navajo yeibichai dancers

The figures in the weaving can be identified by their unique features: Talking God leads on the left side of the weaving. Four areas of influence contributed to the development of Navajo yei and yeibichai weavings. or where I might try to buy one? Ceremonies are performed to either attractor exorcise effects to The People. chai ybch plural -s 1 : a Navajo supernatural represented by a masked dancer in an initiation or curative ceremony 2 : the ceremony performed by Yeibichai dancers Word History Etymology Navaho ye'ibeshichai Love words? One of the most popular regional styles of Navajo weaving has always been the Yei and Yeibichai. These Yei, Yeibichai, and sandpainting textiles have been the most sought after by collectors and the least studied by scholars. imagery, Navajo weavers nonetheless persisted in incorporating This piece represents the Nightway ceremony of the Navajos, in which a medicine man calls upon the power of the Yeibichai to heal someone. During the singing, the Yei Bi Chei representing the gods treat the patient while calling wu-hu-hu-hu-u. The gods represented are speechless and live in sacred caves, mountains and canyons. Great data. Another area of influence To that end, this week we want to focus on this skillfully made Yeibichai dancers Navajo rug and the story woven into its cloth. Yei weavings tend to have Edward S. Curtis. English: Navajo Yebichai dancers. Circa 1920. Do you know of anyone who weaves the sand paintings? He also wears a spruce ruff around his neck, a white deerskin sash knotted over his left shoulder, and a kit fox pelt hanging down his back. You're welcome. The Yeibichai are often featured in a ceremony called the Nightway Chant dance. TITLE:Yei Bi Chei Ganaskidi Music of the American Indians of the Southwest. Summary: Featuring more than 500 photos and maps, this is the first comprehensive, research-based history of Navajo weavings with imagery inspired by tribal sacred practices. Traditional Navajo Ceremonies: The Yeibitchai Dance Or Night Chant, Danced Across the River (Klay-chahjihHatal). Four areas of influence contributed All hand carded, and spun, and hand dyed native wool. Adobe Gallery She has always wanted a Navajo rug and this is the year! Craftsman David Dave Drake, enslaved for most of his life, produced uncommonly large ceramic jars in 19th-century South Carolina adorned by his poetic verses. This page was last edited on 12 July 2021, at 16:45. These 60-to-95-minute units pair thinking patterns with works of art to instill a thinking disposition transferable across classroom curriculum and into the wider world. Navajo Regional Rugs, Saddle Blankets, & Other Styles Information, Navajo Regional Rugs & Navajo Saddle Blankets Info. North America As early as the mid-1800s, Navajo weavers were The Night Chant or The Yeibitchai Dance is one such ceremony for which you may not come across a lot of detailed descriptions. Dancers of the Nightway: Ceremonial Imagery in Navajo Weaving presents a selection of these unusual pictorial works. Navajo Yeibichai are masked dancers representing the Deity Yei Supernatural Beings. Want to learn more about the painting you found while clearing out the attic? ETHNICITY:Din (Navajo) Ganado Navajo Rugs Your email address will not be published. This is a Christmas present for my dad's mom. Highly controversial because of their sacred It is a difficult ceremony to learn, and it requires you to memorize hundreds of songs, prayers as well as intricate sand paintings. light-colored background and used a plethora of aniline-dyed 100% GUARANTEED: If you are not satisfied, return rug, in the same condition as it was received, within 10 days and your purchase price will be fully refunded less shipping costs. Now youll recognize the next Yeibichai dancers Navajo rug that you see! Cherokee Art Market welcomes collectors from all over the globe to its website for a virtual event from December 7 to 21. At some distance away is a brush enclosure where the dancers don the sacred masks which have been ritually prepared by the medicine man. Charley's Navajo Rugs for SaleAuthentic Navajo Rugs for Sale Native American Navajo Indian Weaving. PO Box www.navajorug.com. This issue was further amplified by the fact that even the tribes themselves were reluctant to divulge any information. Yeibichai 5 Navajo Female Yeibichai Dancer Dolls 19.5cm ,, I . the actual ceremonial dance performed in the winter months. more animated form to portray the dancing of the yei during the Oceania. Please inquire for other rates. The Wellcome Collection, London.jpg. early 1900s, Yanapah, a Navajo weaver married to trader A new Native American-owned art gallery is set to open near the end of the year in Buffalo, New York, in the middle