Adams] SHONTO: ROLE OF NAVAHO TRADER 229 



of information on the Navaho community upon which all other agen- 

 cies depend. 



Finally, on the strength of their special position and relationships, 

 traders in general enjoy a reputation as authorities on certain aspects 

 of Navaho life and culture which is seldom challenged by their White 

 neighbors. Their supposed ability to speak the language (cf. "Com- 

 munication," pp. 212-214) is in itself often enough to inspire awe even 

 among other persons who have regular contact with Navahos (cf. 

 Coolidge and Coolidge, 1930, p. 68 ; Underliill, 1956, p. 180) . Shonto's 

 trader finds himself again and again consulted to interpret Navaho 

 thought and behavior not only by tourists but also occasionally by 

 Government agents. The White world would seem to expect him to 

 speak for the Navaho just as the Navaho expects him to speak for 

 the White world. 



COMMUNITY CENTER 



Shonto Trading Post has one operational charter and f imction which 

 is entirely automatic : that of community center. It requires no initia- 

 tive on the part of the trader, and involves the store as a location 

 rather than as an institution. Nevertheless the importance of this 

 aspect of the trading post has long been recognized, and has been 

 given official sanction in that the same location was chosen for the 

 building of Shonto school and various other Government installations. 



Nearly all observers of the Navaho scene (e.g., Coolidge and 

 Coolidge, 1930, p. 68 ; Kluckhohn and Leighton, 1946, pp. 38-39 ; Mc- 

 Combe, Vogt, and Kluckliolin, 1951, pp. 21-24; Sanders et al., 1953, 

 p. 234) have been struck by the purely social significance of the trading 

 post in Navaho life — ^by the amount of visiting, play, drinking, "horse- 

 trading," and otherwise nonconmiercial Navaho activities which are 

 always and apparently necessarily associated with the store. The basis 

 for this particular trading post function is not far to seek. In modern 

 times the store has supplemented, if not supplanted, one of the im- 

 portant aspects of native ritualism in providing the most common 

 opportunity for Navahos to associate in groups larger than the resi- 

 dence group. 



As Kluckholin and Leighton (1946, pp. 51-52) have observed : 



... as is natural for isolated people, the greatest pleasure lies in an occasion 

 which brings crowds together ; and in all the major recreational activities there 

 are common threads : the exchange of news and gossip, seeing and being seen 

 in one's best finery, laughing and joking with old friends, opportunities for sexual 

 adventures. Drinking must be mentioned as another diversion for an increasing 

 number of Navahos on these occasions. There is also an opportunity at public 

 gatherings for some serious business, for jewelry and other articles are bought 

 and sold, trades of animals or equipment are arranged, and parents can look over 

 prospective mates for their children. 

 635893—63 1« 



