People of Darkness (1980)

In many traditional cultures, turquoise has been valued for its color, which evokes both the sky and water. Because of the significance of the sky, which facilitates the passage of the sun and the coming of rain, turquoise is often referred to as “the sky stone.” Turquoise is associated with life, health, fortune, and blessings. Turquoise can be found in medicine pouches, incorporated into Zuni fetishes, carved into beads, and set as larger stones in traditional Navajo and Pueblo silver work, although it wasn’t until the late 19th century that turquoise was associated with silver jewelry, when Atsidi Sani, a Navajo silversmith, began incorporating turquoise stones into the Spanish-style silversmithing he had learned as an apprentice. Silver and turquoise jewelry was popularized by the burgeoning tourist trade in the Southwest, and nearby Pueblo people, Hopi and Zuni, also began making turquoise jewelry.

In Navajo and Pueblo traditions, as well as many other Native American cultures, the underworld is thought of as the watery, dark realm of creation from which people emerged into the present world. The underworld represents the various levels of existence through which people journey before finally rising onto the surface of the Earth to exist in the world as we know it now. While the underworld is believed to be the place of human origin, it also represents the realm of spirits, gods, or the Holy People, and it is where the dead reside after passing away from this world..

A seasonal lake bed located north of Grants, New Mexico. The lake was named “La Laguna del Difunta Ambrosio” after a Spaniard who was presumably killed by Native Americans in the vicinity. The area surrounding the lake is known for its rich uranium deposits, which were mined starting in the 1950s. This mining led to the accumulation of radioactive waste in and around the lake. In 1987, the Department of Energy initiated a cleanup of contaminated materials, a slow process that lasted until 1995.

In the context of mining and oil drilling, casing refers to a large pipe that is inserted into a well's borehole and then cemented into place. Casings serve various purposes including providing a strong foundation for drilling deeper into the reservoir, preventing water contamination, and containing high pressure oil zones so that blowouts do not reach the surface.

Current maps of Grants, New Mexico show no indication that such a road exists. It is possible that road names have changed since the time Hillerman wrote People of Darkness in the late 1970s. It is also possible that he invented this particular route in the process of writing his fictional novel. Rural Route 2 could also refer to County Road 42, located south of Grants and east of Ramah, running east-west through a southern portion of the El Malpais National Monument and conservation areas, where remnants of historical homesteads have been identified.

A large medical facility located next to the University of New Mexico (UNM) campus in Albuquerque, New Mexico. First known as the Bernalillo County Indian Hospital, the facility was opened in October 1954, and its construction was a joint project of Bernalillo County and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. At the time, it was the only hospital dedicated to serving the area’s Native American communities. In the late 1960s, the hospital became part of UNM and was renamed the Bernalillo County Medical Center. In 1979, it was again renamed to the University of New Mexico Hospital.

Autocracy is a governing system in which a single person or group retains total ruling power. An autocratic person is someone who assumes absolute control over an organization or a particular situation. To be autocratic is to be tyrannical, dictatorial, and domineering.

Native to deserts and semi-arid habitats of North and Central America, the horned frog, more commonly referred to as a horned, or horny, toad, is in fact a lizard, identifiable by its round shape, short snout, and spike-covered (horned) head and back. In various indigenous cultures in the Americas, the horned toad is revered as a grandfather figure, one who can bestow blessings and luck.

The horned toad is usually brown, gray, or yellow in color, and feeds on ants, as well as other insects such as grasshoppers and spiders. When attacked, some species can squirt blood out of their eyes to a distance of up to three feet. The blood contains a noxious chemical that deters dogs and coyotes.

Also spelled Hastiin, Hosteen is a term of respectful address in Navajo meaning man or husband. In Navajo, "First Man," from the Navajo Origin Story, is called Áłtsé Hastiin. Often, Hosteen is used before a last name, functioning in a way that is similar to the usage of Mister (Mr.) in English.

A type of rock also known as steatite, which has a high content of talc and a texture that is relatively soft and therefore conducive to stone carving. With prolonged exposure to air, it hardens and its natural gray, green or brown color darkens. Soapstone was used by indigenous peoples throughout the Americas to make ceremonial objects, bowls, pipes, and fetishes.