The Navajo have belief and customs different form many western cultures. There is no concept of afterlife. Death is not something good or positive even for those suffering. It is taboo to talk about dead relatives. In fact , in taking medical histories it is not good to ask about parents who may have died or what they died from. The most common response to " What did your father die from?" is ......"he left.". As a result you hear a lot about people leaving here and I don't mean for a vacation in Hawaii.
Burial traditionally is four days after death with four attendants. Four is very important for Navajo as they are said to have lived in four worlds. Moccasins are placed on opposite feet and after burial one cannot retrace the steps one took to get to the burial site. In fact, there is someone who erases the steps in the sand so death will none follow.
Certain animals predict death. The coyote moving across your path is a sign of upcoming death. People will stop their car on a highway if a coyote crosses the road and find another route. The owel is also a sign of death and the call of the owel is especially ominous. One of my co-workers who is an avid bird watcher had to take down a picture of an owel in his office here. It is like hanging the cross of Jesus in the front of a mosque or synagogue.
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