Encyclopedia of the Southwest (B)
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Bacavi, Arizona Also spelled Bacobi and Bakabi, Bacavi is a village located on the east side of Third Mesa, within the larger network and community of the Hopi people spread out across… |
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bacchanal A reference to followers of the Roman god Bacchus (also known in Greece as the god Dionysus), the god of fruitfulness, wine, and ecstasy. As he is the god of ecstasy, a… |
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bacteriologist A researcher or lab worker in the field of bacteriology. Bacteriology is a branch of microbiology dealing with the identification, study, and cultivation of bacteria… |
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badger The badger is known for its strength, perseverance, and ferocity. A burrowing animal with large claws for digging and the ability to navigate underground, the badger is… |
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Badger Clan In Native American social structures, a clan is an interrelated social group whose connections derive from parentage as well as kinship. Clan configurations develop and… |
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Bakersfield, California A city located in south-central California, about 110 miles north of Los Angeles. It was founded as an agricultural trade center in 1869, and was named after Thomas… |
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Balakai Arroyo, Arizona A dry stream that cuts through the Balakai Mesa, a part of the Black Mesa area on the Navajo Indian Reservation in northeastern Arizona. |
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Balakai Mesa, Arizona A 7,300 foot mountain peak that spans across the borders of the Apache and Navajo counties in Arizona. It sits to the southeast of Black Mesa and is important to the… |
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Balakai Point, Arizona Part of the Black Mesa mountainous area on the Navajo Indian Reservation in northeastern Arizona. Balakai Point forms the tip of Balakai mesa, which is associated with… |
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Baldwin steam engine The Baldwin Locomotive Works was one of the leading American producers of steam trains in the 19th century. The company was founded in the 1830s in Philadelphia, and by… |
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ballistic missile system A military weapon system that controls the launching of ballistic missiles, either conventional or nuclear. This term refers to the previously mentioned MIRV (Multiple… |
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bamboo A widely-dispersed and fast growing grass that, depending on the species, can grow as large as a tree. Paleolithic deposits of petrified bamboo have been documented… |
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bark Bark is the colloquial term for the protective outer layer of tissue on woody plants such as trees and shrubs. The technical name for bark is vascular cambium.… |
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barrel The hollow, cylindrical portion of a gun through which bullets or shot are discharged. Gun barrels vary in length; the length affects the volume, accuracy, and… |
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basalt One of the most abundant rock types underlying the Earth's surface, especially the upper oceanic crust, basalt is a dark-colored igneous rock. It can be fine-grained… |
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bastard A child born out of wedlock (marriage), who is therefore considered "illegitimate." Often used as a vernacular insult, suggesting that an individual is somehow less… |
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bay A sound an animal makes, similar to a howl or a loud growl. Most often associated with canids, including wolves, coyotes, foxes, and the domesticated dogs. … |
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Baylor University, Texas A private Baptist university located in Waco, Texas. The university, named after one of its founders, Judge R. E. B. Baylor, was chartered by the Texas Baptist… |
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BB Small circular pellets shot from air-powered guns often called BB or pellet guns. |
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bead Typically a small, often rounded object with a hole bored through the center through which a length of fiber, sinew, or gut can be threaded. Beads are formed from stone… |
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bear In some Native American traditions, the bear is considered the most powerful of all of the animals and is one of the most popular subjects of Native American artists.… |
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Bearer of the Sun In Navajo mythology there is a difference between the sun in the sky and the Bearer of the Sun, also known as Tsohanoai in navajo. The Bearer of the Sun is the holy… |
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Beautiful Mountain, New Mexico Called Dziłk'i Hózhónii (Mountain Beautiful on Top) in Diné, it is the tallest peak in San Juan County, New Mexico and is sacred to the Navajo. It lies 25 miles… |
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beauty In the context in which Tony Hillerman tends to use the word "beauty," it refers to the Navajo concept of hózhǫ́, the state in which all living things are ordered, in… |
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bed The back, open portion of a pickup truck, used for transporting cargo. |