Ghąąjį’ can be translated as the “Back to back”. This was considered the division of summer and winter. Some have explained that the word comes from the saying Dził bighą́ąjį’ yiidzaaz, the mountains have become snow covered.
It was said that when the names of the seasons were being created a Holy Being looked at the mountain and said we would know that summer was ending and winter was beginning by looking to the top of those mountains. The top portion is white because it is covered in snow and the bottom portion is green and yellow because there is still the warmth of summer lingering there.
In this fashion the k’eet’aan, offering stick was created. One side would be white and the other yellow. Where the colors meet was the ghąąjį’.
“In the early days the spring showers would travel from south to north. It was said that the thunder travelled north to spend it’s summer there and later when early fall would come the thunder would travel back south to spend their winter there. Back then it always rained and there was always vegetation. The earth smelled sweet and animals were nice and fat.”
There was an order to the seasons and so to the lives of the Diné. The stories of the seasons told the People how to go about their daily activities. For some the cold winds were a whisper telling the People that the Cold People, Hak’az Dine’é were on there way. It was time to harvest and gather wood for the cold days to follow.
your feeble teacher of no-thing,
transitioning to what was intended as a pleasant father/daughter recon of SW Colorado’s most authentic true mountain race into a daddy-only race due to hurricane winds and knee-deep snows at the 11,738′ summit. ilg managed a 3rd AG. see the whole video on my FB or IG page.
ilg’s only regret at not having been prepared for a Race Effort (instead of escorting my daughter) was that ilg could not go out hard enough in the first mile..no warm up, no psychological prep…
by mile 2 the snow/slush/rock transition required full on Mental Focus. by Timberline, ilg was 17th overall and had my poles out and charging into the raging wind/snow/cold. PERFECT CONDITIONS for ilg!
yet? the Race Director could not make it to the summit so, all times/ placings were off due to the intense blizzard on the notorious pass.
it’s all GO(O)D tho… cuz? racing is a celebration and today was a celebration of Ghąąjį’ !!!
the final 800-meters to the summit? places where ilg had to post-hole BACKWARDS through knee deep snow into the blizzard hard winds ripping.
so few really honor the Sacred Snows.
feeling soooooo honored to welc(om)e our direly needed First SNOW through such an Effort…
head bowed,
spirit vowed,
coach ilg
These teachings are the "Rasas" or "sap" of Wholistic Fitness. You’ll find insights to ponder, student chi to keep your own chi topped off, and plenty of proven training techniques to test on your own body, mind, and spirit! Also, you’ll find my very popular Race Reports, and news of our Sangha’s (community’s) latest transpersonal fitness adventures!