Browse by Title: D
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Dallas, Texas The third largest city in Texas (after Houston and San Antonio). Dallas is located in the northeastern part of the state in a flat, hot, and humid subtropical region.… |
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Dance Hall of the Dead A reference to the holy village beneath Lake Kolhu/wala-wa, where the Zuni go to be with their ancestors after they have died. In Zuni mythology, before settling into… |
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dances In many Native American cultures, dancing is a common part of spiritual, communal ceremonies. Dancing can be a form of supplication to spirits or deities, for… |
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Darkness to Be One Black God, known as Haashchʼééshzhiní in Navajo, is the god of fire and creator of the stars according to Navajo tradition. In his Navajo mystery series, Tony Hillerman… |
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datura Datura is a genus of flowering plants that is used as a narcotic in various cultural traditions throughout the Americas. Because of its hallucinatory properties, its… |
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Dawn People The Dawn People are Holy People (deities) of Navajo mythology. In Navajo culture, the Holy People are immortal beings who can take the form of landscape elements,… |
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deadfall A trap consisting of a weight that is balanced to fall, crush, and kill an animal. Deadfall can also refer to a mass of tangled… |
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death hogan In Navajo culture, when a person dies inside a hogan, the traditional Navajo house, it is believed that the person’s spirit, known as “chindi,” can remain trapped in… |
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debris Pieces of stone removed from a larger core that aren't usable or identifiable as having an intentionally crafted blade edge. Debris is obviously associated with the… |
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decoy Something used to distract attention away from something or someone else. |
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deer Because of its prevalence throughout the Southwest, Hillerman is probably referring to the mule deer, named for its ears, which are large like those of the mule.… |
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deerskin Although the Zunis are renowned horticulturists, deer hunting was a ritual activity conducted on a communal and individual level. Deerskin was often used for moccasins… |
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denim A tough cotton textile, typically dyed indigo blue. First made in France, where it was called "serge de Nîmes," which is where we get the name "denim," the fabric has… |
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Denver, Colorado The "mile-high" capital and largest city in Colorado, Denver is located at the western end of the Great Plains, just east of the Rocky Mountains. Arapaho peoples… |
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deputy sheriff A deputy sheriff is subordinate to the sheriff, often operating as the second-in-command. A sheriff is generally an elected… |
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Deputy to the Sun This is one of the titles for the role a young Zuni man performs when participating in the Shalako ceremony, which takes place around the winter solstice. The winter… |
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Desdemona The wife of Othello in William Shakespeare’s play OTHELLO, THE MOOR OF VENICE. Othello murders Desdemona after he is convinced by the villian, Iago, that she is being… |
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desert An arid environment characterized by limited rainfall, sparse vegetation, and animals that are specially adapted for extreme temperature changes. In the U.S. Southwest… |
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despair An enduring despondency and sadness causing the loss of hope for a positive futurity. |
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Dewey Landslide In politics, a landslide describes an electoral victory in which a candidate wins by a sweeping majority of votes. In the election of 1948, Thomas E. Dewey, who was the… |
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dictum A public statement, opinion, or observation intended or interpreted as an authoritative pronouncement. |
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died aborning An anachronistic metaphor that alludes to a figurative death upon arrival, specifically in terms of the generation of thoughts while brainstorming. In other words, as… |
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diesel Diesel is a petroleum derivative used for fuel and gets better fuel efficiency than gas, although as it combusts to produce the energy harnessed to drive engines, it… |
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dig An archaeological site in which soil and other organic and inorganic materials are removed during a methodical investigation of the contents of the various historical… |
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dilettante An individual who superficially exhibits "strong" or "deep" cultural attachments without knowing anything about the culture to which he or she becomes attached. The… |