Adams] SHONTO : ROLE OF NAVAHO TRADER 101 



a marriage-right. The latter, consequently, is valid only so long as 

 the marriage contract is in force. 



In the case of land, inherited use-right rests with the resident line- 

 age rather than with residence groups. Ultimate control of territory 

 is, in fact, the sole economic function of Shonto's resident lineages 

 (see "Economic Interdependence," below) . Within the resident line- 

 age territory, utilization of land by member residence groups is a 

 matter for adjustment between interested parties, on the basis of 

 need. In practice the grazing territories utilized by different groups 

 are constantly fluctuating with the increase or decline of individual 

 flocks. Consequently residence group use-rights to land are neither 

 hereditary nor contractual; they are simply established ad hoc — 

 hence may be termed established use-rights. In the case of farms, 

 established use-right may be in the name of residence groups or, in 

 some cases, individual households. 



Control of livestock (other than horses) by residence groups also 

 comes more or less under the heading of established use-right. "Wliile 

 livestock are owned in the name of individuals, subject to contractual 

 rights in the household, they are in practice usually operated on a 

 communal basis by the whole residence group. Through such opera- 

 tional participation, all households establish some claim upon the 

 products of slaughter, regardless of ownership. 



The structure of use-rights as exerted by socioeconomic miits is 

 shown in table 14. Of particular interest here is the status of wage 

 opportunities in Shonto community. Regardless of the will of White 

 employers, all such jobs are under the effective control of one or 

 another resident lineage. Attempts to secure employment by non- 

 members are overtly treated as acts of trespass, punishable as such. 



Sanctions against trespass are only a part of the set of sanctions by 

 which control is established. Once an intruder has actually secured 

 employment, or such a situation is anticipated, members of the threat- 

 ened lineage will conunonly furnish the employer with a steady 

 stream of adverse reports on the work and character of the intruder. 

 Especially effective are accusations of drunkenness and undepend- 

 ability. Other employees will also frequently refuse to cooperate 

 with the intruder. 



Among the employees of Shonto school (all of whom are closely 

 related) the ultimate and completely effective device for 

 disposing of intruders has been to provide them with ample liquor, 

 with the assurance that drinking during off-duty hours was tolerated 

 by the school's White teachers because they did it themselves. When 

 a vacancy occurred at the school in 1955, three successive incumbents 

 were discharged in less than 5 months for drinking on the school 

 grounds. In each case it was reported that liquor had been furnished 



635893—63 8 



