This collection of field recordings is the work of Professor Charlotte Johnson-Frisbie done on the Navajo reservation during the summers of 1963-1965 in the Chinle and Lukachukai areas of Arizona. Her extensive collection is rich and varied, containing Navajo ceremonies, songs and interviews. Highlights of the recordings are Kinaaldá ceremonies, the Red Ant Way, the Blessing Way and the Hogan or House Blessing Way, medicine men's prayers, women's and children's prayers and songs. Discussions of foods, animals, blankets, saddles, moccasins, clans, sweathouses, hunting, myths, dreams, superstitions, death, creation, origin stories, personal experiences and histories of the Navajo people are also in the collection. Johnson-Frisbie obtained detailed autobiographies of Frank Mitchell, a leading Navajo medicine man, and his wife, Rose Mitchell. Chic Sandoval (Albert G. Sandoval), Augusta Sandoval, (Agusta Sandoval). Totsoni Mark made translations of the narratives. Navajo songs are performed by Frank and Howard Mitchell, Walter Davis, Marie Shirley, John Tsoii, Ashan Kataali (Bird Woman), Blue Mule and by Jimmy Howard and Billy Norton and their groups. The original recordings are housed at Wesleyan University. In 1966 the University of New Mexico Fine Arts Library made copies of the original recordings which have been reformatted to cassette.
