Caroline Allison
Through a Different Lens Film Series
Lesson #1: The Culture of the Dine
Mini-Unit: The Dine
Introduction: This lesson is the first lesson in a mini-unit on Dine culture and history in the latter part
of the nineteenth century. The unit is centered on creating a journal detailing the experiences of the
Dine during this time period.
Learning objectives:

Students will be able to briefly describe Dine, or Navajo, life and culture.

Students will be able to create a Dine ‘persona’ that is detailed, realistic and culturally
respectful.
Key Questions:


What was life like for the Dine in the late ninetieth century, before white men arrived in the
west?
How does Dine cultural differ from Western Culture? What are some similarities?
Activities:

Introduce journal project and the terms ‘Dine’ and ‘Navajo’.

Watch minutes 3 - 10 of The Long Walk: Tears of the Navajo and summarize on Who are the
Dine? sheet

Go over the details the video provided and Who are the Dine? sheet. For the section on
values, ask the students to note values then the evidence that demonstrates that value. For
example, if you stated that Dine valued women, they you would in parenthesis (women were
the heads of households).

Hand out copies of A Navajo Thunder Song. Add to the Dine sheet utilizing themes from the
song. (see key)

Handout Developing a Persona sheet. Discuss the Dine process of naming utilizing the
directions and examples on the top of the sheet. Compare the Dine process of naming with the
Western process. Ask students if they know what their names mean, or look a few students’
names up before class. Discuss how all names have a meaning, whether implicit or not.

Students develop a persona by filling in the sheet and discussing the process with the class.
As the students create their persona, they will have many questions- this is a great opportunity
to share additional information on Dine culture or discuss being culturally respectful.
Homework/Assessment:
Ask students to write a rough draft of the first journal entry Before the Bilangaana. Explain that each
lesson will directly relate to one of the journal entries and they will write the journal bit by bit
throughout the unit.
Bibliography
Sides, Hampton. Blood and Thunder: The Epic Story of Kit Carson and the Conquest of the American West. New York:
Anchor Books, 2007. An epic work with extensive detail on Dine culture and history.
Howe, John dir. The Long Walk: Tears of the Navajo. University of Utah, KUED. A short video on the genocide committed
by the American government on the Navajo Nation.
Matthews, Washington (trans). A Navajo Thunder Song. 1887. Accessed February 24, 2009. http://www.eduplace.com/ss/
hmss/3/unit/act2.1blm.html. This primary source is a Native American song encourages rain by honoring thunder.
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Looking Westward: The Dine People Journal Project
Directions: The Dine, or Navajo people, did not have a written form of their language until the later
part of the nineteenth century. In this activity, therefore, we will take a bit of historical license. The
ultimate goal of this project is to create a journal that conveys the perspective, motivations, thoughts
and feelings of a Dine person during the American movement west.
Step one: Please create a character utilizing the character brainstorm sheet- the only restriction is
that the character must be Dine. You must pass this sheet in with your final journal.
Step two: Write the following journal entries (each should be a paragraph).

Before the Bilagaana: This entry should describe Navaho life before the Bilagaana, or white
men, come. Describe your family, what you do for food and shelter, and other details of your
life. Are you happy? Why or why not?

Conflict: Describe the conflicts between your people and the Mexican Americans- why has
there been conflict? What involvement do you have in the conflicts? How do you feel about the
Mexican Americans?

The Treaty: Describe the exchange between Col. Washington and your people. How much of
the meeting do you understand? How do you feel about the Bilagaana?

The Attacks: Describe the attacks on your land by Kit Carson and his people. Do you know
what the white men want with your home? How do you feel about your sacred land being
destroyed? What are your reasons for staying? What eventually makes you leave?

The Long Walk: Describe the Long Walk. Why is the journey so terrible? What is happening to
you and your people? Where do you end your journey? What is your reaction to your new
‘home’? What has become of your family on the journey?

Sherman and Home: A new Bilagaana has arrived at Bosque Redondo, General William T.
Sherman. Describe him and the meeting that he has with the Dine elders. What are the
results? What is your reaction to the news that you will be going back to your home?

Education: Your parents have decided to send you to a boarding school to get an education.
Why have they sent you? What is your new school like? What changes do you have to make?
Will you stay at the school or try to run away home? Why?
Step three: Create a cover for your journal with a title, your Dine name, and your actual name.
Include either one hand drawn image of the Dine homeland or a photograph or drawing from the
internet.
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Who are the Dine?
Directions: As you watch The Long Walk: Tears of the Navajo, describe the culture of nineteenth
century Dine people (what they did for food and shelter, where they lived and other details) and what
the Dine valued (culturally and socially, for example). Next, we will read a song from the Navajo and
add to our lists.
Please note: The Dine, or Navajo, as they are known by Westerners, are still today a vibrant nation.
Because we are discussing Dine history, we will refer to ninetieth century Dine in the past tense, but
we should keep in mind that this does not mean that the Dine, or their culture, have disappeared.
The Dine…
The Dine valued….
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Who are the Dine?
Directions: As you watch The Long Walk: Tears of the Navajo, describe the culture of nineteenth
century Dine people (what they did for food and shelter, where they lived and other details) and what
the Dine valued (culturally and socially, for example). Next, we will read a song from the Navajo and
add to our lists.
Please note: The Dine, or Navajo, as they are known by Westerners, are still today a vibrant nation.
Because we are discussing Dine history, we will refer to ninetieth century Dine in the past tense, but
we should keep in mind that this does not mean that the Dine, or their culture, have disappeared.
The Dine…
From video:
lived in mud and wood houses called hogans
were sheep herders
farmed and planted orchards
lived in the present day American Southwest between 4 sacred mountains
From Song
Danced and sang
The Dine valued….
From Video:
family and women (women were heads of households)
everything their sheep provided (sheep = life to Navajo)
skills (like weaving)
their homeland
From Song:
nature (rain beautifies the land)
their religion (they chanted to bring rain)
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Found at http://www.eduplace.com/ss/hmss/3/unit/act2.1blm.html
A Navajo Thunder Song
The song below is part of a Navajo chant for thunder, which brings rain. The Navajo sang the song
during the Mountain Chant Ceremony.
Twelfth Song of the Thunder
from the Navajo
(translated by Dr. Washington Matthews, 1887)
The voice that beautifies the land!
The voice above,
The voice of the thunder.
Within the dark cloud
Again and again it sounds,
The voice that beautifies the land.
The voice that beautifies the land!
The voice below:
The voice of the grasshopper.
Among the plants
Again and again it sounds,
The voice that beautifies the land.
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Looking Westward: The Dine People Journal Project
Developing a Persona
Name: _________________________________________
Date: __________________________________________
History 10
American West
A note on naming: Dine names are descriptive; the Dine people often do not name their children until
they had laughed their first real laugh. Their name told something of their personal nature or physical
description. Some examples are No Neck, Skinny Girl, or Little Man Won’t Do As He’s Told. Give
your persona a name that describes their personality or physical characteristics. 1
Dine Name: ___________________________________________________________________
Age: _________________________
Physical Characteristics or Description:
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
Personality Traits
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
Role in family group: (Mother, brother, daughter, etc.)
______________________________________________
Family Members:
______________________________________
Relationship (mother, father, sister etc.)
_______________________________
______________________________________
_______________________________
______________________________________
_______________________________
______________________________________
_______________________________
______________________________________
_______________________________
Personal History: What experiences has this persona had in the past that are important to know or
has significantly impacted them?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
1
Sides, Hampton. Blood and Thunder. New York: Anchor Books, 2006.
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