Social Structure of the Navajo

Housing

Relationship Bonds

• Typical one household with a wife + husband-
• Wife is focal point (structure and organization for her needs)
• Membership rights belong to wife, kids who are biologically related to wife, and those who marry wife’s daughter(s).
• If a divorce,unit belongs to wife
• If mother dies, the child will be raised by the mother’s mom (grandma) or mother’s sister (aunt)
• Husband/father is seen as the leader/decision maker of the family, but wife is respected in household
• Father passes the leadership/control to the son in-law, if no son in-law, then son
• husband dies--> authority goes back to wife-->→ wife transfers authority to oldest daughter-->→ daughter transfers it to her husband

Primary Relationships:

• Mother- child bond is the strongest
• Exists because of mother
• Affection, care, development, and nourishment
• Husband-wife bond
• Reproduction and survival
• Husband provides leadership and strength

Secondary Relationships:

• Father-child
• Not direct; traced through another person (mother)
• Sibling-sibling
• Stronger secondary relationship
• Extension of mother-child relationship; connected by mothers womb

Works Cited

http://www.lapahie.com/dine_clans.cfm

http://www.jstor.org/stable/670754

Other Clan Info

Example of a Clan:

Social Structure of the Navajo

• Each clan has a story; talk about the Navajo movement and migration starting at the homeland/around the homeland, ancestors of the clan, geography of the land, and the inclusion of other tribes.

• Social rules for clans (k’e way of thinking) means goodwill, solidarity, kindness, and helpfulness. Teaches how to behave w/ family, their clan, and outsiders.

• Relationships with people are viewed closer/common: Cousins in the American eyes are viewed as brothers and sisters in the Navajo eyes.

• may not be blood related, but related by clan

Clans

Courtney Capuano

Male and Female

•Matrilineal society

• When a child is born, they belong to their mother’s clan.
• The clan name passes on with her children
• Introducing yourself to other Navajo
• List in order of: mothers clan first, fathers side clan, mother’s grandfather’s 1st clan, then father’s grandfather’s 1st clan.
• Traditionally must marry someone outside of their clan. Considered incest to marry within the clan
• There are 9 major clan groupings
• Currently over 100 clans within the groupings
• No clans for Anglos or Asians, but those who have one parent of that race and one parent Navajo, they would be “born for” Anglo-American or Asian-American

• Two types of humans
• Earth=mother (everything originates)
• Sun= father (distance, source of power and discipline)
• Male/Female symbols: Rain, plants, mountains
• Relationship of M & F based on reproduction
• Legend: Man and Woman fought, woman said they could live without men, so men moved across river. Women slowly became weaker and struggled to survive, many men and women suffered. women begged men to come back. men= stronger and needed in families
• Components of proper social relations: sun & earth, man & woman, father & mother are united
• Matrilineal in family/clans, patriarchal outside of family