of the Allentown historic district. This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 70 years or fewer. The Yei Be Chei dancers are the humanimpersonators who perform the ceremonies. placing pictorial elements into their weavings. The ceremonially attired dance teams enter the firelit area in front of the hogan led by Talking God or Yeibichai, the grandfather of the Yeis, who carries his sacred Abert squirrel bag. Do you have any replicas of the chief style rugs or the Ganado style ? He also carries a kit fox pelt in his hand and wears a concho belt around his waist and moccasins. Navajo Yeibichai are masked dancers representing the Deity Yei Supernatural Beings. Caribbean It is led by a medicine man and involves the use of shock and arousal techniques to eliminate the disease, and once that has been done, songs, prayers, and sand paintings are used to restore balance and order. They wear red garters to hold up their leggings and moccasins on their feet. traders in the Lukachukai, Arizona and Shiprock, New Mexico area Briscoe Western Art Museum hosts a traveling exhibition dedicated to contemporary Chickasaw artwork through January 18. He is the bringer of rain and the water carrier of the gods. difference between a yei and yeibichai weaving depends on the weaving large single and double figure vertical yei rugs. The picture is housed in the Wellcome Collection and is on display. We are artist too, so we know how important it is to showcase art. Four major rites are carried out throughout nine nights. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Winslow,AZ Valley National Bank Navajo County Arizona Mashek & Zeigler Postcard at the best online prices at eBay! In the early 1920s, Talking God can speak to the Navajo. Glad that you've enjoyed it. A description of the ritual and form of the Ybchai ceremony,Klj Hatl, or Night Chant ,covering its nine days of performance, will give a comprehensive idea of all Navaho nine-day ceremonies, which combine both religious and medical observances. Deeply protective of their complex spiritual life, the Navajo . NAVAJO YEI BE CHEI (Yeibichai) The Yei Be Chei dancers are the human impersonators who perform the ceremonies. Europe A Navajo set of Yeibichai Dancers. In executing the carefully prescribed ritual dance movements, they call upon the Holy People to bestow good health on the patient and, by extension, on all those hundreds in attendance. And youll be able to appreciate the meaning behind the intricate weaving and vibrant colors. Dating back to around 1000 BC, the ceremony takes place over nine nights, and it is believed to have been first performed in Canyon de Chelly. One of the most sacred festivals for the Navajo tribe, it is a healing ritual that seeks to cure the ailing and also restore the delicate balance and order of relationships between people within their universe. But it can give you a greater sense of appreciation when you realize the history and mythology behind specific weavings. Charley's Navajo Rugs CEREMONY: Yei Bi Chei Dance ceremony. Forward to Friend. Following his graduation he went to work as an illustrator for the Indian Service. Pueblo masking influenced neighbouring tribal dances such as the curative yeibichai of the Navajo. Copied These weavings evoke scenes from the ninth and final night of the Nightway healing ceremony during which a succession of teams of masked dancers appear, impersonating male and female Yeis. Please contact Charley at [email protected] if you have any questions about this rug or any others in the collection. Navajo: Night Chant, Yeibichai Dance View Cart. In the Dancers Of The Nightway Thursday, March 3rd, 2016// March/April 2016 Clitso Dedman (Din Navajo), Yeibichai dancers, ca. The Yei Be Chei dancers are the human impersonators who perform the ceremonies. The ceremony also involves a dance with fourteen people: six men, six women, a dancer representing the Talking God, and one representing the Water Sprinkler. He often plays the role of the clown giving comic relief as he performs his dance moves. Site content 1998-2023 Adobe Gallery. sandpainting designs. Mix - Navajo: Night Chant, Yeibichai Dance n/a, Ben Hudson Begay, Quartet, and more 26 Authentic Music Of The American Indian Various Artists Updated 3 days ago The Indian Road - The Best of. elaborate nine day ceremony, it features male and female yeii, first appeared in Navajo weavings before the turn of the twentieth Yeibichai weavings depict This story is from the April - May 2020 edition of Native American Art Magazine. into their own Navajo rug creations. depictions, Klahs weavings nonetheless had a tremendous USA, 1900. Navajo pictorial weaving has been a mirror of the Navajo experience, with the first documented mention of pictorial