Book
Language and art in the Navajo universe
University of Michigan Press • Ann Arbor • Published In 1977 • Pages:
By: Witherspoon, Gary.
AbstractBrief abstract written by HRAF anthropologists who have done the subject indexing for the document
This is a complex and theoretical study on the roles of language and art in Navajo culture, resulting from nearly a decade of research on the Navajo reservation. The structures of Navajo thought, language, speech, and knowledge are used to frame discussions on a number of topics. Primary among these from a cosmological perspective are the concepts of inner and outer forms in the duality on nature coupled with static and dynamic concepts of motion. Also explored is the importance of language in ritual control and perceptions of action, causality, and plurality. Two terms essential to the Navajo ethos are semantically explored as organizing principles. The first is the concept of k'T which finds its primary expression in the patterning of kin relationships and solidarity. The second is h=zh=, which is most easily glossed as representing Navajo ideals of harmony and order. Art examples, represented by music, sand painting, and weaving, are used to demonstrate how these complex semantic and cosmological considerations find their way into Navajo daily ritual life. Information is also included on color classification, numerology, mythology, ethnophysocology, and taxonomies. The conclusions expand the data into summary statements of Navajo ethos.
- SubjectsDocument-level OCM identifiers given by the anthropology subject indexers at HRAF
- Cosmology
- Semantics
- Ethnopsychology
- Kinship terminology
- Kin relationships
- Ethnometeorology
- Ethnophysics
- Ethnogeography
- Representative art
- 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
- Book
- Evaluation
- Creator TypeThe type of person writing the document, e.g. Ethnographer, Missionary, Archaeologist, Folklorist, Linguist, Indigenous Person, and so on.
- Ethnologist
- 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
- Richard A. Wagner ; 1985
- Field DateThe date the researcher conducted the fieldwork or archival research that produced the document
- 1962-1973
- Coverage DateThe date or dates that the information in the document pertains to
- 1962-1973
- Coverage PlaceLocation of the research culture or tradition (often a smaller unit such as a band, community, or archaeological site)
- Navajo Reservation, United States
- NotesAdditional notes
- Gary Witherspoon
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 207-210) and index
- LCCNLibrary of Congress Control Number
- 77003651
- LCSHLibrary of Congress Subject Headings
- Navajo Indians