Sheep in Navajo Culture and Social Organization 1

The sheep herd occupies an important place in Navajo thought and social organization. It provides the Navajo with both a material and psychological sense of security, contributes to a Navajo's physical and mental health, and is the object of considerable affective investment and moral responsibility. The residence group, the fundamental unit of Navajo social organization, is organized around and integrated by the sheep herd. At the residence group level, social groups correspond to the grouping of individually owned sheep into herds. A Navajo's social status within and loyalty to various residence groups are closely linked to the location and position of his sheep in a particular herd or herds. The sheep herd operation also provides an interesting convergence of the concepts of egoism and individualism with those of altruism and communalism.