O^O 



THE IXFM'FA'ZA AND TIIK NAVAJO. 



Al.MKKT 15. RkACA.N. 



The Walkotnn (Iiul.) Iiidopcndoiif iiiid Tlic Iiidi.'iii Sdinol .Touriiiil h(jtli 

 roport : "Dispjilclios from IMioi'iilx. Ai-izoii;i. sl.ilc tlinl Iwo tlious.-iiid 

 Navajos. rcsidiiiji <»ii tluit part of tlif rosorvatioii in Apaclic (Jouiity, under 

 the jurisdiction of Fort Doliance (reprt'sontinj,' about onc-tiftli of tlie Navajo 

 country) have died of influenza. The cliief ck'rk of tlio Xavajo agency 

 nia<le the report." 



It is the writer's belief tliat the above statenuMil is a srross exairueration ; 

 yet the death-rate was appalling. Probably no otlicr pco])!!' in the T'liiteil 

 States suffered from the ravages of this plague at ail conipai'alile witli them. 



The Navajos belong to the Athapascan stock of Indians and are full 

 cousins of the Apache. In the 17th century, they appr(»i)riated the farm 

 lands of the Tewa Indians of New Mexico, called Navahu, and engaged in 

 farming. To distinguish them from the other and more roving Apaches, 

 they were called Apaches de Navajo or "great seed sowings" by the Span- 

 iards. In time, the first part of the name was dropped, leaving tlie name 

 "Navajo" as the tribal signification, tliough at the present time it is a mis- 

 nomer as they are now a pastoral people. This name is not used by the 

 Navajos except when they try to speak English. In fact, many of the tribe 

 do not know it and only the educated part of the tribe can pronounce the 

 word correctly, as "v" is a sound unknown in their language. They call 

 themselves "Dine" (the people), which, in its variable forms, is the gen- 

 eral tribal name of the whole Athapascan family. 



They believe that they were created by the gods of Arizona and Utah 

 about 500 years ago. though they believe that the earth was previously 

 peopled with human beings most of whom were destroyed by demon giants. 

 They probably wandered into Arizona and New Mexico in small bands from 

 the north. A joining of these groups enabled them to make a successful 

 war on their neighbors. By this means and by adoption of the captured 

 women into the tribe, they soon became a powerful people. Be.sides the 

 addition of .several Athapasc.-ui bands that joined them of their own free 

 will, their stock is now made up of descendants of captured I'ueblos, Sho- 

 shoneans, Yumans, and Aryans. Their language is a modified Dine dialect 

 of copious vocabulary and intricate grammatical construction, exhibiting 

 many words, phrases and constructions from outside sources. Also in ap- 

 l)earance, the Navajos have no prevailing type which gives further evidence 

 of their composite origin. The population of the tribe is estimated to be in 

 the neighborhood of 35,000. 



They have several kinds of houses, among which are the hogan (dwell- 

 ing), the medicine lodge, and sweat-hou.se. They are all cone-shaped, 

 built of upright poles or logs placed horizontally in polygonal, worm-fence 

 shai>e over which branches, grass, and earth are placoil. A smoke-hole at 

 the apex serves as a chinuiey for each kind except the sweat-house which 



