Native Amerians and Their Customs

The Navajo people call themselves "Dine," and reflect a rich cultural heritage of traditional beliefs, language and food that span centuries. Located primarily in the Southwest states of New Mexico, Utah and Arizona, the Navajo people still include in their meals some of the traditional foods enjoyed by their ancestors. The Navajo Indians today are the largest Indian nation in the United States. They have the largest reservation in Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. The Navajos name for themselves is Dine, which means "The People".

The Navajo culture depended largely on their surroundings and where they lived. The Navajo's used to live in far Northern America, today's Alaska and Canada. Originally, they were hunters. They made bows and arrows to kill. Their clothing and houses were made from animal skins and they made baskets. Their religious leaders were responsible for dealing with the forces of nature and curing the sick.

When the Navajo's were forced to move Southwest they took their culture with them, but it soon changed. The culture changed because of their new environment and other people's influences. However, even with all the other languages around them, they kept their language. They had new clothing for a hotter climate. The women wore dresses, moccasins, a belt and jewelry. Men wore a shirt, moccasins and jewelry. They built new homes called hogans. These were made from logs, tree bark and mud. But a few things remained the same, some things that stayed the same was the food and their customs.

A type of food the Dine people ate included Mutton. Mutton is the most important meat in Navajo cuisine and is the basis for many traditional dishes. Mutton stew, called atoo', is a hearty