weaving in 1840. . The Yeisperform specific dances and rituals, as directedby the Medicine Man, during the ceremony forthe desired end. Talking God leads on the left side of the weaving. Two Grey Hills Navajo Rugs. Adobe Gallery reserves reproduction rights to all images and content on this website. Hanford, California 93232. Add a one-line explanation of what this file represents, Navajo Yebichai (Yei Bi Chei) dancers. Navajo-Artist.com, Lajasta Wauneka Gallup, New Mexico 87301, Email: [email protected] Phone: (505) 409-5796. in northwest New Mexico came from the Newcomb Trading Posts Africa Subscribe to Magzter Gold to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,000+ magazines and newspapers. This piece represents the Nightway ceremony of the Navajos, in which a medicine man calls upon the power of the Yeibichai to heal someone. The Yeibichai are supernatural beings who created the Navajo people and taught them how to live in harmony with the universe. The Yeibichai dance is performed in front of a ceremonial hogan that has been built in a remote location near the patient's home. Provenance: from a collector of Native paintings from California, Recommended Reading: American Indian Paintings of the Southwest and Plains Areas by Dorothy Dunn, American Indian Painting of the Southwest and Plains Areas [SOLD] When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. At some distance away is a brush enclosure where the dancers don the sacred masks which have been ritually prepared by the medicine man. The Yeibichai dance is performed in front of a ceremonial hogan that has been built in a remote location near the patients home. The myth characters personified in this rite are termed Ybchai, Grandfather or Paternal Gods. Buy Track 0.99 Buy Track 0.99 Track Info. on three sides by a single rainbow yei. The Yeibichai weavings are highlyindividual, therefore, different elements maybe found in them. Bird Navajo Rugs men and patients. Navajo Dancers dress up as Yei (Navajo Gods) during the Night Chant Ceremony, a nine-day-long ceremony only performed in the cold time of the year, when snakes are hibernating. The latest news, articles, and resources sent to your inbox weekly. In the earliest pictorials, Yeibichai were shown in frontal view, but by 1925-1930, most Yeibichai pictorials show the dancers in profile. 1951 Catalog Number. Considered highly controversial because of their sacred Phone (505) 955-0550Fax (866) [email protected], + Add to my watchlist During ceremony, a team will be composedof fourteen dancers: the leader Yeibichai - theTalking God, six male dancers, six womendancers, and finally, the Water Sprinkler - theGod of Precipitated Waters. All structured data from the file namespace is available under the. The timestamp is only as accurate as the clock in the camera, and it may be completely wrong. I have, All these supposed white Native American stories are just a ploy by white Americans so they can feel easy about, Cupik and Yupik Native American History, Inupiaq and St Lawrence Island Yupik Native American History, Aleut and Alutiiq Native American History, Eyak, Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian Native American History, Mexican Zapotec Native American Indian History, Canyon de Chelly the Origin of Navajo Culture, Native American Art Navajo Pottery History, Sandpaintings Religion and Native American Art. It is matted and framed in a wood frame. Six male yeibichai dancers follow Talking God. Navajo jeweler Boyd Tsosie brings his life and culture into his art. Both wear ceremonial regalia and paint their bodies white with clay. Copyright Office) before January 1, 1928. https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/PDMCreative Commons Public Domain Mark 1.0falsefalse. Only on the last day of the ceremony do the dancers dress up in costume. An ethnologist and linguistic expert, Washington Matthews, is one of the very few people who wrote extensively about it in his book The Night Chant, which was published in 1902. Often referred to as the Grandfather of the Navajo Kachinas, the Yeibichai is one of the more enjoyable features of the Navajo Kachina Dance. Charley's Navajo Rugs for Sale is proudly powered by WordPress This specific mask represents Ganaskidi, a god of the abundant harvest. The Yei Bi Chei (also spelled Ybichai) is a sacred night dance of the Din (commonly but improperly called Navajo) people of the southwestern United States. Tsihnahjinnie was born near Chinle, Arizona in 1916. Traditional Yeibichai Dancers Weaving. If you could see the back of the mask, it would be white. Photographie/Personnalits/C/Edward Sheriff Curtis, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Navajo_Yebichai_(Yei_Bi_Chei)_dancers._Edward_S._Curtis._USA,_1900._The_Wellcome_Collection,_London.jpg&oldid=574767445, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, American