Salt Woman- Navajo GodDeity
Also known as: Ashiih Asdzáá
Description
She established the sacred salt deposits and struck an agreement with the people: they may gather salt, but only with prayers, offerings, and proper respect. Salt taken with ceremony carries her blessing and can heal and protect. Salt taken carelessly is dead mineral.
Mythology & Lore
The Salt Expeditions
Salt Woman established the deposits and set her terms. The people could gather from them, but only with prayers, offerings, and the right conduct. Salt taken with ceremony carried her blessing: it could purify, heal, and ward off harm. Salt taken without ceremony was inert crystal, good for seasoning but useless in any rite.
Those who went to gather prepared for days. They observed taboos along the road, prayed at the deposits before touching the crystals, and took only what they needed. The expedition was a ceremony, not a supply run. Zuni Salt Lake in western New Mexico, one of Salt Woman's homes, has drawn gatherers for centuries. Navajo, Zuni, and Pueblo peoples approach the same shore with the same reverence, leaving offerings before they take a single grain.
Relationships
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