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Saah Naaghai Doo Bikeh Hozho LONG LIFE AND HAPPINESS

Easterlydirection she placed the principles by which the people will live.

Southerlydirection she placed the principles of making a living.

Westerly direction she placed the principles of thinking, planning, and

gathering of family.

Northwhere placed the principles of rest, contentment, and reverence.

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In the East was placed light, in the South was placed water, in the West was placed

wind, and in the North was placed the black wind, the particles of elements (matter)

that gave physical structure to all creation.

Ultimate goals of Navajo life are:

1.

To seek and establish the state of Hozho,

2.

To learn behavior appropriate to that state of Hozho.

Hozho appears to be a life where peaceful words (Hozhooji saad) are spoken, peaceful

thought (Hozhooji ntsahakees) exists, and tranquil society (Hozhooji da iina) exists.

Goals desired from the study of songs, prayers, and teachings of the Blessing Way.

1.

To possess the language, thought, knowledge, and teaching of Diyin Dinee and to

live as Diyin Dinee, to seek to be like the Holy People.2.

To live in a harmonious and peaceful way (Hozhooji Kehgo).

3.

To learn behavior becoming to Hozho, a state where harmony and peace

abounds.

*

East was endowed with dawn (Hayoolkaal), light (Adini diin), and that which gives the

people direction to their life.

Toward the rising sun, dawn, sunlight and that which gives direction were placed. The

Holy People by means of prayer and songs brought forth creation and from them, the

Dine acquired prayers and songs. From this knowledge comes the means of thinking,

awareness, and strength to gain a prosperous and happy life, and obtain favor from the

Holy People.

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Knowledge that would prepare a person to make intelligent decisions whenever he

must weigh values in order to determine a choice of behavior is found inherently in the

East: Religious Studies, Physical Education, Philosophy, Ethics, Aesthetics, and

Language.

*

Mother Earth placed water and Nihigaal (means of travel to make a living) in the

Southerly direction.

The means to travel for survival is inherent in the sun (Noonday) which gives light to

the Dine for making a living. That station in life which we talk, think, and play about

becomes our reason for travel.

The theme of the South is making a livingand all the knowledge and activities that go

into making a living. In education, all those instructions that would prepare a person

for a living correlate with the attribute inherent in this direction: Education,

Agriculture, Carpentry, Law (Justice Path), and Livestock Management.

*

West is where wind, thinking, planning, and gathering of family where placed.

Towards the West was place gathering of families, thinking, planning, and teaching.

Within that part of the day (dusk) learning was set apart. Children along with adults

receive history and religious instruction. Adults where engaged in planning and

discussing for the following day and future activities.

The inherent theme in this direction is the social wellbeing of the tribe: Family living,

Sociology, History, Psychology, and Government (Consensus).

*

North endowed with the black wind, rest, and respectfulness is explained by the elders.

In the North (Midnight), the dark wind (source of the physical element of all creation),

rest from labor and respectfulness where placed. All things that were created have

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spirit and body and consequently the people encouraged to the reverence and respect

for them. They were taught to elicit assistance from them through prayer and offerings.

The overriding theme for this direction seems to be respect for nature and all studies

that involved the physical and natural sciences including:

Biology, Astronomy, Geology,

Ecology, Physics, and Chemistry.

Western education differs from that of traditional Navajo in placing relatively little

emphasis on respect and reverence for nature.

*

The traditional concepts of a harmonious life requires balancing all four categories of

Navajo knowledge so that the individual will have sound beliefs and values to make the

best possible decisions, will possess skill to provide the best living for the family, and

provide good leadership to the family and community, and will have a sense of

reverence for the earth and for all living things and for that which is in the heavens.

The central focus of all learning is where all knowledge from the cardinal directions

converges to promote a peaceful and harmonious life and society: a great central focus

where to know, to admire, and to love are one and the same.

Navajo Community College (1989). Dine Boohooaah Bindiia Dine Philosophy of learning Faculty

Implementation Handbook. Rough Rock Demonstration School. Rough Rock, Arizona

This booklet was compiled, typed, with attached shield art by Rain-Thunder-Torment for the Indigenous tribal prisonersof this current Arizona nation-state.