Yei Bi `Chei •... The Ceremony ...• We Invite .... Christmas .... Would

are made of pollen , meal, crushed flowers, charcoal and
pulverized minerals, dry painting is a more correct term
than sand painting."
The Ceremony ...•
Yei Bi 'Chei •...
time now comes to Navajoland and we have a very
special announcement. The 25th Anniversary Celebration was a great success with about 3000 people participating and showing appreciation for the Mission and
the Navajo People here. For the People of this Land,
including us at the Mission, the fact that four weeks of
rain and cool weather followed was a Holy Sign that our
work together is really blessed. The next Newsletter will
be devoted to picture stories of these celebrations and so
will end this year of the Anniversary of the Mission and
the Centenary of the Navajo People.
We are now asked to join in yet another celebration
together - the a utumn Yei Bi 'Chei . The Navajo Times
describes this ceremony for us : "The Yei Bi 'Chei is the
major winter or fall ceremony. It is based on legends
concerning certain supernatural beings which have had a
powerful effect on the lives of the mythical heroes . This
is a nine d ay ceremony. The last night is the most picturesque; teams of dancing men in weird costumes dance
and sing in turn before the ceremonial hogan. The effect
of the eerie singing late at night, the smoke from many
camp fires and the quiet yet ever-moving crowd is
something that no one will soon forget. White persons
who are lucky enough to attend any of t hese Yei Bi
'Chei ceremonies should behave with the proper manners
- in other words, stand or sit still, speak quietly, melt
into the crowd and observe what goes on with respect.
These are religious ceremonies and should be accepted as
such by those who attend them. Often some friendly
Navajo, observing the real interest with which a white
person looks on will volunteer some ex planation , and
this will add greatly to the enjoyment of the ceremony.
Aside from dancing, another important feature of the
Navajo ceremony centers around the creation of a dry
painting which, in essence, is a representation of the
Holy People. According to Navajo mythology, these dry
p aintings were given to the Hero Twins by the gods who
specified that they be made of impermanent_m aterials to
prevent quarreling over their possession. Since d esigns
has now been arranged with Hastiin Tom Mustache ,
local leader who helped with the Anniversary ceremonial. The Yei Bi 'Chei will begin on the night of October
12. Four nights and days will be devoted to the making
of the sand painting (or dry painting). The last five
nights will be given over to dancing in costume with the
climax coming on the night of October 20 and lasting
until sunrise. Many Navajo People already are asking for
the dates and are planning to "move over" to the site.
The ceremonial hogan is being built on the south side of
the San Juan River across from the Mission. Those arriving at the Mission to attend will travel to the foot
bridge, cross over and be transported about 21f2 miles to
the site. The Mission has pledged help in order to make
this one of the classic ceremonies of the area. No one
can remember when the Yei Bi 'Chei was held here in
times past. Perhaps it will never happen again. Already
materials have been found and purchased by Hastiin
Tom, including two Pendleton blankets, six Ute made
reed baskets, two Navajo tanned deerskins and a large
bolt of cloth. The master of ceremonies from
Lukachuka i, Arizona, has b een appointed . The Mission
will give flour, lard, salt, baking powder, coffee, sugar
an d equipment. The Navajo People will furnish sheep
and goats for meat. Above and on the cover you see how
the dancers and corn are pictured on Navajo rugs.
We Invite ....
all who can come at this time to be present at this
work together in prayer and blessing in Navajo and
Christian Ways. Just at sunrise on Monday morning, October 21, a sung Eucharist will be celebrated at the ceremonial site and new Navajo designed vestments will be
blessed by Father Wayne and the medicine man. The
Navajo People have invited school groups, individuals,
families and people from anywhere. Pictures will be allowed and we hope to obtain a good movie of the ceremony. This is yet another way of living together here
with our brothers and sharing in ceremony and worship .
Christmas ....
is coming soon. We must collect gifts now and
throughout the year in order to have 1000 by December.
Serviceable, bright, new articles of clothing, toys, children's art materials, cosmetic kits, handbags, scarves and
hair ornaments are all most happily received by young
people here and in far away board ing schools. Our
mailing to these must go out by December 10. Of
course, gifts should be new. They deserve new gifts just
the same as youngsters throughout the world. Please
send unwrapped so they may be readily suited to the
child along with ribbon, string and wrapping paper. At
this time we begin a program of assembling pictorial
materials to bring the world into our midst and to begin
a library. This would include subscriptions to Life,
Look, National Geographic, American Heritage, Horizon
and special issues of colorful histories. Any material you
can share with us on early Navajo life will become a
permanent collection. This would include rugs, pictures,
books and anthropology. Our new price list from St.
