths are made using the upright looms and fashioned into blankets. The blankets are used for warmth and shelter and not as decorative adornment. The earlier blankets contained little patterns and color, if any. With the modern technology, the need to use exclusively the local materials is over. The Navajo have a great history of jewelry. Previously they were trading for Turquoise Beads and Turquoise. The Vintage Navajo Jewelry includes Coin Silver Navajo Bridle and Antique Navajo Silver Jewelry.
The language
Navajo language is part of the family of the language called Athabascan language which is spoken from Southwest to Alaska by various tribes. Navajo language is very difficult and cannot be easily learned by the English speakers. The language is tonal, and most modern words have no exact translations and cannot be described in any manner. For a long time, the language had not been put into a written form. However, the bible has been translated in it. Only very few people are able to read Navajo since those who exclusively speak in it are old and did not learn how to read. Navajo language is very famous because of its significance in World War II. It was used for codes in the war, and was the only code that the Japanese could not understand.
The Needs
The nation does not have the constitution; instead, it has a tribal code called the Navajo Nation Tribal Code. The Navajo have no authority over the Tribal Code due to the fact that they failed to establish the government.
Conclusion
The Navajo tribe is a Native American tribe with unique identity. Despite the modernization, they have retained their cultural identity. This can be seen in their lifestyle, religion, marriage and family, and clothing and adornment. The Navajo language is unique and famous for its role in World War II. The Navajo Nation Reservation is the largest land area assigned to a Native American jurisdiction. The Nation, however, has been faced with numerous challenges that need intervention. The unemployment, alcohol and drug use, and underdevelopment pose serious challenges.
Eck, P. (1998). “Navajo Indians”. The Study of Native Americans. Retrieved July 10, 2012 from http://inkido.indiana.edu/w310work/romac/navajo.htm
Kidport (2009). Navajo Tribe. Retrieved July 10, 2012 from http://www.kidport.com/reflib/SocialStudies/NativeAmericans/Navajo.htm
San Juan School District (2003). Navajo Nation Tribal Code. Retrieved July 10, 2012 from http://dine.sanjuan.k12.ut.us/heritage/people/dine/organization/government/tribal_code.htm
Western Navajo Details: The Navajo Nation. Retrieved July 10, 2012 from http://www.experiencemission.org/popDetailItem.asp?DetailId=1004868E-5345-4195-9B8E-533D6B8C1CBE
