Navajo Culture



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Abstract

This study provides detailed analysis of the culture of Navajo people and their primary mode of subsistence. This study also classifies the primary mode of subsistence into different categories. This study also highlights the importance of this mode of subsistence in defining their culture values beliefs and social relationships. One of the most important aspects is that there are very strong and close relations of their economic activities and cultural and social perspectives. This study also highlights the role of gender as the most important element in defining the relation between all these social, cultural and economic perspectives.

Navajo Culture

Introduction

Navajo is one of the most ancient cultures in the United States. This nation occupies largest land area in the North western part of Arizona. These people are also known as the Indians and have reserved their cultural and traditional beliefs for such a long time. These people also have self regulatory legal and social system. There are a number of different perspectives associated with these people. The place, these people live is called Dinetah “land of people” and these people are called Dine means “people” (Denetdale, 2007). There are a number of different stories for the origin of these people and about their traditions and beliefs. These people also have various myths for the evolution of their cultural trends. Their ancestors were hunters and gatherers like most of the primitive human race. Later, these people reside in the north eastern and western parts of Arizona and New Mexico (Denetdale, 2007). Where they begin their life as farmers and some of these people chose to continue their living as dealing in herds and livestock.

There are various aspects, which affected their lifestyle, and mode of subsistence affect their cultural beliefs, economic organization, gender relations, kinship, political organization, sickness and healing, social change and social organization. “Navajos are comparatively isomorphic as people, there are some differences present between traditional, semi traditional, and semi-nontraditional Navajo families” (Kent, 1983, p.86). These people have different system of cultural values on the basis of different sex or gender. These people have strong perceptions of stereotypical system of considering man as powerful as he is the provider. Their laws were strict for the division of labor and different system of their social and cultural beliefs on the basis of gender differences. There were also some changes occur in their social system, but nothing make much difference in their lifestyle and mode of subsistence.

Thesis Statement

Navajo's primary mode of subsistence has a strong impact on different aspects of culture.

Discussion

Navajo's Primary Mode of Subsistence: Pastoralist

Pastoralist is the primary mood of subsistence in Navajo culture. It is one of the most ancient and primary way of living after being the hunters and gatherers (navajopeople.org). There are a number of ways thorough which these people live their lives, and this is very different from most of the other Indian people and pastoralists. Their lifestyle is very different from most of the other nations of today's ...