article

Changing burial practices of the Western Navajo: a consideration of the relationship between attitudes and behavior

American Indian quarterly • 4 (4) • Published In 1978 • Pages: 397-405

By: Levy, Jerrold E..

Abstract

In this article, Levy documents the changes in Navajo burial practices. Traditional practices were marked by the absence of public ceremony. The corpse was disposed of quickly and home abandoned to insure minimal contact with the dead for fear of misfortune, sickness, and death. Close kin who handled the corpse observed a four-day morning ceremony and purification ritual, after which all returned to normal. The 1960s witnessed an increase in cemetery burials, public gatherings, and eulogies. Levy discusses Navajo ideas about witchcraft, or CH'IIDII, which Navajo continue to believe in, in spite of changes in burial practices. He discusses possible reasons for the changes such as Western education, conversion to Christianity, and wage labor, but is unable to make any conclusion until more evidence is available.

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

1960-1973

Coverage Date

1950-1978

Coverage Place

Navajo Nation, Arizona, United States

Notes

Jerrold E. Levy

Includes bibliographical references (p. 405)

LCCN

74647596

LCSH

Navajo Indians