Abstract
Rhetoric is far more than a theory of communication or the antiquated ancestor of freshman composition courses. As a system, rhetoric is the process that directs, on the one hand, individual experiences with the world and structures, and on the other, the stories cultures tell about themselves. These foundational narratives (myths) reveal a culture’s metaphysical understanding of the nature of reality, the psychological understanding of human nature, and the epistemological notion of what can be known. Using the Diné Bahané, this paper will explore Diné rhetoric as naachid, an inclusive, outward-directed communication model of problem solving which functions as a ceremonial purification of mind, body, and speech while simultaneously addressing spiritual, social, economic, and political exigencies. As a rhetorical system, naachid synthesizes thought, symbol, and action through participation in ceremonies which alter an individual’s perception of reality, thus maintaining the balance between the individual and the metaphysical system.
Recommended Citation
Karshner, Edward L.
(2016)
"The Diyinii of Naachid: Diné Rhetoric as Ritual,"
Dialogue: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Popular Culture and Pedagogy: Vol. 3:
Iss.
2, Article 6.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dialogue/vol3/iss2/6
Included in
American Popular Culture Commons, Civic and Community Engagement Commons, Critical and Cultural Studies Commons, Curriculum and Social Inquiry Commons, Indigenous Studies Commons, Native American Studies Commons, Rhetoric Commons, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Commons