Navajo Patriarchy in a Twenty-First-Century World

Abstract:In this article, Navajo patriarchy is examined. Navajo patriarchy is evident in various spaces on the Navajo Nation such as government, leadership, ceremonies, music, sports, home, and relationships. Navajo men and women throughout the many generations prior to settler colonialism followed an egalitarian and complementary way of life. Men and women knew their roles and responsibilities to each other and the community. For the past few hundred years, Navajo men adopted patriarchy to protect their power and authority by declaring certain Navajo spaces as male oriented and traditional even though that was not the case. This article analyzes and discusses the spaces.