Dudley recounts the history of the Native American Church (NAC) on the Navajo Reservation, particularly from the time he became a member in 1950. During that time, the use of Peyote, a sacrament used during the NAC ceremonies, was illegal to use on the Navajo Nation. He says that the first Indian Agent assigned to the Navajo Reservation upon the Navajos return from incarceration at Bosque Redondo in eastern New Mexico, outlawed the use of peyote. When the Navajo Tribal Government was established in 1923, the outlaw of the use of peyote was grandfathered into the new laws created.

He recounts many of the trials and tribulations he and fellow NAC members endured until the use of peyote was finally legalized by the Navajo Tribal Council in 1969. Dudley and his wife Alice, their close relatives, and those who had become his relations in the circles of the NAC were arrested and incarcerated on numerous occasions. Dudley played a pivotal role as a member of the Navajo Tribal Council to introduce legislation and advocate for legalizing the sacred herb. The legislation passed on the third attempt during a contentious objection from one councilman about peyote.

Dudley was also instrumental along with a delegation of other Navajo NAC members, and NAC members from other tribes to lobby to the U.S. Congress for the national legalization of peyote for use as sacrament. Dudley talks about his role as a Tribal Councilman representing the Indian Wells District which he did for 20 years before retiring. He was chosen to be an advisor to the Navajo/Hopi Land Commission during the time that the Navajo-Hopi Land Dispute Settlement Act was passed forcing Navajo families out of their traditional homelands.
In retirement Dudley conducted NAC ceremonies and traditional Navajo healing ceremonies on an increased level because the need was so great. He speaks about the wide variety of people he has helped, including people from other Indigenous tribes and non-Natives, many of whom have established life-long relations with him, his wife, and family.

Continuing the creation story, Dudley tells about a severe drought that occurred, what caused it, and how harmony was restored. The prominent characters in the story include Tse’yaalti (Talking Rock) and Tse’naagai (Walking Rock) who become Dine’ Diyin (Holy Man); Scavenger, the orphaned boy; Haashch’éélti’í (Talking God); Haashchʼééʼooghaan (Sounding God); Black God; Water Sprinkler; First Man; First Woman; and Hummingbird.

A person named Dili’ requested from the Holy Ones to become the Chief of Creation, to which they said, “No.” In retaliation, Dili’ cursed creation and all the ceremonies and prayers that went with them, except for one, which becomes the ceremony that brings an end to the drought and restores harmony to the earth.

Dudley recounts in detail about the obsidian stone used to see and hear long distances. The stone was used by Dine’ Diyin (Holy Man) and Scavenger, the orphaned boy, to find water and restore harmony. The stone helped them discover a large lake that Hummingbird had been
secretly visiting to quench his thirst. A large flock of waterbirds flew above them before they reached the lake, and one of them dropped a middle tail feather which they used to pray for water.

Dudley goes into detail about a plant that was mistaken to be a rock upon their arrival at the lake. They see it in the water at the shore, and watch it to grow into a plant from which medicine plants are derived, including peyote, medicinal herbs, and tobacco. This plant is known as Táłtłʼáahdi ch’ó (underwater tree). They prayed at the lake, and animals and birds each made their distinguishing noises as their names were mentioned in the prayer. During the prayer they also witnessed the appearance of fog, lightning, sun rays, and rainbows. Dudley explains that prayers were set in motion for that particular time and for the future.

In this recording, Dudley continues the story of the medicines that came from the underwater tree with all their individual names.

He talks more about peyote and how at that time, Dine’ Diyin (Holy Man) says in his prayer that this plant is to only grow away from the four sacred mountains in a climate that is best suited for it in the southeast. Dudley tells the story of the woman who discovered peyote many years later when she was in distress and in dire need of healing. The peyote spoke to her and instructed her to pick it and consume it. She did this and was completely healed from this experience.

Dudley then shares about the history of peyote use by the Navajo people after their return home from Fort Sumner, (The Long Walk, which he talks about at length in the Day 1B recording.) He provides a summary of the legalization process of peyote by the US Government and his involvement in the passage of the Native American Religious Freedom Act. He also discusses his advocacy for the use of peyote before the Navajo Tribal Council and the aftermath in the community for peyote use in Native American Church (NAC) ceremonies. He talks in more detail about the networking he did with other NAC Roadmen from other tribes which strengthened the NAC on and off the Navajo Nation.

