The Blessing Way (1970)

The Blessing Way (1970)

dodge weed

More commonly known as snakeweed in English, it is also known as “big dodge weed” in Navajo (Ch’il diilyesiitoh). This grass is a woody perennial plant that grows in arid open climates and is found throughout the western United States.

sweet grass

A perennial grass that grows in mixed grass stands throughout North America and Eurasia. The grass can grow up to 30 inches in height, and the head of the stalk has rough golden seeds. It is known as “Sweet Grass” because of its sweet fragrance. It can be burned as incense, or made into bowls, baskets, and mats.

crow

A large, black bird from the genus Corvus, which also includes ravens and jackdaws. Crows are omnivorous birds that consume carrion (dead animal flesh), berries, and insects. Crows are also one of the most intelligent and social animals on the planet, having the ability to form and use tools, engage in sports, and demonstrate the ability to recognize individual facial features and expressions in humans.

Because crows are found on almost every continent, they have a place in many cultural traditions around the world. In some versions of the Navajo tradition, for example, crows are considered dangerous because they eat the flesh of dead animals, which is taboo. On the other had, the ancient Greeks believed that crows could tell the future. In Tibetan Buddhism, the protector of the Dharma takes the form of a crow.

bitch

This term refers to female members of the family Canidae, including wolves, foxes, jackals, coyotes and domesticated dogs. This term first appeared in the 11th century; the Middle English form is bicche. The meaning of this word has been appropriated as an abusive term referring to difficult or spiteful women.

First Woman

While there are many different versions of the Navajo Origin Myth, the general outlines of the myth are present in all versions, and First Woman (Áłtsé Asdzą́ą́), usually alongside First Man (Áłtsé Hastiin), is present in every version. First Man and First Woman are considered the builders of this world, responsible for creating the four sacred mountains, the first hogan, and the holy figures. First Man then completes a night-long ceremony where he creates beauty, balance, and order. It is into this world that the child of First Man and First Woman, Changing Woman, is born. It is Changing Woman’s twin boys, Monster Slayer and Born for Water, who defeat the monsters in this world and make it safe for the Navajo people to live in. Changing Woman takes over creation duties from First Man and First Woman.

First Man

While there are many different versions of the Navajo Origin Myth, the general outlines of the myth are present in all versions, and First Woman (Áłtsé Asdzą́ą́), usually alongside First Man (Áłtsé Hastiin), is present in every version. First Man and First Woman are considered the builders of this world, responsible for creating the four sacred mountains, the first hogan, and the holy figures. First Man then completes a night-long ceremony where he creates beauty, balance, and order. It is into this world that the child of First Man and First Woman, Changing Woman, is born. It is Changing Woman’s twin boys, Monster Slayer and Born for Water, who defeat the monsters in this world and make it safe for the Navajo people to live in. Changing Woman takes over creation duties from First Man and First Woman.

Big Fly

In some versions of Navajo ceremonial traditions, Big Fly, known as Do'tsoh in Navajo, and what Hillerman sometimes refers to as Sacred Fly, or Little Winds, is the guardian of Navajo sandpainting and oftentimes will hover near or land on a person's shoulder while the painter is working. When he sits on the shoulder, Big Fly answers questions sent down by the elders. In this, the Navajo Big Fly shares many similarities with the Zuni dragonfly character, who, similar to Big Fly, manifests as a liaison between the people and their spirit ancestors.

arrow head

More commonly spelled "arrowhead," archaeologists refer to arrowheads as projectile points. Arrowheads are prehistoric hafted (indented) pointed objects of worked stone that are generally attached to the end of an arrow or a spear. These points can be made from a range of raw lithic (stone) materials, including chert, obsidian, petrified wood, and occasionally bone.

flatlanders

Tony Hillerman uses this phrase to refer to people who are not native to the Southwest and therefore do not understand the variegated geography of the landscape and the associated problems with traveling across it.

brush flats

A term used to describe desert scrub on a relatively flat terrain. Here, brush can refer to bunch grasses, perennial woody shrubs, and even occassional islands of juniper across an arid landscape. A prime example of a prominent expanse of brush flats the Great Basin Desertscrub plant community that is found in Arizona along the Little Colorado River Drainage.

Pages

Subscribe to RSS - The Blessing Way (1970)