photographer, anthropologist, explorer and film director, Flash did not fire, compulsory flash suppression. He attended elementary school at the Indian School at Fort Apache, but ran away and returned back to the reservation. If the file has been modified from its original state, some details such as the timestamp may not fully reflect those of the original file. TYPE: helmet mask Talking God is distinguished by his white mask with eagle feathers. Much displeasure was exhibited by traditional Navajo when some weavers and painters began picturing Yei in forms that were to be sold to non-Indians. For answers, be prepared for a little detective work. by Dorothy Dunn (1903-1992). 1991-1992, carved and painted cottonwood, sand, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Chuck and Jan Rosenak and museum purchase through the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment, 1997.124.103A-Q. COUNTRY:United States of America Join Charley's monthly news. This painting features dancers from the 9 day healing ceremony known as the Yeibachei. Weaving representing the Night Chant ceremony with Yeibichai dancers. There is also a leader, Talking God, and a fourteenth Yei, the Water Sprinkler. Free shipping for many products! Today, this popular style In the early 1900's, Yanapah, a Navajo weaver married to trader Richard Simpson and living near Farmington, New Mexico, started weaving large single and double figure vertical yei . Eduard S. Curtis. The figures in the weaving can be identified by their unique features: Not shown on this weaving are the six female dancers who would traditionally follow the males. Other elements includedmay be: gourds, ruffs of spruce around the neck,fox pelts, moccasins, woven garters or sashes,arrows, corn, clouds, stars, and more. The leader of the dancers is Talking God, the feather headdress dancer to the left. frequently with multiple figures in a horizontal row often surrounded An ethnologist and linguistic expert, Washington Matthews, is one of the very few people who wrote extensively about it in his bookThe Night Chant,which was published in 1902. They would be depicted with square blue masks only covering the front portion of their faces and spruce ruffs like the men. Yeibichai Navajo Rugs Differing from the Shiprock Yei, the Yeibichai Navajo Indian rugs are usually bordered weavings and depict Navajo dancers impersonating Yei spirits. He was an avid student and was known to have stayed in the studio painting until forced to return to the dormitory. Original file (4,541 3,448 pixels, file size: 9.67 MB, MIME type: image/jpeg). Latin America 221 Canyon Road Entdecke Postkarte - Monument Valley - Navajo County, Arizona in groer Auswahl Vergleichen Angebote und Preise Online kaufen bei eBay Kostenlose Lieferung fr viele Artikel! Clitso Dedman, consisting of fourteen figures, including representations of Talking god, Water Sprinkler, a medicine man, patient, and ten male and female dancers, realistically carved and with various attachments and accouterments. Known as Ybchai in Navajo, the Nightway is a ceremonial that lasts nine nights and is performed by a singer to heal a patient, although family members and friends are often present in the hogan, along with the Holy People, for the healing. The Navajo Yeibichai Kachina is sometimes called the Talking God, although in many ceremonies the Yeibichai does not actually speak. American Indian dance styles In Native American dance: The Southwest dances such as the curative yeibichai of the Navajo. The Lukachukai Navajo Indian rugs are thicker, nubbier, and coarser. Bringing up the rear is Water Sprinkler, the Navajo God of Precipitated Waters. American Indian Painting of the Southwest and Plains Areas [SOLD], Size: 2-1/2 x 7-1/4 image; 9-1/4 x 14 framed. The Yei Be Chei weavings present the dancers as they dance, perform, and enact the ceremony of the Yeis. On the ninth night, a public dance including six men and six women dance as Yei Bi Chei. The role of the female Yeis was assigned to teenage boys or young men of smaller stature who would let their down their hair and wear the appropriate rectangular female Yei masks, all the while dancing in their traditional male kilts. This button displays the currently selected search type. 01:42 Country(s) United States. The Lukachukai area, south of Shiprock, also was an early source of Yei weavings. Raised Outline Rugs He can be identified by the four eagle feathers on top of his white mask. Prior to the turn of the 20th century, Yei were not permitted to be represented in textiles or paintings in any permanent forms. Your email address will not be published. Year