The Navajo Nation
Office of Din4 Culture, Language, and Community Service

Division of Din4 Education

Navajo Traditional Apprenticeship Project

Purpose

The traditional Navajo Ceremonies are the preventive and the traditional health care system used by the Navajo people. The Navajo Nation and the Navajo traditional practitioners have recognized the need for apprenticeship training for apprentices to learn the skills, the application and practice of the ceremonies from established practitioners. The apprenticeship training takes many years, depending upon the type of ceremony or ceremonies the apprentice is learning.

Navajo Traditional ceremonial practitioners have basic knowledge of traditional stories, songs, prayers, and procedures as related to each specific ceremony. These ceremonies are very closely guarded and the knowledge is handed down through immediate families and clan members. It is very important that the Navajo people continue to practice these ceremonies. Today, there are approximately thirty four different traditional ceremonies left with and ever decreasing number of practitioners to perform these ceremonies.

The Navajo Nation is losing ceremonies with the passage of time. If the Nation does not make any attempt to preserve, protect or perpetuate these ceremonies, these ceremonies will diminish. The loss of these ceremonies would be a serious consequences to the traditional well being of the Navajo Nation and the people. The purpose of the Navajo traditional Apprenticeship Project is to train apprentices of Navajo traditional healing ceremonies most in danger of being lost. The project is intended to serve eligible apprentices to complete their Navajo traditional healing ceremony training and become a Navajo traditional healing practitioner.

The Navajo population is ever increasing, the demands for the traditional Navajo practitioners and ceremonies may not meet the need of the Navajo people without the establishment of a Navajo Traditional Apprenticeship Project.