Dudley shares the Navajo Creation Story from the beginning. The First World, which was known as the Black World, was when Mother Earth and Father Sky along with the ants, dragonflies, locust, and beetles existed. The spiritual essence of First Man and First Woman lived then, and from them the First Man and First Woman were created. The spiritual name given to First Man is Sa’ah Naaghai and the spiritual name given to First Woman was Bike’eh Hozho. Although the Sun and Moon existed at that time, the Sun did not shine its light as it does today but was dim like the moon at night. He goes on to tell about Tse’yalti’ Tse’nagee’,(Rock That Walks/Rock That Talks,) and how he was given Ke’taan Yahltii’, (obsidian stone with
markings on it) as a gift from the head of the Holy People. It was from this stone that fire came, and the Holy Ones assigned Tse’yalti’ Tse’nagee’ to use it to light the sun, the moon, and the stars. He explains how the four markings on one side of the stone represented the four seasons, and the four markings on the other side of the stone represented summer solstice, the autumn equinox, the winter solstice, and the spring equinox. The months, weeks, and days were calculated from using these marking indicators.

Dudley relates the creation of the oceans, the four sacred mountains, and other sacred mountains within the four sacred mountains. Each were given distinct names with a color associated with it. There were prayers and offerings for each one, with white shell, turquoise, abalone shell, and jet for the four sacred mountains. After the mountains were created, Dudley explains about the creation of rain and how the rain brought to life the plants and trees on the mountains. He shares how a female diety named Di’li’ approached the Holy Ones who had created the ocean, the mountains, and the rain, to ask if she could take charge of all creation. She was denied. Her disappointment turned into anger and she used her anger to curse creation up to that point. After the Holy Ones created the animals, including the guardian animals for each of the four sacred mountains, a great drought ensued.

Dudley returns to the story of Tse’yalti’ Tse’nahgee’ , (Rock that walks/ Rock that talks,) and describes his meeting the horned toad, encountering the lighting, angering the lightning, hunting down big horn sheep on top of the mountain, and finally being struck by the lightning.

An orphan boy discovered the broken body of Tse’yalti’ Tse’nahgee’. The boy was not liked by the people he lived with, so he sought out a medicineman’s help. The ant people sewed Tse’yalti’ Tse’nahgee’ back together, and the ceremony brought him back to life. Once back to life, he was given a new name, Dine’ Diyini.

The people the orphaned boy lived with had discovered that Hummingbird was withholding information on a water source during a great drought. The boy brings Dine’ Diyini back to this camp where the people greeted him and asked for help with the drought situation. Dine’ Diyini gazes into the obsidian stone and sees the water source that the hummingbird has been going to. He chooses the orphaned boy to go with him as his assistant. Prayers are said, and Dudley describes in great detail the journey that leads them to discover a big lake in the northeastern mountains. There was ceremony left that had not been earlier cursed/destroyed by Di’li’. It was this ceremony that Dine’ Diyini used to restore life with rain. This prayer ceremony is called Naalye’ bi’ hozhoji (Monster Slayer Beauty Way.)

Dudley resumes the story of Changing Woman. When she was brought down from the mountain as an infant, her presence made all the Holy Ones happy. In the previous recording, Dudley talked about Talking God singing to her when she cried the first time in their presence, and how his songs soothed her and she stopped crying. In this recording Dudley talks about what happened when the baby cried the second time, saying that Talking God knew she was getting hungry and asked Sounding God and the other Holy People to gather some “naaste la gleesh’ (a soft clay found in water). Dudley states that other parts of this plant and nearby tree bark along with natural cotton from a plant were used to create the baby’s cradle board. He shares in more details about the cradle board, its meaning, and how a piece of buffalo hide was used as a mattress and a buckskin as the blanket cover. He states as he did in the Day 2D video, about the umbilical cord after if fell off the baby, taken back to where they originally found her.

This time, Dudley remembers that when the baby was initially found, they also found the Ke’taan Yalti’ (obsidian stone with markings) next to the baby. (This was the obsidian stone originally found by Tse Yalti’ Tse Naaghee’ in a previous story.) This obsidian stone was given to Talking God who interpreted the markings from which the solar and lunar cycles were derived. These marking led to the calendar in days, months, and year. In addition, he states that Talking God spoke of what was forthcoming using the obsidian stone.

When the baby laughed for the first time, Dudley says the Holy People came together to celebrate. The baby grew into a girl and at the age of 12, they had the first Kinaaldá (puberty ceremony) for her. Talking God conducted the Kinaaldá using the obsidian stone Ke’taan Yalti’ to guide him through the process. The naming and foundation of her human body was established from head to toe, including the purpose and function of the body parts. The
creation of Changing Woman started when Sa’ah Naaghai, also known as Áłtsé Hastiin, (First Man), and Bik’eh Hozhoo, also known as Áłtsé Asdzą́ą́(First Woman), were created in Niʼ Hodiłhił (Black World), which was the First World. Changing Woman was the mother of all people to come, and that from her lineage will be people who live according to established relationships with corresponding roles of the mother, the father, the uncles, the aunts, and the grandparents.

