The Hopis had held a rain dance Sunday, calling on the clouds—their ancestors—to restore the water blessing to the land. Perhaps the kachinas had listened to their Hopi children. Perhaps not. It was not a Navajo concept, this idea of adjusting nature to human needs. The Navajo adjusted himself to remain in harmony with the universe. When nature withheld rain, the Navajo sought the pattern of this phenomenon—as he sought the pattern of all things—to find its beauty and live in harmony with it.Tony Hillerman, Listening Woman
I know that I read some of Tony Hillerman's mysteries when they first came out. However, it took a trip to Palo Duro Canyon where the gift shop had many Hillerman mysteries featured to make me revisit them. I now can appreciate them for more than the mystery and environment. The Navajo culture and beliefs, as well as that of other Indian tribes in the area, are a background against which all else is measured.
Now, as a Catholic, I can appreciate those resonances much more. We take what God gives us, the good and the bad, knowing that it is the way to live in harmony with His plan.
