article

Idea and action patterns in Navaho Flintway

Southwestern journal of anthropology1Published In 1945 • Pages: 356-377

By: Wyman, Leland Clifton, Bailey, Flora L..

AbstractBrief abstract written by HRAF anthropologists who have done the subject indexing for the document
This is another in the series of analyses made by Wyman and Bailey of Navajo ceremonials. Here the authors compare the objective behavior observed by them in the basic Lifeway ceremonial, Flintway, with precept as recounted by various singers, and the legend as recorded by Father Berard Haile (referred to here as FW). They find that 'the correspondence between idea and action patterns is remarkably close in the realm of ceremonialism and that orally transmitted ceremonial patterns are comparatively stable.' They conclude that myth and ritual are thus adjustive responses 'preserving the familiar.' The performances described are (I) at Pinedale, New Mexico, at the home of singer (B), July 11-13, 1941, and (II) conducted at GK's home, Bison Springs, New Mexico, July 18-20, 1941. Where differences occurred in the second ceremony, they indicated thus: (II). The chants are described according to the method of Kluckhohn and Wyman, (KW), AN INTRODUCTION TO NAVAHO CHANT PRACTICE, (47:Kluckhohn and Wyman in this file). The status of most of the personnel (identified by initials in category 115, page 359) is given in source 122: Wyman and Bailey (in this file), NAVAHO UPWARD-REACHING WAY. Other initials used indicate the following: LCW, Wyman; SC, Father Berard's principal informant; DS, another informant of the authors, WK, Wyman and Kluckhohn, NAVAHO CLAssIFICATION OF THEIR SONG CEREMONIALS.
SubjectsDocument-level OCM identifiers given by the anthropology subject indexers at HRAF
Music
Magical and mental therapy
Shamans and psychotherapists
Medical therapy
Sacred objects and places
Organized ceremonial
cultureCulture name from the Outline of World Cultures (OWC)
Navajo
HRAF PubDateThe date HRAF published the document
2004
RegionThe area the document pertains to
North America
Sub RegionThe more specific area the document pertains to, which is located within the Region
Southwest and Basin
Document TypeMay include journal articles, essays, collections of essays, monographs, or chapters/parts of monographs
article
Evaluation
Creator TypesThe type of person writing the document, e.g. Ethnographer, Missionary, Archaeologist, Folklorist, Linguist, Indigenous Person, and so on.
Natural Scientist
Educator
Document Rating A ranking done by HRAF anthropologists based on the strength of the source material on a scale of 1 to 5, as follows: 1 - poor; 2 - fair; 3 - good, useful data, but not uniformly excellent; 4 - excellent secondary data; 5 - excellent primary data.
5: Excellent Primary Data
AnalystThe HRAF anthropologist who subject indexed the document and prepared other materials for the eHRAF culture/tradition collection
Kachen S. Coley ; 1952-1953
Field DateThe date the researcher conducted the fieldwork or archival research that produced the document
1941
Coverage DateThe date or dates that the information in the document pertains to
1941
Coverage PlaceLocation of the research culture or tradition (often a smaller unit such as a band, community, or archaeological site)
Pinedale and Bison Springs, New Mexico, United States
NotesAdditional notes
Leland C. Wyman and Flora L. Bailey
Includes bibliographical references (p. 377)
LCCNLibrary of Congress Control Number
47005758
LCSHLibrary of Congress Subject Headings
Navajo Indians