Hogans (housing structures)
Hogans are traditional Navajo housing structures designed to accommodate a single family. Typically constructed with four support poles, which symbolize the four sacred directions or mountains central to Navajo beliefs, these homes feature a distinctive six-sided shape. The entryway faces east, aligning with Navajo creation myths that emphasize the connection between the sun and earth. Constructed from logs and chinked with clay and rock, hogans are designed to withstand the diverse climate of the Southwest, providing effective insulation against both cold winters and hot summers. Their rounded dome shape helps conserve heat, making them suitable for varying weather conditions. In addition to serving as living spaces, hogans can also temporarily house newborn animals and may be accompanied by outdoor brush shelters for cooking and dining. In areas where wood is limited, stone may be used for construction instead.
Subject Terms
Hogans (housing structures)
Tribe affected: Navajo
Significance: Hogans are unique housing structures suited to the pastoral lifeways of the Navajo
The typical Navajo hogan is a large, comfortable, one-family dwelling place. The usual construction method starts with four support poles, which may represent the four sacred directions or the four sacred mountains that anchor the Navajo universe. The entryway, facing east, represents the union of sun and earth, as in Navajo creation myths. Around the foundation supports, a six-sided structure is built of logs, which are laid against lateral braces and then chinked with clay and rock. The roof curves in to form a low dome with a smoke hole in the center. The smoke hole and an entrance, covered with a blanket or sheepskin in winter, are the only openings.
The hogan is ideally suited to the high mesas of the Southwest with their dry winds and temperature extremes. From snowy winters to hot dry summers, the log and clay exterior of the hogan provides efficient insulation, while its rounded shape conserves heat in winter. The roomy hogan may also provide a temporary home to newborn lambs or pups, as well as a living space for their owners. Often, a brush shelter is built near the hogan. This allows for outdoor cooking and dining during the summer. In places where wood is scarce, hogans may be constructed of stone.