Navajo Culture
Before American colonization, the Diné thrived in the Southwest, guided by Hozho—a Diné principle synonymous with beauty that emphasized living in harmony with nature. The duality of spirituality and everyday life centered upon respect for nature.
Navajo medicine man sandpaintings, Unknown Medicine Man
A ‘Yebichai Sweat’ Navajo medicine ceremony with three Navajos in ceremonial dress wearing masks, 1904, Edward S. Curtis
This holistic worldview shaped Diné life: sustainable herding, tribal rituals, and medicine men—spiritual leaders who cared for the physical and emotional well-being of the Diné.
Group of Navajo people standing in front of a hogan, 19th century, Denver Public Library Digital Collections
Medicine man preparing a pot of medicine, 1850, Samuel Eastman