County of marker: Navajo County
Marker erected by: Navajo Cultural Center, Navajo Nation
Location of marker: Between Burger King and Hampton Inn along side US 160, near turnoff to Kayenta
Marker Text:
THE PALISADED HOGAN
(Female Hogan)
"Hogan" is an original Navajo word for a Navajo round home. The correct pronunciation in the Navajo language is "hoogan". Navajoes use the word "kin" meaning a square or rectangular house or Anasazi structure. This type of hogan is the most prevalent on the reservation, built because of the need for more space. With the introduction of farms and sheep, the Navajoes had a need to make more room for their implements and children.
All Navajo ceremonies and sings for curing the sick are conducted in hogans. Originally, all hogans were arranged and furnished the same from hogan to hogan. Now, large hogans may have beds, tables, always a stove, possibly a few chairs, and occasionally - a window.
The structure is built on pillars of logs or rocks, cribbed logs, or whatever is available in the local area. At Gallup, New Mexico, for example, hogans are constructed from Railroad ties. The shape of the hogan resembles that of the "wickup", on oval shaped frame covered with brush, built by the Athapascan linguistic related tribe - the Apaches. In other words, Apaches speak the Navajo language. This particular style of hogan where the roof is constructed of stacked or piled logs is considered the the female hogan because it resembles the flared skirt of a Navajo woman. The hogan does not use nails and the door hinges used to be constructed from shoe soles.
...(unreadable)...had two hogans commonly referred ....(unreadable)...winter camp" and "summer camp" Living in summer camp would allow the grass to replenish itself.....(unreadable...
The arrangement of items in a hogan are always alike from hogan to hogan. The placement of small cupboard to boxes to hold dishes for example, was always immediately to the right as one entered the doorway. On the immediate left was always a couple of axes, rifle, shovel, and a bucket for water. This method of always having a hogan set up in the same fashion developed around the sheep and having to move at least twice a year. Typically, a Navajo extended family all lived at a summer camp because of the family farm. The winter camp might however, be comprised of some of the extended family members while other families might live elsewhere, but not of a great distance with some of their smaller herds of sheep. All families moved about every six months, (to let the grass grow), the children would take all the possessions to the other camp. Often times, the wagon road to the other camp was a direct route, sometimes requiring two days to get there. The sheep had to be moved also, which were often looked after by a group of adults. The route to the new home for the sheep would be based upon water holes, sometimes taking five to seven days for the sheep to arrive at eh new camp.
When the children arrive at the new camp, they will unpack the wagon. As each item is taken off the wagon, they knew where the axe goes, they know where the sheep skins go. They also know that this whole process of moving, packing and unpacking, will be repeated in about six months, at the other camp.
Inside the Hogan are several markers to provided insite into the living in their world
WELCOME TO OUR NAVAJO HOME
Hogans always face east. The layout of this hogan is modeled after a typical Navajo home. It is an adaptation to having to move at least twice a year. Ordinarily, an adult would drive a wagon full of the family possessions, adolescents and children. After arrival at the hogan, they would unload the wagon in the same fashion as you see here inside this hogan. Everything has its place. Try to imagine that while you're here inside this hogan, there are three or four hogans outside.
CLEANINESS [sic]
Cleanliness of clothing, bedding, even the quality of furnishings varies a great deal from hogan to hogan. Some Navajo women - like some white women - tend to be immaculate housekeepers while some are sloven. The number of lice differs in accord with the newness of the bedding and frequency of sunning it. Delousing the hair is a social activity, performed for the children by the mothers, or each other.
SLEEP (Women's area)
Explaining the sleeping arrangements is slightly complicated in a one-room domestic home. Navajos do not undress when they go to sleep. If only the immediate family members are present, then the husband and wife would sleep on this side of the hogan. The children would sleep on the opposite side -- Sleep (Men's area). Babies always lay in its cradle nest to their mother.
It this family has guests who are comprised of another immediate family, then all members of the host family would sleep here. The guest family members would sleep on the opposite side - SLEEP (Men's area).
On cold winter mornings, you could always count on the grandmother speaking from her bedroll, "Someone make the fire, someone make the fire." Eventually, someone would get up and build a fire. After the hogan got warm, people would start to get up.
SLEEP (men's Area)
Explaining the sleeping arrangements is slightly complicated in a one-room domestic home. If there is a ceremony and any number of guests are in attendance, than all males would sleep on this side and all females would sleep on the opposite side - SLEEP (Women's Area)>
If the family has a number of older children, there is apt to be a second hogan where the boys sleep. In the summer, some of the family will probably sleep outdoors.
Occasionally there are special cases. For example, a husband and wife are fighting, and they are guests. The wife could ask the host family, if she and her husband could sleep apart. Then all the males would sleep on this side and all the females would sleep on the opposite side - SLEEP (Women's Area)
STORAGE and ACTIVITY CENTER
Trunks, bedding, Cradle Board, reserve clothing, and items of importance were stored here. Valuables were locked away in the trunks (i.e. jewelry, buck skin, baskets, etc.) Mattresses were rolled here for the day to be used at night. The men folk would look at old magazines and children would play here. The area immediately in front of the door was the place for meals as well as a place of honor for a distinguished visitor, male head of the family, or an officiating Medicine Man/Woman. A Medicine Man or Woman would often be invited to eat and sit at the head of the gathering, facing the doorway. Occasionally the group to be served a meal would be too large because of fire considerations and "two" settings would be necessary. On those occasions, the men and boys would eat first and then the women, who had prepared the food would eat later. Usually, the whole family ate together.