The Ghostway (1984)

A deputy sheriff is subordinate to the sheriff, often operating as the second-in-command.

A sheriff is generally an elected position and is the highest law enforcement officer of a county. In some cases, the sheriff and his staff may function as the police force. In larger, urban communities, the sheriff's role may be confined to superficial or political posturings, or may be used to support juridical functions in support of the county's court system. In some cases, the position of sheriff has been merged with that of the chief of police, meaning that the sheriff occupies both a political as well as a disciplinary position. In either case, a deputy will tend to function at an operational level, either alone or along with a cohort of other deputies, to enforce the policies, directives, and tactical assignments established by the sheriff.

In his Navajo detective novels, Tony Hillerman refers to both the regular dog-like wild animal found throughout the contiguous American continents and to Coyote, the trickster figure in Navajo cosmologies, for which the animal and its anthropomorphized character is the inspiration.

In Navajo mythology, Coyote (or First Coyote) is a trickster or troublemaker. He is often referred to as First Angry or First Scolder and is said to have brought witchcraft into the world. He appears in many stories both as a trickster who cannot be trusted and as a sexual being who tricks others in order to get his way. He is a main character of the Navajo creation story.

Corn Beetle, also known as Anlt'áni in Navajo, appears in the sandpaintings of some Navajo ceremonials. Early researchers incorrectly translated the Navajo word anlt'áni, which means "ripener," into English as "cornbeetle." In Navajo mythology, ripener insects refer to pollinating insects, specifially lacewing flies and tree crickets, that play a role in ripening corn. Corn Beetle is therefore also associated with fertility and the ripening of corn.

Corn Beetle Girl is often characterized as the female companion to Corn Pollen Boy, both of whom are personifications of the corn pollen required for most Navajo ceremonials, including the Blessingway. Because the Navajo believe the Holy People are present in all the things around them, Corn Beetle Girl is believed to be found in a variety of "ripener" insects.

Corn is a cereal plant, found throughout the Americas, that yields large grains, or kernels, set in rows on a cob. What we call corn today, however, has traditionally been referred to as maize. For many indigenous cultures in the Americas, corn is symbolic of life itself, and everything from its pollen, to its silky tassels, to its husks has symbolic significance. Thus, it becomes possible for a small boy to take scraps of corn husk and create an imaginary insect that turns into a messenger to the gods, which occurs in a Zuni myth retold by Hillerman as "The Boy Who Made Dragonfly." Even the smallest piece of this special plant is powerful enough to not only sustain but also to generate life.

Several of the other ceremonials described in Hillerman's fiction also use corn, its husks and pollen, in order to complete the rituals as per the Navajo Way as the Holy People prescribed.

A chapter house is a meeting place for Navajo people where they can publicly discuss their opinions about the goings on of the Navajo Nation and its governance. Implemented by Leupp Agency Superintendent John G. Hunter in 1922, the chapter house system quickly transcended the politics of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and gained a communal and cultural relevance of its own. Today, even though chapters are still identified by BIA agency, they have gained and grown at the grassroots level to function as community centers as well as political hubs around the broad territory of the Navajo Nation.

An alcoholic beverage, distilled from fermented grains and aged in wooden containers. Whiskey is made in many countries such as Ireland, the United States, Scotland, and Canada. Whiskey from Scotland is known as Scotch.

A concussion can result from a blow to the head which jars or otherwise impacts the brain. Brain function may be impaired temporarily, although a concussion does not always cause unconsciousness. Some of the symptoms and effects of a concussion are nausea, vision or equilibrium disturbances, confusion, and temporary amnesia.

A rough scrape caused by rubbing or grinding an object against the skin, resulting in an inflamed sore spot. The term abrasive refers to a substance, like sand, that can polish out imperfections and expose the underlying material, or, a gruff and disagreeable personality.

A rhythmic vocal recitation that is usually intended to provoke a meditative trance, spiritual healing, or to create the aural context for a performance such as a dance or other ceremonial. Chants can also be thought of as prayers that are sung and are often comprised of repeated phrases.

According to Navajo mythology, it is on Earth, full of beauty and balance, that First Man and First Woman have a child, Changing Woman, also known as White Shell woman or Asdzą́ą́ Nádleehé in Navajo. She is associated with sacred items that represent speech and thought, both of which are in a medicine bundle that Changing Woman inherits. Changing Woman is the mother of the Hero Twins, Monster Slayer and Born for Water. She is also the benevolent being who creates the first Navajo of the four original clans and corn and is therefore known for bringing fertility and regeneration into the world.