“Peyote Ceremony” by Woodrow Crumbo
As told to us by our elders, these fans are quite significant to the Native Americans. They are used in the Native American Church to sing and to pray with. They are also used in Pow Wows to dance with. The legends told to us about these fans are as follows: This story is told according to the Navahos elders. There are many others told by other tribes, but this is the way this particular fan is put together.
The fringe part of the fan is said to represent our roots. We usually put 12 fringes on the handle of the gourd rattles and the fan handle. These 12 fringes represent our roots; it represents our 12 months; it represents the 12 tails of the eagle and hawks; it represents the hogan songs, the mountain song, and the early morning dawn songs. This is where our roots lies. The Navahos have strong ties to their roots: the roots being their origination, the clans being passed down through the mother, the elders, and all relations. The fringes are made of buckskin to represent our necessities of life; as the deer was used for food, clothing and shelter. We as human, we all have roots, some keep these roots strong and keep in daily contact with where they are coming from. We nourish these relations with our elders. We respect our elders, since they are the reason we are alive today. This is why we usually put 12 fringes on the fans and gourd rattles.
The beadworks and the floral decorations are each made differently to represent the morning dawn, the sunrise, the sunset, the dark and also the different seasons. This is where all walks of life are born, live, die - and this is where we live our daily lives.