Table of Contents
Why do hogans have 8 sides?
Hexagonal (occasionally octagonal) hogans — new style — began to be built in the early 1900’s. The main reason was the arrival of the railroad, which brought in large supplies of wooden cross-ties, which could be laid horizontally to form walls of a larger, taller home.
What is a hogan made of?
hogan, traditional dwelling and ceremonial structure of the Navajo Indians of Arizona and New Mexico. Early hogans were dome-shaped buildings with log, or occasionally stone, frameworks. Once framed, the structure was then covered with mud, dirt, or sometimes sod.
Why did the Navajo make hogans?
The hogan is a sacred home for the Diné (Navajo) people who practice traditional religion. The Navajos used to make their houses, called hogans, of wooden poles, tree bark and mud. The doorway of each hogan opened to the east so they could get the morning sun as well as good blessings.
What is the purpose of a hogan?
The hogan is a sacred dwelling. It is the shelter of the people of the earth, a protection, a home, and a refuge.
How many people could live in a hogan?
The size of a Hogan ranged from 20 to 50 feet in diameter. The outside walls sloped inward and upward from the ground to a height of up to 15 feet. A typical dwelling would have 15-25 people living in it.
Why do Hogans face east?
The hogan is a gift of the gods and as such it occupies a place in the sacred world. The round hogan is symbolic of the sun and its door faces east so that the first thing that a Navajo family sees in the morning is the rising sun…. Father Sun, one of the most revered of the Navajo deities.
What do Hogans look like?
A hogan can be round, cone-shaped, multi-sided, or square; with or without internal posts; timber or stone walls and packed with earth in varying amounts or a bark roof for a summer house, with the door facing east to welcome the rising sun for wealth and good fortune.
Who built the Navajo hogan?
Nicholas Fontecchio
A Little Bit of History Owner, Nicholas Fontecchio built the Navajo Hogan as a roadhouse in 1935. At that time, the only source for live entertainment was the Broadmoor Hotel.
Why are there male and female Hogans?
The “male” type of hogan, modeled after the first hogan built for First Man and First Woman, is the center of religious and cultural ceremonies. The “female” type, larger and able to house a family, is a practical form of shelter during the winter.
A hogan (/ˈhoʊɡɑːn/ or /ˈhoʊɡən/; from Navajo hooghan [hoːɣan]) is the primary, traditional dwelling of the Navajo people. Other traditional structures include the summer shelter, the underground home, and the sweat house.
Why do Navajos have Hogan houses?
Every family even if they live most of the time in a newer home — must have the traditional hogan for ceremonies, and to keep themselves in balance. The Navajos used to make their houses, called hogans, of wooden poles, tree bark and mud.
What is the Navajo word for Hogan?
The Navajo word for hogan is written hooghan. It is pronounced [hoːɣan]. That mark in the middle is called a voiced velar fricative. It is made between the back of the tongue and the soft palate. Scottish Gaelic, Basque, Czech, Irish, Arabic, Greek, and other languages have it.
What is the purpose of a Hogan?
The hogan is a sacred home for the Diné (Navajo) people who practice traditional religion. Every family even if they live most of the time in a newer home — must have the traditional hogan for ceremonies, and to keep themselves in balance. The Navajos used to make their houses, called hogans, of wooden poles, tree bark and mud.
What are 3 interesting facts about the Navajo tribe?
Interesting Navajo Facts: The Navajo originally lived in hogans, which were cone-shaped buildings made of wooden poles and tree bark and clay. The Navajo positioned their doors to face the east as they believe this positioning brings good blessings. Navajo clothing was originally made of deer hide.