Hogan

The Story of the Hogan told by Hosteen Sam Benally

Male Hogan is pointed at the top is held with to main legs.

It is in the form of a kneeling position with it's arm extended forward.

In this position it allows the hogan to its stand any strong wind or storms that are common in the area.

The door should always be facing east for the welcoming of the sun and for blessing purposes.

The post on the right side on the entrance of the door way represents thinking and reasoning.

As of the post on the south side would represent planning philosophy.

The post on the western portion of the hogan represents life and as for the north post it represents confidence.

The entire hogan (home) would represent a persons religion and his philosophy.

When first building a hogan is built, there is a prayer, a hogan

song is sung and finally the hogan is put together. A fire is made and this is to be the heart and life of a hogan (home).

Then their is dedicated to the home with corn pollen or white corn meal and that is the start of a new home life. When

this blessing is being done, the person has to stand at the doorway facing (east)and moving clockwise,

and blessing the four direction. When doing this, person makes his own rules and life objectives.

When the person remembers the four posts and what they each represents, they pray that they will be blessed

with the thoughts, planning and their path will always be blessed. The hogan should always be facing east and a hole

on the top of the hogan for this chimney. The door should always face east, so the suns rays of the morning can go right in their

inner part of their home. The sun carries special thoughts, planning and materialistic things of value.

This why a hogan is very sacred to us the Navajo people.