The Forked Hogan - Kayenta, AZ
Posted by: 
YoSam.
N 36° 42.440 W 110° 15.171
12S E 566732 N 4062666
The original family dwelling, but more possessions made the need for a bigger home (Palisaded Hogans)
Waymark Code: WMQ0JQ
Location: Arizona, United States
Date Posted: 11/23/2015
Views: 3
County of marker: Navajo County
Location of marker: Between Burger King and Hampton Inn along side US 160, near turnoff to Kayenta
Marker erected by: Navajo Cultural Center, Navajo Nation
THE FORKED HOGAN (male)
This particular type of hogan has almost vanished. Typically, they were used as ceremonial pieces but as the Navajo changed, they allowed ceremonies to take place in "female" hogans as is presently the case. These hogans are built in the same fashion as a sweathouse lodge and are limited in space. The fork stick hogan (called the conical hogan in English and the male hogan in Navajo), was a common sight on the Navajo landscape during the 1600's and 1700's when Navajo were a smaller tribe and had fewer sheep. As more sheep begat more sheep, Navajo families became larger and they also began to accumulate more possessions. The Navajo families needed more and larger hogans. In the transformation from the fork stick hogan (male) to the round hogan (female), a typical family would have a cluster of five female hogans to live in and one male hogan for ceremonies. During the months or weeks that the male hogan was not being used for ceremonies, it would be used to shelter grain or bales of hay for the livestock.
The fork stick hogan was the most common dwelling until the introduction of sheep. With sheep came many changes. First of all, more children would live because their food source was right outside. The hogan is warm in the winter and cool in the summer because it is so well insulated. So well insulated in fact, that Navajoes never cooked inside during the summer. Navajoes also began farming so they had plenty of dried fruit, grains and corn. No more did the male Indians have to go out hunting for deer, rabbits, or turkey, in the winter time. With more sheep, the Navajoes could afford more cooking utensils, more saddles and bridles, more basic foods such as flour and baking powder, salt and sugar, coffee, and canned lard.
More sheep also brought about the problem of a "store in value". How can an extended family possibly consume 1,000 head of sheep? At the same time, what if half the flock freezes to death this coming winter? The answer to a "store of value: was silver. Americans, Mexicans, various Pueblos and the local Indian Trader would all trade for silver. Hence, the Navajo people became famous for their silver jewelry. Although Navajoes liked turquoise, they prefer thick and heavy silver with their turquoise jewelry.
The hogan is such an integral part of Navajo life that the logs which make up a hogan cannot be used for anything else. Even if a hogan gets old and a new one is to be erected, a Navajo cannot use the old logs if they were part of a hogan.