The Diné Kin Ya’a Community

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Kin Ya'a (towering house) is a prominent Chacoan great house that was the center of large community in the 11th and 12th centuries. This area has been utilized by the Navajo (Diné) over the course of two or more centuries. Nevertheless, there has been a shortage of research done on the Diné occupation of this particular region. According to oral histories within the Diné community, Kin Ya'a is the ancestral origin of one of the four original Diné clans. Kin Ya’a is an important archaeological site that features prominently in numerous oral histories recounted by the Diné, particularly in relation to ceremonies such as the "Excess way" and "Blessingway" (Fransted 1979). This research aims to examine the archaeological remains of Diné homesteads, agricultural sites, and shrines within the designated region. In my research, I employ ethnohistorical methodologies, engage in conversations with local communities, and conduct pedestrian surveys. I intend to examine the changing significance of the Kin Ya’a region. What are the historical changes in Diné land use within this region? How have Diné perceptions of Kin Ya'a shifted throughout time—or remained the same?

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 39290.0