Navajo Hogan
Posted by Belle on 28 Jul 2007 at 04:30 pm | Tagged as: AZ, travels
Recently, I have had the opportunity to see many interesting ruins of the Navajo Indians, thanks to a visit from SIL and BIL.
Hogan is a Navajo Indian dwelling that is roughly circular, constructed of rocks and branches, and sealed with mud or sod. The one that we saw in the Rock Art Ranch looked like it had just been recently restored. When I went inside the shelter, it was actually cooler by about 12 degrees. Having been outside in the blistering desert for a while, it was a refreshing treat for us. I noticed that there was a circular opening in the middle of the roof, but there weren’t any windows. I was wondering why the hole was there. Well, according to Mr. Brantley Baird, the owner of the ranch, on winter nights, when it was extremely cold, they would make fire directly below the hole to keep them warm, while allowing the smoke to escape through the opening. And then, when it got warm enough, they would quickly patch the hole up to preserve the heat until morning. That is how the Navajo Indians survived the harsh winters in AZ. Yes, it can get cold in AZ, down to zero even. Also, the smoke hole served as a source of light during the day.
Typical Hogan.
I like how they laid the rocks on the walls. I have seen many modern houses nowadays with similar walls, which could very well be attributed to the Navajo Indians
This is how the inside of the Hogan looks like - nothing much. But, it is refreshingly comfortable inside. If only there were windows to allow the air to come in and out…I wouldn’t mind staying there for a while, enjoying the view of the open fields.
Close up of the interior of the roof. Notice the opening in the middle that serves as a source of light and a vent for the fire.
Steam room where they took their baths. Water was taken from the nearby stream.
This is where they heated the rocks to be carried to the steam room.
I can’t imagine living in such extreme temperatures, but I guess you gotta give credit to the Navajo who managed to make due with what they had.
Some of your blog pieces seem straight from National Geographic. This is one of them.
Are these hogans still being used or were just preserved for historical/cultural value?
Ty.
very interesting Belle
I can just imagine how the Indians go through their everyday life those days
Very well taken. Thanks for sharing. Me narating na naman ako new place..He he.
wow, i learned history with my first visit to your site
interesting!
Wow Ate Belle! That’s really interteresting Ate Belle, I thought that the Navajo Indians in AZ didn’t have to suffer from freezing temperatures. Very informative. Did you know that during the WWI or II, Navajo dialect was used to encode the messages of the troops because it’s one of the most difficult ones to understand?
that’s interesting. you know, the first thing that comes to mind is Batanes. the houses of Ivatans are quite similar, built for extreme weathers, built with rocks and can withstand any storm.
This is exactly what I expected to find out after reading the title Navajo Hogan. Thanks for informative article
This is very interesting, Belle! Steam rooms? Must be where ’saunas’ evolved from.
Wow! great pictures! Are there any Navajo Indians left in AZ?
@will, even though it got cold at night, it was quite hot during the day, so it wasn’t that bad, they got used to it.
@anna, thanks! yes, hogans are being maintained for historians, for people to visit, and as venue for indian ceremony.
@rowena, thanks. it is always a pleasure sharing interesting stuff with all my blogger friends.
@raggold, you are welcome. thanks for visiting my site.
@KK, world war II, i believe. yes, Germans and Japanese couldn’t break American code but the British were able to break the German code. even after the war, the higher ranking German officer couldn’t believe that the Americans were able to read their code.
@Zherwin, my house in Catanduanes is built on 100% cement to withstand typhoon. rock wall is just as strong, and prettier even
@Jacob, thanks!
@Rhodora, hehehe, yes, steam room. i wonder where they got the idea of steam room. i think you were right that saunas must have evolved from navajo indian’s steam room.
@momoftwo, thanks! oh yeah, they are around but they live in modern houses now. here in our place, we have the apache indians - nice and helpful people.
It must then have the same effect as quinzees (shelter made of snow) which keep you warm in the winter.
We’ve been having a heat wave here in Winnipeg, belle. Very humid and sweltering heat.
I really like this post because I learned many new things. It is interesting to learn about how the Navajo Indians survived the extreme temperatures. Btw I am also interested to know, like momoftwo, on whether Navajos are still around?
niceheart, i think so but they are called eskimo, di ba?
Kathy, Navajos are still around but most of them live in modern houses now though there are still a few who chose to live in Hogan. Also, nowadays, they use hogan for ceremony