Christopher's Shop is enclosed - we hope it can be a
way of having Navajo arts and crafts fill your gift lists all
year long.
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Would you ..•.
consider being a friend? You often ask what you ~
can do to help us in a truly personal way. Here is a ~
suggestion. Increasingly, the Navajo People are faced ~
with new problems as they begin to leave home and try ~
to step into a new world. This includes youngsters that
want to go to high schools and colleges away from
home; at times foster home placement; and rarely, an
adoption. Whole families now leave the reservation and
find jobs in urban areas in training and employment. Our
care to the People must ' not end as they leave hQme help must follow them. Can you help us to help them?
Take a young person into your home, support him, be a
foster parent, or just be friends. We must find out if you
are interested. Let us know by checking the end page.
We will answer by telling you about particular needs for
individuals in your area.
Once Again ....
we print a form for your will. Remembering this
work will continue your very own witness here to the
love of Christ for the Navajo People. Blessing and deep
thanks will be yours.
FORM OF BEQUEST
I hereby give, devise and bequeath (here state the
amount of your legacy) $
to the
Corporation of the Episcopal Church in Utah, a
corporation created and existing under the laws of
the State of Utah, for benefit of St. Christopher's
Mission to the Navajo, Bluff, Utah 84512.
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News ...•
Montezuma Creek Work
Begins ....
in brief. Almost 200 young workers from California
were with us during the month of August. Their accomplishments are too many to be listed here . Highlights
included much work on San Juan Bautista at
Montezuma Creek, thanks to the contributions received
for this project from our readers. Now we can begin the
second phase ; pictures show the work in progress. Also a
neighbor 's hogan was restored and mudded . A summer
recreation program brought out natural gifts of the children in sculpturing, painting, playing games, learning
music and many other talents. Three summer workers
joined us to lead the classes. In charge of the total program was Mrs. Joyce Higley who joined the staff in February. She is shown here with her family starting
homework this fall. Joyce 's next consuming project will
be the reopening of the Frontier Corps training program
to begin April 1 , 1969. Final plans will be announced
about December 1 this year. Joining our staff at the
beginning of August was Mr. and Mrs. Homer Dale and
family . Homer will now be in charge of farm management and grounds work here and at Mon tezuma Creek .
Already with the California workers, he has fenced the
cemetery and crosses now appear before each grave. We
are getting ready for water for irrigation and much produce from gardens and orchards. Religious instruction
classes have begun for more than 300 children throughout the area. We instruct just where we are : on the floor ,
in a storeroom or under a tree! Head Start School began
at the Mission with a total of 30 students plus teachers
and aids. Along with county, state and government programs to help , this year we provide hot lunches for the
Bluff Public School children in kindergarten, and fi rst
through fourth grades. A total of 90 has lunch with us
each week day.
Mr . and Mrs. Herrold Goddard are now traveling
and telling groups firsthand about the life and needs of
th e Navajo People and the Mission. California will be
covered this fall. Next spring a trip will take them south
and east in the United States. Please write to see if you
can have them at your church or club meeting.
Today the wind whips sand into the eyes and nose!
We know by evening a full blown sandstorm will be
upon us. Soon our long and lovely aut umn will be here
though . We share the warm days with you all.
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MISSION PORTRAITS: ....
Our nurse in charge of the clinic work is a big girl,
h as a big heart, has lived a big life and comes from a big
place - big Dallas from big Texas! Her work here is a big
area to cover. Marie Lockett was a member of the
second year Frontier Corps volunteers and was appointed nurse in charge at the end of her training in the
spring of 1967 . After he r first visit to the Mission in
April, 1966, she believed that her future work was at St.
Christopher's Mission to the Navajo . She always had a
love of India n People and spent several years with the
Sioux People of South Dakota. Marie began Indian work
in Shawnee, Oklahoma, with public health service. From
t here she entered church work at St. Elizabeth's School ,
Wakpala, South Dakota. After that it was church work
a nd India n work together in McLaughlin , Wa gner, Pine
Ridge and Hot Springs - all in South Dakota. For a
change of pace from the constant stream of patients
arriving at St. Christopher's, Marie likes photography,
needle work and especially work around the altar. Yes,
she has a big job and lives she has saved is a big number.
By the way , the shots she gives are big, too. They leave a
big hurt!
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