Himdag

Today was the funeral for my friend's brother Erik who passed away last week. It was actually the third service that was done in his honor. Two other services were conducted in AZ where he lived. Since he was a professor at one of the tribal colleges one of the services was done by the Tohono O'odham Nation, the Native American tribe which the college served. I hear it was a beautiful tribute, full of rituals of the culture within which he lived, loved and was embraced. In otherwords, it reflected true Tohono O'odham "Himdag".

Himdag is a Native term to describe the all-encompassing package of one's existence in the world reflective of his or her culture. Undestanding this and studying this is a high value at the college where Erik taught. As described at the tribal college's website, himdag "consists of the culture, way of life, and values that are uniquely held and displayed by the Tohono O’odham people. Himdag incorporates everything in life that makes us unique as individuals and as a people." What really struck me is that himdag is described as "a lifelong journey." So on this day where we gathered to honor Erik's life and acknowledge his passing, it seems only fitting that I learned about the importance of himdag.

**The figure above is known as the "Man in the maze," an emblem of the Tohono O'odham Nation of Southern Arizona (formerly known as the Papago Indians). The design, depicting a man exiting a labrynth, is most often seen on basketry dating back as far as the nineteenth century, and occasionally in Hopi silver art. Labrynths are common motifs in ancient petroglyphs (Native American rock art), and often resemble those found in ancient Greece and other parts of the world.
This symbol is said to represent a person's journey through life. Although the design appears to be a maze, it is actually a unicursal figure with many twists and turns; these are said to represent choices made in life. The center is dark, as the journey is one from darkness to light.

Excerpt From: altreligion.about.com/library/glossary/symbols/bldefsmaninthemaze.htm

For more information on Tohono O'odham Community College: http://www.tocc.cc.az.us/