Group gathered at Hole in the Rock
Estefania Soto shares what she learned about the land from our Navajo teachers, beginning with the creation myth and applying this to an experience that connected her to this place:
During my time with the Navajo I’ve listened, learned, and experienced what it is to have a connection to the land. I’ll start by recounting what I remember of the Navajo creation story as told to us by Emory Denny one morning at Diné College. Then I’ll tell you about my own experience in the mountains next to the campus.
The first panel in a mural painted in the Hogan (2nd floor) of the Ned Hatathli Center
In the first world creation had four mountain peaks and each had its own deity. One was white, the other one blue, one yellow and one black. This world soon became unsustainable because one of the creatures was getting power hungry and there was fighting, so one of the deities said, “you can’t live here anymore.” They had to figure out how to go to the second world because they had ruined the balance. One of the deities told them to cross over the rainbow to get to the second world so the people and creatures crossed over.
The second panel depicting the Navajo creation story
The second world was blue and also had the four main mountains in each corner. Unlike the first world there were already beings living there. The beings welcomed the newcomers and each went their separate ways and started living peacefully. Again, there was disharmony and everyone had to move to the third world by crossing over a rainbow.
Panel 3
The third world welcomed the newcomers but soon they separated the males from the females. By doing this the males realized how much they needed the females for cooking and fixing clothes and the females realized they needed the males for hard labor and fixing the homes. They realized how much they needed each other to maintain balance so they came back together and lived well.
Coyote wanted children but he couldn’t have any, so he resorted to kidnapping one of the dragon’s children. Coyote quickly took the boy and went into hiding. This caused imbalance in the third world. The Dragon mother began to worry about her child so she crossed to the third world in search of him. By doing so she raised the water level of the third world. Someone saw a blue line on top but did not realize it was water. Each passing day that blue line would get higher and higher until one of the villagers noted that Coyote had been quiet, which was odd behavior for him.
A few villagers confronted Coyote to find out what he had done to cause this blue line to rise. Coyote denied that he had done anything, but before he could explain one of the villagers pried his arm and found the Dragon’s son hidden underneath. They told him he had to give her son back but he refused, so the villagers threatened him with punishment. Making a hard decision, Coyote made his way to the beach and released the Dragon’s son back into the water.
The mother Dragon hadn’t realized her son had been released so the water level kept rising. Because of this another deity informed the people they could no longer live in the 3rd world because it would be flooded. A villager asked, “how do we get to the next world?” The deity said,” plant these seeds and a stalk will grow.” The villager agreed and took the seeds and planted them. A stalk grew right away. All the creatures and people began to climb up the stalk. They had to climb to the top but the creatures in the fourth world, the white world, wouldn’t let them pass. They had to prove that they were worthy to live on the land. “If you pass this test, we will welcome you here and if not, you will have to go back to where you came from.”
The fourth panel
The water was still rising, it even touched the goat’s tail and that is why it is white. One of the creatures from the third world volunteered to do the test. They were given poison and would have to be able to survive without dyeing in order to enter the fourth world. All the other creatures waiting below realized that the one had been given poison so they started to sing to heal the creature and help them survive. The creature survived. “Since I passed your test then now you should do one of mine.”, the creature said. But before that the same creature got a sword and swallowed it whole. The fourth world witnessing this, backed off and gave them all permission to live there. This is the world we live in now. Mother Dragon found her son and the water level returned to normal.
One thing I noticed about the four Navajo worlds is that there were always four sacred mountains which were given to the Navajo by the deities. These mountains are known as Sisnaajini or Blanca Peak to the east, Tsoodzit or Mount Taylor to the south, Doko’oostiid or The San Francisco Peaks to the West, Dibentsaa or Hesperus Peak to the north. The Navajos are told to live within those four mountains. These mountains were given by the gods to protect and provide for the Navajos. The number four is significant because of these mountains. There are the four directions, the four sacred colors, the four seasons, and the four clans which each Navajo identifies with. In this way the Navajos have a deep connection to the land, because the four mountains make their way into every aspect of Navajo life through the sacred number four.
I’ve also observed that when I’m with Navajos they notice things like moisture in the air when it’s about to rain. They also use the ground to track animals when hunting and they use corn pollen for prayers and ceremonies. Navajo people’s connection to land is not the same as mine but, in some ways, I also incorporated this connection to land before coming here. I loved sitting in my front porch and listening to the trees and birds. I have always liked witnessing the beauty of nature all around me, but I’m now more connected to a certain mountain then I’ve ever been before.
View from the Chuska Mountains
Not too long ago we all went on a hike in the Chuska Mountains. This hike was beautiful. We got to see views and landscapes that I’m not used to. But coming back to the van from the hike was incredibly challenging and for me. At times during the hike, I almost felt like the mountain didn’t want us there, like we were trespassing on her. However, there were many times when the trees would help me, and I could hold on and have steady ground. When we finally got out of the mountains we gave thanks to the trees, and said prayers with the corn pollen. Our guide Bryan (the son of president of Dine College) said, “Your blood, sweat and tears are in the mountain now!” Getting back was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life.
A few of us hopped on the back of Bryan’s truck exhausted from our trek and rode up to the place where our bus was parked. While riding in the back I saw the most beautiful sight I’ve ever seen, a bright moon shining down on us, lighting the way for us. For some reason it felt like the mountains were saying, “You’re welcome”. At that moment there was a connection that I couldn’t describe. It was a feeling of being embraced by the mountain, kind of like the mountain was inviting me to come back.
I felt so comfortable driving through the mountains and I finally understood what it means to be connected. I had had an experience with the land that I will never forget. I feel like I have passed a test, similar to the creatures entering the fourth world, and I have been welcomed to come back whenever I can.
