Navajo resource 5

How did they live?  

Small Family Groups: In olden times, the Navajo did not live in villages. They lived in small family groups. Each family lived near their corn ields. The men hunted deer and the women took care of the sheep and the crops.

Hogans: A Navajo home was called a hogan. Hogans were made of wooden poles covered with tree bark and mud. They were dark and gloomy. They had no windows, and only a small hole in the ceiling to let out smoke. The door of the hogan faced east to welcome the rising sun. Hogans were usually one room affairs. People sheltered in the hogan at night. The only furniture in a hogan was bedding. Bedding was usually a sheepskin on the floor.

Winter and Summer Homes: Each Navajo family had two hogans - one in the desert and one in the mountains. The area in which they lived was subject to flash floods. Having two homes ready allowed them to move quickly. They moved seasonally. They might also move if they needed fresh grazing land, or if their food and water supply dried up.