Kinaalda: The Navajo Puberty Ritual (Video)
Take a rare look inside the world of an ancient and sacred ceremony
When a Navajo girl reaches puberty (the time of her first menstruation), she undergoes a four day ceremony called Kinaalda which signifies her transformation from childhood into womanhood. The ceremony is centered around the Navajo myth of Changing woman, the first woman on Earth who was able to bear children. The myth says that Changing Woman performed the first Kinaalda and that the ceremony gave her the ability to have children.
Because of this, all Navajo girls must also undergo the ceremony so that they will grow into strong women who can also have children.
The First Kinaalda
“The first Kinaalda was performed for Changing Woman, the most honored of all Navajo Holy People. One morning at dawn, First Man and First Woman saw a dark cloud over Gobernador Knob. When they went to see the cloud, they heard a baby crying within it. First Man found the baby girl who was born of darkness; the dawn was her father. First Man and First Woman raised the children under the direction of the Holy People.
When the girl reached puberty, the Holy People wanted to make a ceremony for her so she could have children. First Woman told the girl, who was called Changing Woman, that she must run four times in the direction of the rising sun. “As you come back you must make the turn sun-wise,” First Woman said.
To begin the ceremony, Changing Woman’s hair was washed with suds made from the root of the yucca plant. Then her hair was tied back.
Next, First Woman decorated a dress for Changing Woman. First she spread out an unwounded buckskin – one without an arrow hole. On it she placed a piece of turquoise, a bit of white abalone shell, a piece of black obsidian, and a white bead. Then she put white beaded moccasins on the girl’s feet. She gave her a skirt and leggings that were also made of white beads. She designed with-bead sleeve fringes and wristlets.
Then First Woman placed her hand on Changing Woman’s forehead and moved her hand from Changing Woman’s shoulders up over her head. She did this to modl the girl into a woman like herself.
The Holy People said that Changing Woman must make a large cake for the Sun. She was to grind and mix the corn for the batter. When the Sun rose in the east, and after all the prayers were finished, the cake would be given to the Sun. The was given the first piece of cake and because he was one of the most powerful of the Holy People. He controlled night and day.
Later, when Changing Woman grew up, the Sun married her. He took her to his home in the western ocean. They had twin boys. These boys became known as Monster Slayer and Child Born for Water.” (Roessel)
The ceremony begins in the family’s Hogan where the girl and her mother sit together, facing the house’s door (which is always built on the east side) and begin to prepare the girl for her ‘race’. The girl’s mother will comb out her hair with a traditional grass comb and tie it back in a simple pony tail with a buckskin tie. Once the girl’s hair is tied back, the ceremony is considered to have officially begun.
