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Show Yei Bi 'Chei •... time now comes to Navajoland and we have a very special announcement. The 25th Anniversary Celebration was a great success with about 3000 people participating and showing appreciation for the Mission and the Navajo People here. For the People of this Land, including us at the Mission, the fact that four weeks of rain and cool weather followed was a Holy Sign that our work together is really blessed. The next Newsletter will be devoted to picture stories of these celebrations and so will end this year of the Anniversary of the Mission and the Centenary of the Navajo People. We are now asked to join in yet another celebration together - the autumn Yei Bi 'Chei. The Navajo Times describes this ceremony for us : "The Yei Bi 'Chei is the major winter or fall ceremony. It is based on legends concerning certain supernatural beings which have had a powerful effect on the lives of the mythical heroes. This is a nine day ceremony. The last night is the most picturesque; teams of dancing men in weird costumes dance and sing in turn before the ceremonial hogan. The effect of the eerie singing late at night, the smoke from many camp fires and the quiet yet ever-moving crowd is something that no one will soon forget. White persons who are lucky enough to attend any of these Yei Bi 'Chei ceremonies should behave with the proper manners - in other words, stand or sit still, speak quietly, melt into the crowd and observe what goes on with respect. These are religious ceremonies and should be accepted as such by those who attend them. Often some friendly Navajo, observing the real interest with which a white person looks on will volunteer some explanation , and this will add greatly to the enjoyment of the ceremony. Aside from dancing, another important feature of the Navajo ceremony centers around the creation of a dry painting which, in essence, is a representation of the Holy People. According to Navajo mythology, these dry paintings were given to the Hero Twins by the gods who specified that they be made of impermanent_materials to prevent quarreling over their possession. Since designs are made of pollen, meal, crushed flowers, charcoal and pulverized minerals, dry painting is a more correct term than sand painting." The Ceremony ...• has now been arranged with Hastiin Tom Mustache, local leader who helped with the Anniversary ceremonial. The Yei Bi 'Chei will begin on the night of October 12. Four nights and days will be devoted to the making of the sand painting (or dry painting). The last five nights will be given over to dancing in costume with the climax coming on the night of October 20 and lasting until sunrise. Many Navajo People already are asking for the dates and are planning to "move over" to the site. The ceremonial hogan is being built on the south side of the San Juan River across from the Mission. Those arriving at the Mission to attend will travel to the foot bridge, cross over and be transported about 21f2 miles to the site. The Mission has pledged help in order to make this one of the classic ceremonies of the area. No one can remember when the Yei Bi 'Chei was held here in times past. Perhaps it will never happen again. Already materials have been found and purchased by Hastiin Tom, including two Pendleton blankets, six Ute made reed baskets, two Navajo tanned deerskins and a large bolt of cloth. The master of ceremonies from Lukachuka i, Arizona, has been appointed . The Mission will give flour, lard, salt, baking powder, coffee, sugar and equipment. The Navajo People will furnish sheep and goats for meat. Above and on the cover you see how the dancers and corn are pictured on Navajo rugs. We Invite .... all who can come at this time to be present at this work together in prayer and blessing in Navajo and Christian Ways. Just at sunrise on Monday morning, October 21, a sung Eucharist will be celebrated at the ceremonial site and new Navajo designed vestments will be blessed by Father Wayne and the medicine man. The Navajo People have invited school groups, individuals, families and people from anywhere. Pictures will be allowed and we hope to obtain a good movie of the ceremony. This is yet another way of living together here with our brothers and sharing in ceremony and worship . Christmas .... is coming soon. We must collect gifts now and throughout the year in order to have 1000 by December. Serviceable, bright, new articles of clothing, toys, children's art materials, cosmetic kits, handbags, scarves and hair ornaments are all most happily received by young people here and in far away boarding schools. Our mailing to these must go out by December 10. Of course, gifts should be new. They deserve new gifts just the same as youngsters throughout the world. Please send unwrapped so they may be readily suited to the child along with ribbon, string and wrapping paper. At this time we begin a program of assembling pictorial materials to bring the world into our midst and to begin a library. This would include subscriptions to Life, Look, National Geographic, American Heritage, Horizon and special issues of colorful histories. Any material you can share with us on early Navajo life will become a permanent collection. This would include rugs, pictures, books and anthropology. Our new price list from St. Christopher's Shop is enclosed - we hope it can be a way of having Navajo arts and crafts fill your gift lists all year long. Would you ..•. consider being a friend? You often ask what you ~ can do to help us in a truly personal way. Here is a ~ suggestion. Increasingly, the Navajo People are faced ~ with new problems as they begin to leave home and try ~ to step into a new world. This includes youngsters that want to go to high schools and colleges away from home; at times foster home placement; and rarely, an adoption. Whole families now leave the reservation and find jobs in urban areas in training and employment. Our care to the People must 'not end as they leave hQme - help must follow them. Can you help us to help them? Take a young person into your home, support him, be a foster parent, or just be friends. We must find out if you are interested. Let us know by checking the end page. We will answer by telling you about particular needs for individuals in your area. Once Again .... we print a form for your will. Remembering this work will continue your very own witness here to the love of Christ for the Navajo People. Blessing and deep thanks will be yours. FORM OF BEQUEST I hereby give, devise and bequeath (here state the amount of your legacy) $ to the Corporation of the Episcopal Church in Utah, a corporation created and existing under the laws of the State of Utah, for benefit of St. Christopher's Mission to the Navajo, Bluff, Utah 84512. '0 Q) '0 '> .o... 0- Q) C) os 0- en .S '0 Q) en o tJ s:: Q) ..., s:: ;l o E os .... .Q..,) s:: Q) .... o ..>: C) Q) ..s:: C) Q) en os Q) p: en Q) en s:: Q) 0- >< Q) bJ) s:: :,::l e Q) 0- o '0 s:: os Q) C) ; s:: .Q..,) s:: 'ca E s:: o .~ ::E en '0 ' 0; s::: o 'iii ::E o .CU' ;os Z en '0 Q) Q) s::: .... ;l o .».., ;l o .0 os Q) .... o E Q) E bJ) s::: .~ Q) en E o .t: '0 "0 ..s:: Q) en ;l o ..s:: » ; ..., ~ C) .... ..Q....,,) Q) Vi ~ Q) Z Q) ....s.:,: ....s.:,: .~ 0- Qj ..s:: .o.., .... ~ "0 '0 Q) s::: o .~ |