The Mountain Chant, A Navajo Ceremony Fifth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1883-84, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1887, pages 379-468

"The Mountain Chant: A Navajo Ceremony" by Washington Matthews is a detailed exploration of a significant ceremonial practice within the Navajo tribe. The study opens with an introduction to the Mountain Chant, a major Navajo rite used for healing and securing good harvests. Matthews presents a myth about a family discovering a vital spring, their adventures, and the origins of the ceremony. The book highlights the intimate connection between the Navajo people, their land, and the supernatural, with themes of survival, spirituality, and the importance of passing on knowledge within the Navajo community. The core of the narrative details the complex rituals performed by Navajo shamans or medicine men, providing observations of the tribe’s cultural and spiritual beliefs.