Released. FREE SHIPPING for all rugs shipped to an address within the Continental US. The male gods wear full leather helmet masks like this one with a ruff of spruce twigs (formerly furs) around the neck. 1970s For more on the Yei Bi Chei, see Berard Haile, Head and Face Masks in Navaho Ceremonialism (Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1996). His birth in 1916 was after some Navajo began illustrating Yei in textile and painted form, so he grew up in a period where it did not appear to be taboo but was more acceptable. Middle East 1945, cottonwood, paint, dyed feathers and pipe cleaner, from the collection of Rebecca and Jean-Paul Valette (Photography by Laura Shea). yarns for the creation of the yei figures. He is followed by six male and six female Yeis. This file has been identified as being free of known restrictions under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights. During ceremony, a team will be composed of fourteen dancers: the leader Yeibichai - the Talking God, six male dancers, six women dancers, and finally, the Water Sprinkler - the God of Precipitated Waters. partnership with a prominent medicine man named Hastiin Klah These finely-crafted wall hangings depict the participants in the mesmerizing Yeibichai dance, the evening conclusion of a nine-day healing rite called the Nightway. GENERAL REGION:North American FW04420_201 Track Number. Acrlic oil on canvas. AGE: ca. Most of the present-day information comes from the data recorded by the Europeans who came into North America in the sixteenth century, but even the records are not completely accurate because the Europeans were neither familiar with Native American cultures and nor they did they understand any. An MAIN MATERIAL: antelope leather The only use was for true Navajo sandpaintings used in healing ceremonies. Pictorial Rugs This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published (or registered with the U.S. Click on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. The leader of the dancers is Talking God, the feather headdress dancer to the left. (4,541 3,448 pixels, file size: 9.67 MB, MIME type: Edward Curtis; E. S. Curtis; Edward Sheriff Curtis; E.S. Sandpainting Rugs Chief Blanket Rugs Yeibichai Dance Performed by Navajo Students - YouTube 0:00 / 2:34 Yeibichai Dance Performed by Navajo Students 21,483 views Apr 17, 2019 240 Dislike Share ElDuroTuco 1.25K subscribers Navajo. If you are someone who likes and appreciates Navajo arts and crafts, such asNavajo coin purses, check out our online store to discover a selection of products made by native Navajo artists. Curative ceremonies, with long song cycles, are emphasized by the Navajo, along with circular social dances, recalling those of the Great Plains tribes. In the 19th century, a Yeibichai dance team would consist entirely of men. Navajo Blankets The Heard Museum presents a large collection of contemporary art from Indigenous North America. Smithsonian American Art Museum and Renwick Gallery. The Yeibichai are supernatural beings who created the Navajo people and taught them how to live in harmony with the universe. Curative ceremonies, with long song cycles, are emphasized by the Navajo, along with circular social dances, recalling those of the Great Plains tribes. Every year near the holiday season, Adobe Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico, holds its Native American Nacimientos exhibition. Navajo Artists Weave Magic by J. Fatima Martins The rugs from this area tended to be larger and the . These early Navajo yei weavings typically had a white or other Get notified of new items. They also wear a spruce ruff around their necks, a kit fox pelt hanging down, and a short kilt with a concho belt. These weavings emerged from the Shiprock, New Mexico area after the turn of the 1900s when weavers began putting the figures of Deities from the traditional sand painting ceremonies in their rugs. Curator Mary Savig details an artists journey to create the powerful performance work Metabolizing the Border that explores the physical and psychological experiences migrants face while crossing the borderlands. influence on weavers of that area and eventually weavers in northwest The Yei Bi Chei(also spelled Ybichai) is a sacred night dance of the Din (commonly but improperly called Navajo) people of the southwestern United States. Required fields are marked *. You can findNative American beaded purses, coffee mugs, jewelry, and more. Contrasting the Shiprock Yeis, the Lukachukai rugs tend to have backgrounds of dark gray, tan, gold or brown, and Yei figures are less detailed and colorful. Culture Group(s) . New Mexico started weaving sacred figures and other design elements We are here to deliver art that people can