article
Changes in Navajo mortuary practices and beliefs
American Indian quarterly • 4 (4) • Published In 1978 • Pages: 383-395
By: Shepardson, Mary.
Abstract
This is a discussion of changes in Navajo mortuary practices and beliefs (also see document no. 309.) Shepardson first discusses Navajo beliefs about death, ghosts and the afterlife; then traditional burial practices. She next discusses several types of modified burials, including Christian funerals. Shepardson explains the changes in burial practices to the institutional changes in Navajo society from a matrilocal extended family to one centered on a variety of institutions including church, army, school, hospital, etc. No longer do Navajo die at home or if they do, urban homes cannot be destroyed or abandoned as rural hogans were in the past. No longer can Navajo avoid contact with the dead, if they are soldiers or hospital workers for example, and therefore rely on Christian guarantees of protection.
- HRAF PubDate
- 2004
- Region
- North America
- Sub Region
- Southwest and Basin
- Document Type
- article
- Evaluation
- Creator Type
- Ethnologist
- Document Rating
- 4: Excellent Secondary Data
- 5: Excellent Primary Data
- Analyst
- Ian Skoggard ; 2003
- Field Date
- no date
- Coverage Date
- 1860-1970
- Coverage Place
- Navajo Nation, southwestern United States
- Notes
- Mary Shepardson
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 395)
- LCCN
- 74647596
- LCSH
- Navajo Indians