Harmonizing Tradition: Navajo Music and the “Beauty Way” in Archaeology

Music serves as a living archive of culture, weaving stories, traditions, and spiritual wisdom across generations. In this insightful webinar, Tash Terry (Diné) and Elena Higgins of Indigie Femme delve into the profound role of Navajo music in preserving history, identity, and the Diné philosophy of the “Beauty Way” (Hózhó Jígo). Just as archaeology uncovers the physical remnants of the past, traditional songs act as oral artifacts, capturing Indigenous worldviews, relationships with the environment, and the continuity of cultural heritage.

Participants will have the opportunity to learn a traditional Navajo song while exploring how music bridges the past and present. The session will also examine how archaeologists and cultural stewards can integrate Indigenous knowledge systems into their research and interpretations. Through storytelling, discussion, and a shared “Beauty Way” chant around a traditional drum, this webinar offers a rich exploration of music as a vital component of archaeology—one that connects us to ancestral wisdom, the land, and the enduring spirit of resilience.