Dudley goes back to speaking about Tse’ Yaalti’ Tse’ Naaghe’ and how his discovery of Ke’taan Yalti’, (the obsidian stone with the eight markings,) was significant in the creation of fire, the Sun, and the lighting of the planets. He connects how when Ke’taan Yalti’ was found next to the baby Changing Woman, it was the realization of prayers from the First World.

He shares the reasons for certain aspects of man and woman that make them distinct in mind, body, and spirit, and that these are also the realization of prayers from the First World.

When Changing Woman became a woman, she had two names; Asdzaa Nádleehé (Changing Woman) and Yoolgai asdzáá (White Shell Woman). As she changed with the seasons from young girl in the spring, young woman in the summer, mature woman in the fall, and to elder woman in the winter, she was given a name at each phase — Yoolgai awéé’ (White Shell baby), Yoolgai atʼééd (White Shell girl), and then Yoolgai asdzáá (White Shell Woman).

Dudley talks about the significance of corn, squash, and beans as it was prayed for, and about the various plants to be used for medicinal purposes, ceremonies, and for prayer. He shares the significance, of several trees, including cedar, juniper, pine, aspen, and spruce.

He talks about how creation up to that point brought clarity. The moral codes for people to live by were introduced, as well as the expectations for people to honor it, and the repercussions when teachings and discipline is not followed. He shares again, the order of the Holy Ones, their roles, and the natural order of the cosmos in relation to the earth as expressed through the seasons and annual markers of the solar and lunar cycles.

Dudley shares about the difference between the Dine’ and other races, in particular the White people and the foretelling of their arrival along with the Black people and the Mexican people.

He tells a story about a character name Ni’hwiil biihi, which means “the one that wins the people”. This being, also known as “The Gambler,” was born from the spirit of the Sun and still walks today. (He says more about The Gambler in 3B.)

Dudley talks about how today’s domestic animals came to provide themselves as a source of food, and discusses who they were before they were domesticated. He also shares about the Anasazi and why they are no longer here, and how the Holy Ones allowed the Dine’ to live and prosper in the lands the Anasazi once occupied. He closes this session with the names of the Jóhonaa’áí, the Sun Bearer ,and Tl’éhonaa’áí, the Moon Bearer, who came to life after two spirit beings volunteered to give themselves to the respective planets. Dudley explains how this was put into motion, and their influence on earth as it pertains to time, seasons, life, etc.

Dudley shares about how the different types of people were known. This includes the Bilagáana (White People), Naakáí (Mexican People), Naakaii Łizhinii (Black People), and Gáamalii (Mormon People). They became known by the character and actions of their groupings which they displayed led to their naming during the time the Navajo where incarcerated at Fort Sumner, New Mexico.

He shares the story of the Shoe Game that the Holy People started and how the game involved four day animals and four night animals. There was no winner so the game was called a tie. Lessons were learned which formed parameters for the future of the people. Dudley tells why prayer is important and how it is used to promote a good life. In addition, he talks about how and why we must avoid a lifestyle that leads to poverty.

We hear more about Ni’hwiil biih, The Gambler, and how he lost everything to his brother. He was shot away into the universe and is said to have come back through the Europeans migrations to North America. Dudley says it was prophesied that this would happen.

Dudley shares about how the different types of people were known. This includes the Bilagáana (White People), Naakáí (Mexican People), Naakaii Łizhinii (Black People), and Gáamalii (Mormon People). They became known by the character and actions of their groupings which they displayed led to their naming during the time the Navajo where incarcerated at Fort Sumner, New Mexico.

He shares the story of the Shoe Game that the Holy People started and how the game involved four day animals and four night animals. There was no winner so the game was called a tie. Lessons were learned which formed parameters for the future of the people.

Dudley tells why prayer is important and how it is used to promote a good life. In addition, he talks about how and why we must avoid a lifestyle that leads to poverty.

We hear more about Ni’hwiil biih, The Gambler, and how he lost everything to his brother. He was shot away into the universe and is said to have come back through the Europeans migrations to North America. Dudley says it was prophesied that this would happen.

Dudley shares the origin of the hogan, both the male and female versions, and their location in Canyon De Chelly. He tells how the Holy Ones, especially Talking God, performed the first Beauty Way ceremony to bless the first hogan. Talking God also created and performed the Mountain Way, Water Way, and Wind Way ceremonies. All these ceremonies are still used today.

He talks about and compares the food that the people ate back then with today.

Dudley shares stories about the home he built as a young man and how additions were added over time. He admired his late grandfather’s home which motivated him to build his own hogan and home when he was married at age 16. He talks about the traditional role of men and women, and what they are expected to do when they get married. He also shares the proper term for a “wife”, and shares that many people today use a derogatory term, not knowing what it means.

