A Navajo home was called a hogan.
Hogans were made of wooden poles covered with
tree bark and mud. They were permanent structures. They were also very
dark and gloomy. They had no windows, and only a small hole in the
ceiling to let out smoke. The door of a hogan always 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.
Each Navajo family had two hogans - one in the
desert and one in the mountains.
The southwest area of the county, especially the
areas in which the Navajo lived, were subject to flash floods. In case
of any disaster, having two homes allowed
them to move quickly. They also moved seasonally. And they moved if
they needed fresh grazing land, or if their food and water supply
dried up.
The Navajo believed in being prepared. You can
see this in their homes.
