The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1900-08-31
RUDE NAVAJO INDIAN HOMES
No Progress Has Been Made In Their
Character or Constructton
for Centuries.

In New Mexico and Arizona the
Navajo Indians, who have been but
little affected by the march Of civil
cation. have homes which show I'M
changed the ideas Of hundreds of
years ago. Rude and primitive
as the houses of the Navajoes
-hogans, they call them-are, every
detail is dictated by rules strictly ad-
hered to. The erection of one is a
real ceremonial, followed by an elab-
crate ritual of dedication. says the
Scientific American.
Thousands of examples of these
queer houses are to be found in the
Navajo reservation, and hundreds
more are built every year. The ho-
gans are hidden away so effectually
that travellers uEaccustomed to the
country might SO for days and not
see more than n dozen, and get the
impression that the country is prac-
tically uninhabited. yet the tribe
numbers 10000.
The site the Navajo prefers for his
home is either some sheltered mock
In mesa or o southern slope on the
edge of grove of pinon or cedar.
Seldom is house built close to q
spring or other water. 1t is probable
that the custom of nalf-concealed
habitations is q survival from the
time when the Navajoes lived by plum
der and momentarily expected repri-
sails from their victims. When the
site Is selected the family moves to
the place, taking all their possessions
with them, including tlocks of sheep
and goats and herds of horses and cat
tie. The hosteen, as the head of the
family Is called, drives the ponies and
cattle; he carries his arms, for the
coyotes may be troublesome at night,
two or three blankets and bnckslsin
on his saddle. but nothing more. After
him comes flock of sheep and goats,
bleating and nibbling ct the bushes
and grass as they slowly trot along,
urged by the dust-begrimed squaw
and her children.
Search is made for suitable trees.
Three of them must terminate In
spreading forks but the other two.
which are intended for the door
frame, are chosen for their straight
ness The timbers are laid on the
ground with their forlSed ends to-
gether, somewhat In the form of the
letter ct" extreme care being taken
to have the butt of one log point ex-
ectly to the north, another to the
south, and the third to the west. The
straight timbers are then laid down.
with the small ends close to the forks
of the north and south timbers, and
their butt ends pointing due cost.
When the tsadi, or frame Of FIVE
timbers. is completed the sides of the
structure are filled in with smaller
poles and branches of trees, set as
closely as possible on the ground, and
bound together. At the same time
other workers construct the door
frame, which. in appearance, is like
O dormer window. Two straight poies,
with forked tops, are driven into the
ground at the base of and close In
side of the doorway timbers, n cross
stick is placed In the forks and an.
other on the doorway timoers at the
same level. This provides the basis
for fat roof, the space between IL
and the apex Of the hogan on the
sloping side being left open for
smoke hole. The sides OF the project
Ing doorway are filed In witheupright
sticks. The entire structure is next
covered with cedar bark, and earth
is then thrown on to thickness of
about six inches. making the hut
strictly wind and water proof. This
completes the house.