Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-06-18
Building the Home According to a
Prescribed Ritual.
HOUSE, WARMING on A LARGE SCALE
Praying That Evil Fortune May
Never Come.
INTERESTING DEvoTIONs

A report has been prepared for the Smith
sonian Institution on the hogans or houses
of the Navajo Indians, from field studies
extending over several years. This report,
which is now In press. and will appear In
the annual report of the bureau of Amer
lean ethnology, will attract much attention
when it is issued, as it opens field hither-
to untouched, and reveals a wealth of cere-
monial in an unexpected place,
The houses Of the Navajcs appear to be
very simple structures-mere earth-covered
huts; but in fact their construction is
matter of prescribed ritual, and their dedi-
cation, or the ceremony corresponding to
the old Saxon house-warming, is quite
elaborate. The houses, like those in the
early history of frontier towns, are
put up for some Individual by the volun-
teere1 labor of his neighbors and friends,
and an after ceremony. in which feasting
nas part, is thus matter Of necessity.
When it becomes necessary to erect a
new hogan the head of the family selects
the place. generally in some sheltered
nook, protected by cliffs, or on a warm.
sunny slope on the edge of a cedar grove,
conVenlent TO some spring or pool Of water,
Dut not directly near it. The reason given
Tor not locating near to water Is that the
refuse from the house would poison the
water. but probably the custom came down
from the time when these Indians were a
huEtlns tribe. and never camped near
springs. lest the game which came there
might be frightened away.
All Done In Order
Having selected the site and notified the
helshbors that on a certain day a hogan
would De put up. at the appointed time a
number or men gather there, and with
Wiling hands. soon complete the simple
STRUCTURE The first step is to procure five
neavy beams or trunks of trees about
we've 1eet long and not less than a foot
.nick at the base. Three of them must
nave FORKS at the small end, while the
other two must be straight throughout.
lhe three tree trunks are laid out on the
ground, with the ends pointing to the north
south and west, and with the forks inter-
Iocklhe IN the center. Then number of
men take hold of them and lift them until
the interlocked center is seven or eight
rect clear from the ground, while the butts
are slightly buried. so as to make a firm
ana solid frame. The two straight timbers
are then placed in sloping position on the
east side of the frame. about three feet
apart on the ground and perhaps one foot
at the top. This is the doorway or EN-
trance. and is invariably placed so as to
face the east. In fact, the placing of each
log Is done according to a prearranged
order-hrst, the NORTH then the south then
me west, and, finally, the two on the east
AL this stage the house consists of five
Tree truI ks leaning together in pyramidal
form ana securely locked at the top by the
lnteriacinS forks. Sn aller poles are now
placed eli around between the Others and
these are cal efClly covered with slabs aid
sbreds OF cedar bark. Over all a GOVERNS,
o. eafth Is placed, some six or eight inches
ceep, and very comfortable and reason
ably commodious hut is produced These
nuts usually measure about fifteen feet IN
dle meter on the ground. and not intro
M lat
time The doorway is framed and built
out very much after the fashion Of a dor
mer window. but no doors other mears
OF closing the entrance are provided: a
blanket hung over the opening serves all
purposes.
Prayers for the House.
AS rule it requires but one day to com-
plete house. and the work is usually fin
ished as the sun goes down AS darkness
approaches the ceremonies begin The
wife sweeps out the house with a wisp CT
grass, and makes a fire directly under the
smoke hole in the center. She then goes
to the bundle of household effects, which
are still outside. and pours a quantity CT
white cornmeal into shallow saucer
shs ped basket. This is handed to the hos
teen, or head of the family, who enters the
house and rubs handful of the dry meal
on the five principal timbers of the frame,
beginning with the south doorway timhar
While making this gift" as the proceed
Ing IS called. the man preserves strict
silence: but as next, with a sweeping mo-
ton OF his hand from left to right, the
scored direction, ''as the sun travels" he
sprinkles the meal around the outer cir
conference of the floor, he breaks into a
solemn chant. to which the spectators
make the responses. This is in effect a
prayer that the house may be q Delightful
place of residence to its occupants
The woman of the house then makes an
offering to the fire by throwing handful
OF meal upon 1t, and sings a song some
what resembling that of the man She
piays that the house may be a delightful
place to her children, that it NAV always
contain food in plenty and that her hocks
ahG other possessions may increase while
she lives there.
By the time these forms have been cb-
served night will have fallen. While the
house building was in progress during the
DAY the women We're busiiy engaged in pre-
pairing food, and when the preliminary pro-
ceedings have been completed all the par
Elephants gather within the house. the fam
lily possessions are brought in. blanket is
suspended over the door. and the fire Is
trimmed to burn brightly. The women
bring in food in earthen pots and basins
and having set them down before the
guests huddle together by themselves to
fall to, every one helps himself from the
pots by dipping in with his fingers. the
meat Is broken into pieces. and the bones
are gnawed upon and socially passed from
tobacco and corn husks are produced, Gig
arettes are made, and convivial gossipy
talk prevails for several hours. This cere-
mony is known the house salutation,
and is merely an introduction to the more
elaborate proceeding called the house de-
yotionS.'
The House DevotiOns.
Sometimes the latter take place as soon
as the house is finished, but usually there
is an interval Of several days to enable the
house builders to invite all their friends
and prepare the necessary food for their
entertainment. Aside from affording an
occasion for merrymaking to the young
people the house devotions' have a
solemn Significance to the elders II they
are not observed soon after the house Is
completed bad dreams will plague the
jewellers therein, toothache (Which Is par
ticularly dreaded for mythical reasons) will
torture them. and the evil influences from
the north Will cause them all kinds Of
bodily i'll: the flocks will dwindle. ill luck
will come. ghosts will haunt the place, and
the house will become accursed.
A few days after the house is finished an
arrangement is made with some medicine