Navajo String Games by Grandma Margaret

In this video clip, my grandma tells the Navajo story of how coyote had placed the stars in the sky and shows how to make two constellations using string, Dilyéhé (the Pleiades) and So' Bidee'í (Star With Horns). She continues by showing other string games, like Many Stars (So' Łání), Two Coyotes Running Apart (Ma'ii Ałts'áá' Yilwołí), Open the Gate, Lightening (Atsinitl'ish), the Arrowhead (Béésh Sist'ógii), Unraveling (Wóltáád), and Wood Carrier (Chizh Yooyéłí). Actually, my brother re-teaches my grandma how to make lightening. Many Stars and Coyotes Running Apart are also constellations in Navajo astronomy.

String games (na'atl'o') are only played in the winter by Navajos because that's when the spider is asleep. Also, winter provided more time for social activities like string games or shoe games (Kééshjéé'). My mom used to tell me that if I played string games in the summer, a spider would sew up my butt.

Languages spoken are English and Navajo.

Note: English subtitiles are included if you have little to no understanding of the Navajo language, but annotations must be set to ON to see the subtitles!

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Dine
• Dineh
• diné
• figures
• cats
• cradle
• culture
• tradition
• Native
• American
• Indian
• folklore
• Navaho
• traditional
• history
• myth
• star
• people
• language
• speech
• linguistic
• Southern
• Athabaskan
• Athabascan
• Na-Dené
• Yeniseian

[cplrey]

Your grandmother brings great joy to those that have the opportunity to watch this video. You are very lucky to have her in your life. I hope you will encourage her to record more of her stories and share them with the world!

George in Ohio

[notquitenormalarc]

This was wonderful to watch. So far I can only do the basics; I love the "gate opening" and the coyotes running away from each other. Thank you for sharing this!

[Dutchballz4]

Just cute, that's my grandma :))

USATF Runner

[paulgray211]

cool it reminds me of my grandma

[Rawr2562]

ain't String Games sacred to us Natives?

[Valandinne]

what a delight! Thank you very much for posting this

[FINEFELINESMAMAJEN]

She so cute :) I had my dad translate and show me a bunch,he new alot too. Really neat stuff. Ahee hee

[lmollot]

AMAKE HAMMOCK CHAIRS- BE HAPPY -FALL ASLEEP SWAYING= LOVE

[lmollot]

hey- my grandmother showed us many string games-i did not know it was native tradition- she was metis from quebec near riviere du loup-maybe huron? (thats bad name from french meaning "unkempt-dishevelled)- imagine-christian brotherly love? take back the womens herbal birth control-see iroquois women-be gentle w yourself-

[SuperBuck51]

Ayoo' ayoo'

[comifaith088]

wow my grandma did the same thing to me telling the stories, you are very lucky to have your grandma, mine passed on. This was very touching and thanks for the video ") plus ten "D