He continues to relate what the Navajo people experienced when they were incarcerated at Fort Sumner. Based on his own grandfather’s stories of being there, Dudley tells about the food they ate, the primitive clothing they resorted to, how they were treated, and the social life in the fort.

At the request of Cia, his youngest daughter who was assisting in the taping, Dudley discusses in more detail about his family and relatives, their clans, and how they related to and treated one another. He talks about where he lived growing up, where he lived after he got married, and how he eventually settled down in White Cone. He shares about life back then in the area when there were no stores around for miles and many of the roads weren’t paved.

Dudley reviews his school days again and why his last name was changed. He shares about his late wife Alice, where she came from, and her connection to her great-grandmother who was once married to a White Man named Thomas Keams. (Keams Canyon was later named after him.)

He recounts his employment history when he worked in Kingman and Bellemont, Arizona. As soon as he was elevated into a leadership role, he began to be pursued by a group of people from his community to run for a seat in the Navajo Tribal Council. He eventually became a councilman representing the Indian Wells district. He speaks of the politics of that era.

His daughter Cia asks his opinion of Bilagáana, (White People,) purchasing and displaying Navajo ceremonial objects and/or bundles in their homes. Dudley emphatically says it is not right and not good. He explains that those items were specifically made to help people, and if they are not used anymore they have to be given back to nature.

Dudley then shares why the Four Sacred Mountain Bundles are very sacred and how they came to be amongst us. They were originally just one medicine bundle given to us by Changing Woman before we left the South Pacific to return to live within the four sacred mountains. She gave the diné people two corn medicine bundles which now are with the Hopi. He says his medicine bundle was passed down to him from his late maternal uncle who was the
medicine man he followed around for years. Dudley says he learned a lot of ceremonies and their prayers and songs from his late uncle.

The stories continue about the livelihood of people nearly 100 years ago when he was young, how sheep were the main source of food and income, and how the vegetation was much lusher than it is today.

At this point, Dudley begins to elaborate in more detail his efforts to promote the legalization of peyote for ceremonial use, both at the tribal council level and as an advocate in Washington, DC. He stresses how the approach they took in Washington was effective only after many years of addressing the concerns of various Congressmen.

He relates that his relative, David Clark from Teesto, Arizona, was arrested for carrying peyote on him in Texas. David’s trial played a pivotal role in strengthening their efforts to have peyote legalized by the federal government. Dudley shares how the investigation team appointed by Congress helped their cause. That proved to be to their benefit when the House of Representatives and the Senate passed bills to legalize the use of peyote as a sacrament by those considered to be bonified members of federally recognized tribes in the United States.

As Dudley winds down his stories, he talks about the ceremonies he used to conduct which include Crystal Gazing, the Arrowhead Washing Way, Half-Moon Native American Church Ceremony, and the Two-Water Way Native American Church Ceremony. He shared that he has passed down his ceremonial teaching to 32 people during his lifetime, with the latest to his grandson Norman Bia and his nephew David Tsosie.

“For my people, these recordings are of utmost importance because the old people whose stories these are, many of them have passed and are no longer here.

This is the reason for these recordings, so that in the future our young men and women who seek the stories of their elders, grandmothers, and grandfathers can view these videos and come to understand them.

Many do not know the stories of Creation from the beginning, of how Mother Earth and Father Sky were created and the creation of the natural life in between them. It is these stories and teachings that were recorded on video to ensure they are not forgotten.

Many people and elders that knew these stories have gone ahead. Now what is left of these stories, I share with you in the hopes that the younger generations will come to understand our beliefs and way of life, …, and that they will appreciate the efforts of the Holy People laying the foundation of the Creation.

I emphasize the importance for the younger generations to understand these stories and concepts. They contain our beliefs and teachings of life, the standard of conduct in accordance with the teachings of the Holy People.

This recording is not for entertainment, but to give our future generations the information and knowledge to understand our Diné ways and to live in accordance to our teachings.

Our elders protected these stories and teachings to preserve their importance.

My expectation is for the generations to come to honor and preserve these teachings by caring for them and keeping them alive.

Humbly, I shared these stories of my forefathers, so these recordings may be preserved for future generations to hear and understand our way of life.

I am grateful to be still capable of sharing these teachings, and that the generations yet to come will remember their lineage, their grandmothers and grandfathers. And by my sharing, I too, will be remembered.

In closing, I want you to understand that keeping these teachings alive through recording may cause controversy. However, I make offerings of corn pollen and prayer to
alleviate any negativity.

In closing, I want to thank you for this opportunity to share my stories.”