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Show I. HAJIINEI: INTO THE GLITTERING WORLD Traditional Navajo History -An Introduction ^^-^ Navajo history begins with stories of the past (nakee' naahane'), which tell of events from the time of the Emergence to the present. Most of the stories outlined here come from the beautiful ceremonial chants. They describe the ancestors of the People and explain how the Earth-Surface World was changed from monster-filled chaos into the well-ordered world of today. The stories have two main purposes. First, they tell how the People, with their own special heritage, came to be, and, second, they explain how the Twins won sacred power for the People. The Navajo world is a world filled with sacred power. By itself this power neither helps nor harms man. But it can be used for different purposes through the chant ceremonies. Holy Way chants, such as Hail Way and Beauty Way, use this power to heal. Evil Way chants, such as Upward-Reaching Way and Enemy Way, use it to repel ill-used sacred power or to purify the patient. Life Way chants, such as Flint Way, restore wholeness to a severely injured person. Blessing Way, in a class by itself, gives good fortune throughout life. This sacred power is represented by a number of beings who are called Yei'ii. The most important of these are Talking God (Haashch'eeh yalti'i), Calling God (Haashch'eeh hoghan), and the Black Yei'ii (Haashch'eeh zhiin). Others, like the Male Yei'ii (Haashch'eeh bika'), the Female Yei'ii (Haashch'eeh bi'ad), the Shooting Yei'ii (Haashch'eeh olt'o'6), and the Red Yei'ii (Haashch'eeh shchii'), are helpful to man at times. Other helpful Yei'ii are the Fringe Mouth Yei'ii (Dzahodoolzhahii), the Humpback Yei'ii (Gh^'ask'idii), the Whipper Yei'ii (Hadiltsxisii), and Water Sprinkler (Toneinilii). The Sun, too, at least after testing the Twins, is generally helpful to man. As a group, these beings are called Holy People (Diyin Dine'e). The First Family of Changing Woman is also part of this group. Monster Slayer and Born For Water, with their other forms (Holy l |