01/08/2026
Kéyah oosbánígíí
Winner of the land
It was said that when the Diyin Dine’é emerged into this world, we call the Fifth World, they sent creatures up to dig through the sky ceiling.
Wóóneeshchʼįįdii the cicada happened to pass into the new world. Upon emergence he started building a dam around the hole he created much like they do today when they emerge from the earth.
He looked out as far as the eyes could see and only saw endless waters. As he looked out he saw far from the east something coming dangerously fast.
A white speck that grew into an immense rush of rolling water that crashed all around him and the dam he built around the hole he came out from. But Wóóneeshchʼįįdii was not moved nor frightened. He did not flinch because he had a stone called mica in his eyes which protected him from harm. This is why to this day Cicadas never blink it is said. The mica protects them. He stood his ground as before him stood tall what some would describe to be Déłí crane*.
(The one who approached Wóóneeshchʼįįdii is given different names but I use the crane since this was the way it was described to me.)
Haʼátʼéédę́ę́ʼ yeeʼ ánítį́. Kóhanii Niʼhookááʼ Diné doo łaʼ naagháa da. Díí shí shikéyah. Díí shí bee shóhólnííh, halní jiní Déłí.
“Where are you from?! There are no Earth Surface People here. Not even one! These are my lands. I oversee these areas.” Déłí said to him.
If you wish to stay here you must pass a test. Déłí said as he took out two feathered arrows from his back. With these he passed
From his mouth down through his a**s and out, and turned it around and passed them through his a**s and out his mouth. He placed the arrows in front of Wóóneeshchʼįįdii and said Now it’s your turn. Do as I have done and you shall own these lands. You will have control over them.
Wóóneeshchʼįįdii said, it’s easy to pass these arrows through holes that already exist. Try to do as I do. He picked them up and lifted his wings. He passed one arrow from right to left through his chest where his heart was said to be. As he did so he made agonizing sounds. Then he took another arrow and passed it from left to right through his chest again where his heart was said to be.
But you see. Wóóneeshchʼįįdii had a secret. His heart was not in his chest. His vital organs were said to be in his nose. So what he was doing didn’t really harm or hurt him. And he pretended to be in pain only to scare Déłí.
Déłí marveled at what he just witnessed and said You indeed have great power. Greater than me. You are worthy to have these lands. You are now the owner of these lands. Déłí flew back across the waters from which he came and left Wóóneeshchʼįįdii alone.
But not long did he stand there when another approached from the south. This happened three more times. Déłi from the south, from the west, and from the north approached Wóóneeshchʼįįdii and three times they tested him the same way.
Wóóneeshchʼįįdii to this day is said to have a small puncture in his chest where he passed the arrows it is said.
Finally on his final test Déłí of the north spoke with glee. “You are indeed greater than me. You have greater powers than me. You are worthy to stay here, My Friend. You are now the owner of these lands. We are now relatives.”
Wóóneeshchʼįįdii went back down to the lower world to tell the others what had happened and to this day this is how we got these lands it is said.
Shinálí my paternal grandfather told me this story one winter night and I think about it today as we discuss issues of immigrants and “illegal” immigration. We often forget that we were also once foreigners to these lands and previous lands according to our origin stories.
But through our contribution to the larger society we have been given a chance to call these places home. Even in those times they spoke of little resources. But through hard work and a will to survive much was accomplished. We earned the respect of those around us and even now call many friends and family as they now intermarried into our clans and created a beautiful blend of cultures and language.
