Estsanatlehi

spirit · United States · North America

Estsanatlehi, also known as Asdzą́ą́ Nádleehé or Changing Woman, is the most revered deity in Navajo (Diné) mythology, associated with the cyclical renewal of life, the changing seasons, and female puberty. According to Diné Bahaneʼ (the Navajo creation story), she was created from a turquoise figure placed on a buckskin at the sacred mountain Chʼóolʼį́ʼí, brought to life by the Wind and the songs of the Holy People. She grew from infant to womanhood in four days. Her parents are Long Life Boy and Happiness Girl, who represent the means by which all life passes through time. She is the mother

Open in the interactive archive →