The hogan is a traditional Navajo residential structure, considered sacred in their religion. There are two types: the forked stick and circular hogan. The circular hogan is larger and used as a primary home, while the forked stick is used for religious ceremonies. The circular hogan was reinvented in the 1900s with a hexagonal shape. If a community member dies inside a hogan, it is abandoned and not salvaged for new structures. Hogans are rarely built for residential purposes today.
A hogan, also spelled “hoghan,” is a traditional residential structure of the Navajo people. Although the Navajos also build and sometimes reside in sweat houses, underground homes, and summer lodges, the hogan is the most widely used structure. In the Navajo religion it is considered a sacred space.
There are two types of hogan: the “forked stick” hogan and the “circular” hogan. The forked cane version is also known as the “male” hogan. These structures resemble the shape of pyramids, but with five faces instead of four. The shape of the pyramid, created with wood and sticks, is sometimes obscured by the earth that accumulates on top of the wood. The earth creates strong walls that can withstand the winter and insulate the interior. Crotch hogans have small vestibules. They are traditionally used for religious ceremonies rather than daily life.
Circular hogans are known as the “feminine” hogan. It differs from the forked stick variety in that it does not contain a vestibule and is much larger in size. These structures are used as primary homes for the Navajo people. Cooking, home crafts and friendly entertainment take place inside, and there are also spaces for children to play.
The circular hogan was reinvented to have a more hexagonal shape in the 1900s when the railroad passed through Navajo territory. The availability of wooden railroad ties allowed the Navajo to expand on the traditional structures. As they worked with the straight lumber, however, the smooth roundness of the traditional house gave way to the sharper angles of the hexagonal hogan. However, they were still referred to as “feminine” hogans and were used for the same purposes.
In the Navajo tradition, if a community member dies inside a hogan, the structure is abandoned and none of the building materials are salvaged for new structures. Either the body is buried inside, or the entrance is blocked and the body is taken through a hole which is blown into a north wall. Hogans that are abandoned for these reasons can be burned. It can also become taboo if lightning strikes nearby or a bear rubs against one of the structure’s walls.
Although hogans are still used today for ceremonies, they are rarely built for residential purposes.
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