Papers by Lillian Makeda
This chapter from my PhD dissertation, "The Tsin Bee Hooghan: Cross-Cultural Discourse and the Em... more This chapter from my PhD dissertation, "The Tsin Bee Hooghan: Cross-Cultural Discourse and the Emergence of a New Icon of Diné Cultural Identity" (University of New Mexico, 2019) is a revised version of "Visions of a Liminal Landscape: Mythmaking on the Rainbow Plateau," originally published in the Winter 2016–2017 issue of Journal of the Southwest.
All of the material in this chapter is under copyright. Please credit me and include the dissertation information if you paraphrase or quote from the chapter's text. Most of the pictures and maps contained within this chapter are drawn from originals located in private collections and repositories and reproducing them is expressly forbidden.
The Rainbow Plateau spans the border between Utah and Arizona, covering 775 square miles of some ... more The Rainbow Plateau spans the border between Utah and Arizona, covering 775 square miles of some of the most rugged terrain within the continental United States. Bounded by the Colorado and San Juan Rivers to the north, Piute Canyon to the east, and Navajo Canyon to the west, it was first mapped a century ago by Herbert Gregory who described it as " the most inaccessible, least known, and roughest portion of the Navajo Reservation " (figure 1). 1 Over the years, the Rainbow Plateau has become known for its breathtaking natural beauty. But the area's remoteness has also cast a spell over many Euro-Americans who have either seen it or experienced it as armchair travelers in scientific treatises, novels, ethnographies, and magazine articles. My fascination with the Rainbow Plateau began several years ago when I encountered several photographs of a remarkable-looking school located on the eastern slope of Navajo Mountain. Navajo Mountain, at 10,348 feet, is not only the topographical centerpiece of the Rainbow Plateau, it is also the highest point on the Navajo Reservation. The school, a Navajo-Modernist hybrid concocted by a top New York architectural firm during the 1930s, was, well, amazing (figure 2). But experiencing it in the context of the Rainbow Plateau left me with the unshakeable feeling that the builders intended the school's startling architecture as a response to its dramatic surroundings. The area is filled with numerous Native American sacred sites— " places where Divinity is closest " as historian Editha Watson once described them. 2 And the land on and around Navajo Mountain is studded with geographical features that have served as sacred symbols in many cultures through time and across the globe. The Euro-Americans who interacted with the Rainbow Plateau creatively, through writing and through architecture, may have been aware of the Native American sacred sites located there, but they also brought with them a cultural
National Register of Historic Places nominations by Lillian Makeda
National Register of Historic Places, 2012
Thls form is for use in nomlnating or requesting determinations for lndivldual propertl$ and dist... more Thls form is for use in nomlnating or requesting determinations for lndivldual propertl$ and districts. See instructions in National Register Bullelin, How lo Complete the National Rogister of Hisloric Places Registntion Fotm, lf any item does not apply to the property being documented, enter "N/A' for "not apblicable." For functions, architectural classification, materials, and areas of significance, enter only cateqories and subcategodes from the insbuctions. place addltlonrl certlflcatlon commentrs, entrles, and narratlve ltems on contlnuatlon sheets if needed (NPS Fo.m 10-900a). 17 6. Function or use Historic Functions
National Register of Historic Places, 2013
This form is for use in nominating or requesting determinations for individual properties and dis... more This form is for use in nominating or requesting determinations for individual properties and districts. See instructions in National Register Bulletin, How to Complete the National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. If any item does not apply to the property being documented, enter "N/A" for "not applicable." For functions, architectural classification, materials, and areas of significance, enter only categories and subcategories from the instructions. Place additional certification comments, entries, and narrative items on continuation sheets if needed (NPS Form 10-900a).
National Register of Historic Places, 2021
This form is for use in nominating or requesting determinations for individual properties and dis... more This form is for use in nominating or requesting determinations for individual properties and districts. See instructions in National Register Bulletin, How to Complete the National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. If any item does not apply to the property being documented, enter "N/A" for "not applicable." For functions, architectural classification, materials, and areas of significance, enter only categories and subcategories from the instructions.
Book Reviews by Lillian Makeda
Kiva: Journal of Southwestern Anthropology and History, 2021
Book Chapter by Lillian Makeda
The Diné Hogan: A Modern History, 2024
Over the course of their history, the Navajo (Diné) have constructed many types of architecture, ... more Over the course of their history, the Navajo (Diné) have constructed many types of architecture, but during the 20th century, one building emerged to become a powerful and inspiring symbol of tribal culture. This book describes the rise of the octagonal stacked-log hogan as the most important architectural form among the Diné. The Navajo Nation is the largest Indian reservation in the United States and encompasses territory from within Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah, where thousands of Native American homes, called hogans, dot the landscape. Almost all of these buildings are octagonal. Whether built from plywood nailed onto a wood frame or with other kinds of timber construction, octagonal hogans derive from the stacked-log hogan, a form which came to prominence around the middle of the last century. The stacked-log hogan has also influenced public architecture, and virtually every Diné community on the reservation has a school, senior center, offi ce building, or community center that intentionally evokes it. Although the octagon recurs as a theme across the Navajo reservation, the inventiveness of vernacular builders and professional architects alike has produced a wide range of octagonally inspired architecture. Previous publications about Navajo material culture have emphasized weaving and metalwork, overlooking the importance of the tribe's built environment. But, populated by an array of octagonal public buildings and by the hogan-one of the few Indigenous dwellings still in use during the 21st centurythe Navajo Nation maintains a deep connection with tradition. This book describes how the hogan has remained at the center of Diné society and become the basis for the most distinctive Native American landscape in the United States. The Diné Hogan: A Modern History will appeal to scholarly and educated readers interested in Native American history and American architecture. It is also well suited to a broad selection of college courses in American studies, cultural geography, Native American art, and Native American architecture.
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Papers by Lillian Makeda
All of the material in this chapter is under copyright. Please credit me and include the dissertation information if you paraphrase or quote from the chapter's text. Most of the pictures and maps contained within this chapter are drawn from originals located in private collections and repositories and reproducing them is expressly forbidden.
National Register of Historic Places nominations by Lillian Makeda
Book Reviews by Lillian Makeda
Book Chapter by Lillian Makeda
All of the material in this chapter is under copyright. Please credit me and include the dissertation information if you paraphrase or quote from the chapter's text. Most of the pictures and maps contained within this chapter are drawn from originals located in private collections and repositories and reproducing them is expressly forbidden.