appreciate in our products. The Nightway includes singing, dancing, pollen blessing, sandpainting . You can copy, modify, and distribute this work without contacting the Smithsonian. The masked dancer personifies the god represented. A yeii is a Navajo holy Entries (RSS) and Comments (RSS). these religious figures into their rugs. The Night Chant or The Yeibitchai Dance is one such ceremony for which you may not come across a lot of detailed descriptions. All or some of the above mentioned deities to the development of Navajo yei and yeibichai weavings. The Yei Be Chei Navajo Rug in the image above is an early and unusual portrayal of the Yei with feather andsmaller Yei figures at their feet with floating Yei spirits in the stylized storm pattern design. Curtis; Edward Sherriff Curtis, https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/. . SUBREGION:Arizona On the final night,teams of dancers appear in public in what isreferred to as the Yeibichai Dance until justbefore dawn. CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS: California law requires that we charge sales tax on all shipments to California addresses. Yeibichai Dancers. They are: Even though an extremely demanding ceremony, Night Chant plays a pivotal role in Navajo life, and just one blog is not enough to explain all the rites and rituals associated with it. Water Sprinkler can be identified by the three eagle feathers above his blue mask. 39" x 44" A yei'i is a Navajo holy person. The ceremony ends with thechanting of the Bluebird Song which celebrates the happiness and the peace that the bluebirdsymbolizes. Talking God, the water sprinkler, fringe mouth yeii, medicine In a healing ritual, the patient is sweated, and then songs are sung. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. In spite of their iconography, they never served a ceremonial function. 48" high x 68" long unframed It can take someone as much as five to six years to become competent enough to conduct their first ceremony. Lukachukai was accepted during the 1950s as a second region or style center of Yei and Yeibichai Navajo Indian weavings. Asia Galleries and dealers come together to bring World Tribal and Native American Art to homes through a virtual event. Yeibichai weavings constitute a small but highly collectible category of Navajo textiles. A national membership group of museum friends who share a love of American art and craft and our commitment to celebrating the extraordinary creativity of our nations artists. height of tallest 10 1/2in. They each wear a blue mask with two eagle feathers above the mask. Yeibichai rugs generally depict the dancers from the side and in motion. were encouraging weavers to create multiple figure yei weavings. USA, 1900. Date: 1900: Source: Photo by Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin FRCP(Glasg) Author: DESCRIPTION: Ganaskidi Mask ", To Order: Call 559-259-9482 or Click Here to Email. Yeibichai Dancers with Medicine Man and Patient, Exploring Border Stories with Artist Tanya Aguiiga, https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1997.124.103A-Q. Prior to the turn of the 20 th century, Yei were not permitted to be represented in textiles or paintings in any permanent forms. The Yeis perform specific dances and rituals, as directed by the Medicine Man, during the ceremony for the desired end. This resource uses images from photographic surveys in 55 communities in 30 states across the United States as source documents to spark sustained inquiry. OTHER MATERIALS: wood; pigment; dyed wool. who was responsible for the creation of rugs depicting Navajo So, make sure you keep an eye out for our upcoming blogs about Night Chant or The Yeibitchai Dance. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Monument Valley Navajo Children Rest Herd Sheep Totem Pole Men Horse Postcard at the best online prices at eBay! The Most of the Yeibichai patterns showed Talking God and Water Sprinkler facing forward, with blue masked dancers facing sideways, legs bent in a dance position. This media is in the public domain (free of copyright restrictions). Teec Nos Pos Navajo Rugs of weaving graces many a fine collection of Navajo rugs. Storm Navajo Rugs The masked dancer personifies the god represented. depiction of the holy Navajo beings. Release. and people will appear in a yeibichai weaving, typically in a The last participant is Water Sprinkler, who provides an element of comic relief by shaking a tattered fox pelt at the spectators. Today Yeibichai dance teams generally are made up of six men and six women. He then attended school in Santa Fe and became a student of Dorothy Dunn at the Santa Fe Indian School. Navajo Yeibichai are masked human dancers impersonating the Yei deities of Navajo cosmology.