Encyclopedia of the Southwest (B)

Formerly known as Ranchos de Zuni, Black Rock is currently an incorporated extension of Zuni Pueblo. Its name derives from its location on the south side of the Zuni…

In some versions of Navajo traditional medicine, when a person is thought to have been contaminated by coming into contact with an enemy or enemy witch, he can be taken…

Blake's Lotaburger is a popular local chain of fast food burger restaurants found throughout the state of New Mexico. Blake Chanslor served his first Lotaburger -- the…

Commonly spelled Blessingway. As opposed to the other Navajo (Diné) Chant Ways, which are used to effect a cure of a problem, the Blessingway (Hózhójí) is used to bless…

A hole in the surface bedrock through which air passes. These blowholes can occur in sea caves where the pressure of the water blasts a hole through the roof of the…

Also known as the Hard Flint Boys, the Blue Flint Boys are playful characters that work as intermediaries between Black God, who controls the sky, and the Navajo.…

A small community located on the Navajo Indian Reservation in northeastern Arizona. The community has a mission, a school, and a post office, and is located on the…

The great blue heron is a large water bird native to North America. It can be found in saltwater as well as freshwater habitats, and is quite common in the Southwest,…

Blue Point is part of Padilla Mesa, which is a 10-mile-long low mesa located within the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation in northeastern Arizona.

When Tony Hillerman's characters refer to a "blue policeman," they are referencing Navajo "Law and Order" officers. His use of this colloquial term is in reference to…

A school where students live while they attend classes. Although some boarding schools have reputations for academic excellence and are notable for the elite and…

Bobcats are a mid-sized wild cat named for their bobbed tails. They have pointed ears and are about double the size of a domesticated housecat. Bobcats live all over…

A wheeled hospital gurney, usually made of stainless steel, which is used for holding, examining, or transporting the bodies of dead people.

A detonator is a small explosive device that activates a larger bomb while ensuring a time delay for safety. Detonators can be electrical, chemical, mechanical, or…

A person who makes, smuggles, and sells illegal objects. Historically the term referred to people who smuggled alcohol concealed in their boots.

In Navajo mythology, Born of Water, also known as Water Child, is one of the twin sons of Changing Woman born to rid the earth of the monsters who were killing the…

An unincorporated community of the Navajo Nation located in McKinley County, NM. The Spanish name Borrego, meaning "yearling lamb," corresponds with the Navajo name,…

The name of the small, forty-square-mile reservation that the Navajo people were forcibly moved to in 1863-1864. Kit Carson and his New Mexican army led approximately…

The long, malleable branch of a tree.

A large piece of rock that has been detached from a larger rock surface by weathering, whether physical or chemical.

A game traditionally played by Navajo women before sunset. The Navajo name for this game is tsìdìł. Navajo legend suggests that Changing Woman gave the game to the…

Chosen by the Pekwin or head priest, the Bow priests are a warrior society linked to the cult of Ahayuda, the Zuni twin war gods. The Bow Priests care for the shrine of…

The Bow Priests are conspicuous in Zuni cosmology and in the first world, it was the Bow Priests who planted the prayer stick that allowed the people to climb out…

A translation of the Kiowa word "Tah'-lee-da-i" which refers to one of the twin boys in the Kiowa origin story who transformed himself into the ten medicine bundles…

This is the term ethnologist Frank Cushing gave to Zuni processed seeds and grains. All kinds of batter cakes, bread and crackers were made by placing the batter in…