Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-07-07
NAVAJO BELIEFS
Some Of the Superstitions Of the
Tribe Regarding Food and
Other Matters.
WILL NOT PARTAKE OF FISH

- NAS ANNf
ajo Indians of New Mexico, as follows:
1t is difficult, if not impossible, for a
white man thoroughly to understand
the workings of an Indian mind, so diff
ferent is the method of reasoning from
anything with which we are familiar.
A great wealth of curious conceptions
lies at the hand of the student, and it
is a field which as yet has hardly been
touched. In the first place, to the In
dian there is no unknown; everything
must be explained, and the native X
FOUNDER of the Indian philosophy can
not, like our own, take refuge in what
Max Muller has called the verbal
myths Of SCIENCE" such as the modern
conception of ether as an a~ll-pervading
substance, extending throughout an in
finite universe. The very idea of an in
finite universe would be impossible of
comprehension by an Indian, not to
mention others in a higher state of cul-
ture. Then, again, cause and effect, as
we use and understand the terms, are
entirely beyond the conception Of the
lower races of men. The explanations
which they give of natural phenomena
are always the most simple and direct
that could be reached On a superficial
view. Thus when the wind blows it is a
god who is blowing; when the thunder
rolls it is the thunder-bird Tapping his
wings in the sky; when the lightning
plays it is the forked tongue Of the
great serpent god who makes the rain,
etc.
h same mental traits are extended
into the religious life Of the Indians, and
give rise to a curious system Of ethics.
Indeed, that system dominates the ev-
ery-day life of the people to an extent
which is incredible to a people living the
free life that we do. In the aggregate
these curious o~bservances may be
classed as superstitions, yet we are all
more or less superstitious. The man
who feels a certain uneasiness when he
finds himself one Of thirteen at table, or
who breaks his egg shells lest the fairies
~ IAASAAA oo oSoSo W 1890 away
his good luck, is no better and no worse
than a savage in this regard. Among
primitive peoples these ideas often take
the form of taboos-things which must
not be done, and especially things which
must not be eaten.
The Navajo Indian has just as strong,
and from this point of view. just as
good, reasons for abstaining from the
use of fish as the good Jew has for
eschewing pork. That taboo is one of
the most curious superstitions which
ever troubled mankind. These Indians
will not eat fish under any circum-
stances, although they know other
tribes who practically live upon such
food, and thousands of them have seen
white men eat fish and still live. Yet
the Navajo believes, and believes earn
estly, that if he should eat fish, ever
by accident and unknown to himself,
his body will swell up to an enormous
size and his skin will break out in sores
through which the bones will come out.
In the early days Of the American
contact with the tribe, forty or fifty
years ago, much the same feeling exist
ed in regard to pork, and to this day
some of the old men will not touch it.
But this feeling was almost destroyed
after the Navajo war some thirty years
ago, when practically the whole tribe
surrendered and were deported to San
Carlos. There they died by hundreds
from inconsistencies, which to an Indian
is often fatal, but as they were fed prin-
cipally on bacon the old men attributed
the deaths to that food. Even those who
will eat pork on a pinch prefer some
thing else when they car get it. Sheep
and goats are fine, horses and even dogs
are all right. Indeed, a young horse is
considered a delicacy, while a prairie
dog roasted in the ashes is a treat. Even
a yellow cur dog is eaten with gusto
The Navajo cannot understand ou1
prejudice against horse meat. He as.
serts that a young horse is much better
than an old COW, and he extends his
statement to cover burros. Much Of the
venison which is peddled at the various
ranches by Indians is only burro by
another name. On one occasion a Nav
ajo brought in the hide of a burro ant
offered it for sale. The trader abused
him roundly for offering such trash, bu'
he was considerably taken aback whel
the Indian replied: what are you an
CRY about? Ten days ago I sold you tn,
hind quarter of that beast, and you hav'
since told me 1t was very good eating
What Is the matter with the hide?"
Although there are plenty of bear il
parts Of the reservation, the Navajo will
not kill one If he can avoid 1t, and neve
for food. No sum Of money would temp
him to touch a dead bear, nor, for tina
matter, a live one. He has the sam
feeling in regard to the coyote, who's
name he uses as a synonym for every
thing cowardly and despicable, and
coyote skin is an effective tent guard
Not long since I narrowly escaped hav
ing a tremendous fight in camp on tina
account. A young Navajo, celebrate
for his perpetual good nature, was sen
down into a ditch and gave one Of tn
white men his silver bracelet to kee
for him. The man put 1t in a box in
tent and threw a coyote skin over 1t t
keep away meddlers. When the India
applied for his property he was toll
where 1t was, and eventually he foun
it, but when he came out he wanted t
whip the whole camp, and as the othe
Indians took up his cause 1t was a lon
time before peace was restored. Lat
that evening the Navajo was still scour
ing his bracelet with sand and waite
to remove the contamination Of the coy
ote skin, and I vas informed that late
he took 1t to a medicine man to hav