Dear Friends,
Well, how are you doing with your New Year’s Resolutions?
I’m not big on making resolutions, and it turns out that
January 1st isn’t even considered the New Year by traditional
Navajos; so, they also don’t make resolutions. When reciting the months, they would have
started with October. The month of October (Ghaaii) translates into “half”
because the summer meets the winter. The crops are harvested, and the nation
receives its first dusting of snow. It’s a time to prepare for the traditions
of the winter and anticipate the tough times it may bring.
But Western culture inexorably creeps in, so the Navajos
have their own ways of celebrating the New Year on January 1st. Many will participate in traditional winter
games and stories. The local museum held a Shoe Game (Keshjee) Tournament.
“T. Kay and his sisters rang in the New Year like they do
every year: as team “Skunk” during the annual Navajo Nation Museum Keshjee
tournament.
They learned the game from their parents and like to play it
every year. This year they placed second and won five truckloads of firewood.
The first place winners, Weekend Warriors from Dilcon, won
45 bales of alfalfa hay.
Kay said, “We sing loud, and we try to distract the other
team as best we can.” The singing becomes competitive during the match as they
try to psyche (golishii) the other team while hiding the ball.
The Navajo traditional teaching says the Keeshjee is to be
played only during the winter months. When it was first played, it was in a cave
in the Lukachukai Mountains. The purpose for the game was for the animals to
decide if it would be night or day on earth forever. Each team had a turn to
hide the yucca ball inside their lined-up shoes for the other team to find.
They used yucca counters to keep score.
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| Shoe Game at the Museum |
The team that hid the yucca ball would sing while the
opposing team tried to guess where the yucca ball was placed.
This went on until morning when both teams realized neither
would win, ultimately splitting the earth’s time between night and day.
This is one of the many variations of the story that the
teams have heard from their family members.
Before the Museum held the annual Keshjee, the teams have always played
it with their families. That is where they learned the songs and the different
ways to play the game. The songs are passed down, but people adapt and rewrite
the lyrics
This year the event also had strings available for those who
were interest in learning about string games. “That is what we are here for: to
promote our Navajo cultural ways for our Navajo People.” said an event
organizer.” (Navajo Times/Arlyssa
Becenti/1/5/17.)
Other New Year’s Eve activities covered in the paper were
Community Sobriety Events at which people pledged to remain sober. Some were
making the pledge for the first time, while others were there to fortify their
own pledges to remain sober. Others came to the event in support of family
members and friends.
They mentioned that they are seeking a cultural approach to
sobriety rather than a western/medical or religious model.
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| Receiving hugs |
Six inches of snow fell last night, but it’s Saturday so we
have no worries except to keep warm in our little trailer.
We are already looking forward to the next school year, so
pray for teachers and housing for those teachers. The new girls are adjusting
to school. My new boy continues to struggle academically.
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| We woke up to a white world. |
Blog:https://everettnavajo.blogspot.com
Support: Western Indian Ministries: http://www.westernindian.org/donate2/
P.O. Box 9090, Window Rock, AZ 86515
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| A group from Australia was here for their summer break. |
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| We helped pack treat bags for the office of the President to pass out. |
