There is good in harmony—the harmony of the Navajo with the universe and all living creatures on earth. When he lives in accordance with the universe, he can expect the wealth of a clean soul that protects the whole being from the evil that preys upon his sacred dwellings.
The hogan is built in the manner of this harmony. The roof is in the likeness of the sky. The walls are in the likeness of he Navajo’s surroundings: the upward position of the mountains, hills, and trees. And the floor is ever in touch with the “earth mother”.
The hogan is comprised of white shell, abalone, turquoise, and obsidian, bringing the home and the sacred mountains into one sacred unit. The home is also adorned with the dawn, the blue sky, the twilight and the night—the sun in the center as the fire.
Consistent with this harmony are prayers, songs, ideas, and plans—a desire for all good things. Fire, water, air, and soil are required for the existence and well being of every living thing—plants as well as animals; they all become a part of the home and its harmony with the universe.
A long time ago the hogan was built in one day because of the belief that if it was not finished at the coming of night, the evil ones would come to possess the home and cause illnesses. Many times the style of the hogan was changed to meet the necessary time limit, especially in places when wood was not available.
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When the hogan is finished, a medicine man blesses the home in beauty, with happiness from all directions, from the earth and the sky, with protection from illnesses and all things evil, with the promise of shelter to the family and anyone in need. During the sing or in the process of the dedication, the home is marked from the inside above the walls in four directions (representing the sacred mountains) to remind the family and all others that the home has been dedicated and blessed and thus it is in the grace of the Great Spirit.
The hogan is a sacred dwelling. It is the shelter of the people of the earth, a protection, a home, and a refuge. Because of the harmony in which the hogan is built, the family can be together to endure hardships and grow as part of the harmony between the sacred mountains, under the care of “Mother Earth” and “Father Sky”.
I was raised in such a home and received many blessings in accordance with the ways of the people. Wherever I go, I will always be a part of the harmony, which exists between the home and the sacred mountains. I am Navajo.
In this series of short stories, Louis takes us from the Hogan—a traditional Navajo dwelling—to the importance of family and elders; the role of the woman, wife and mother; responsibilities; survival; the clan system; the land; the medicine man and more. Be sure to read all the stories and to “Discover Navajo.”
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