Beauty of Our World: American First Nation Songs and Chants, Part 2 of 2

Let us continue with chants from the Navajo, or Diné, First Nation people of the Southwestern United States.

THE MOUNTAIN CHANT OF THE NAVAJO INVOCATION TO DSILYI N’EYANI

“Reared Within the Mountains! Lord of the Mountains! Young Man! Chieftain! […] I have prepared a smoke for you. My feet restore thou for me. My legs restore thou for me. My body restore thou for me. My mind restore thou for me. My voice restore thou for me. Restore all for me in beauty. Make beautiful all that is before me. Make beautiful all that is behind me. It is done in beauty.” […]

LAST WORDS OF THE PROPHET

“Farewell, my younger brother! From the holy places the gods come for me. You will never see me again; but when the showers pass and the thunders peal, ‘There,’ you will say, ‘is the voice of my elder brother.’ And when the harvest comes, of the beautiful birds and grasshoppers you will say, ‘There is the ordering of my elder brother!’”

SONG OF BÉKOTSIDI WHEN HE MADE THINGS

“Both of the gods sang while they were at work, and this was the song that Békotsidi sang to bless all that he was making. It was the first song which he sang at this work. Now Békotsidi, that am I. For them I make. Now child of Day Bearer am I. For them I make. Now Day Bearer’s beam of blue. For them I make. Shines on my feet and your feet too. For them I make. Horses of all kinds now increase. For them I make. At my fingers’ tips and yours. For them I make. Creatures of all kinds now increase. For them I make. The bluebirds now increase. For them I make. Soft goods of all kinds now increase. For them I make. Now with the pollen they increase. For them I make. Increasing now, they will last forever. For them I make. In old age wandering on the trail of beauty. For them I make. To form them fair, for them I labor. For them I make.”

SONGS OF DAWN BOY

“Where my kindred dwell, There I wander. The Red Rock House, There I wander. […] Beauty before me, With it I return. Beauty above me, With it I return. Beauty below me, With it I return. Beauty all around me, With it I return. Now in old age wandering, I return. Now on the trail of beauty, I am. There I return.”