More traditional Navajo teachings, common sense is needed today
Navajo Times | Rick Abasta
Tséyaatoh medicine man Sammie Largo said the Navajo New Year, Ghąąjį’, under the light of the 13th moon, is a time for Diné to open traditional jish and medicine bundles for tobacco blessings before carefully putting them away again. Largo spoke about issues facing the Navajo Nation, ranging from politics, peyote, and Navajo culture, at his Circle S Ranch home on Sept. 27.
TSAYATOH, N.M. – Navajo medicine man Sammie Largo believes the Navajo Nation is in flux, especially with the Navajo New Year.
During a Sept. 27 interview with the Navajo Times, Largo covered various subject matters, including the current state of the tribal government, religion, leadership styles, gender, Navajo Fundamental Law, opposition to decriminalizing peyote, and the importance of maintaining Navajo ceremonies.
The interview was at Circle S Ranch in Tséyaatoh, inside Largo’s home, where he was studying for class at Navajo Technical University.
He is pursuing a master’s degree in Diné culture, language, and leadership. Largo’s sights are set squarely on the doctorate in Diné culture and language sustainability at NTU, his next educational endeavor.
Divided interests
Largo said the Navajo Nation has several religions currently dividing the spiritual interests of the people, including traditional medicine people, the Native American Church, intertribal interests, Christians, and Catholics.
“You could say we’re mixed up right now with religion. We have a lot of Sun Dance ceremonies taking place during the summer, even here in Tsayatoh, right behind this hill, during the second week of July,” he said.
Largo said the Sun Dance ceremony belongs to the Sioux tribes and questioned its proliferation across the Navajo Nation.
Largo said a similar situation occurred when Christianity first reached the Nation, adding that continuing the traditional Navajo way of life is vital. Hence, Navajo youth are not confused with their identity.
He said members of the Native American Church are experiencing in-fighting at this time and are not getting along because of the current effort to decriminalize peyote and opinions that the peyote is actual medicine and a lifestyle belonging to an Oklahoma tribe that Navajos adopted.
“Who planted the herbs?” Largo asked. “Not the Mexicans. Not the Plains Indians. It was our first Talking God. He created everything, he planted everything.”
He said all life began in the west: plants, herbs, tobacco, and even peyote. The people started abusing the medicine, so Talking God took it back.
According to Largo, Talking God rearranged things and placed the peyote in the waters in Texas until it was time for it to come out again.
“It’s barely coming back out, and here we are, arguing about it,” he said.
Read the full story in the Oct. 5 edition of the Navajo Times.
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