Protection of Navajo Sacred Objects

Abstract

Navajo cultural items are being misused, lost, stolen, and sold in pawnshops, Indian stores, the internet, and at pow-wows. This thesis argues that tribes should consider enacting tribal legislation to prevent this spiritual loss and provides a model tribal code developed for the Navajo Nation. This study draws from years of personal direct observation, and secondary and primary sources, such as newspaper articles, federal Indian laws, and books. Navajo traditional law and western law visualize "ownership," differently especially the ownership of sacred items. As the two societies interacted, serious problems emerged when western legal concepts were applied to items the Navajo people consider to have spiritual nature. This research finds that current tribal programming is not designed to prevent the sale or pawning of such items. This thesis proposes that the Nation adopt a tribal code that reflects traditional Navajo concepts of ownership to prevent such losses.