The Navajo family has a few homes called “hogans,” and they travel to each of their hogans according to the seasons to continue sustenance for themselves and provide their animals. They move to the canyons to their summer hogans in order to plant their fields because they have to depend on corn for most of their lives. Planting, sheepherding, harvesting, and weaving take most part of the Navajos’ lives. There are several things that are important to the Navajos and one of these things includes their livestock. The main livestock for a Navajo family is sheep. Raising sheep have been a way of life since the 1600s and they contribute much of their time and effort in caring for their sheep because how many sheep they have and how well they care for them symbolize a family’s well-being. By vaccinating their sheep, they keep their stock in good shape.
Another important thing to the Navajos is their land. The Navajos believe the earth is truly their mother, and that they are the children of this mother earth. They view themselves as mother earth’s children because mother earth nurses them like those who give birth nurse their children. The Navajos believe they have a responsibility to care for the land like the land cares for them. They also believe that the earth must be cared for by respect everything on the earth’s surface. They are saying that the plant and animal life must be valued and conserved.
Family is the most important thing to the Navajos in their everyday life.