Chindi : The Unspoken Ghost

Q: What does chindi mean?

Chindi in Navajo mythology refers to the malevolent spirit or ghost of a deceased person, embodying the negative aspects like anger or disease. It is believed to linger in places the person frequented or died. Navajos avoid chindi by abandoning or destroying homes where someone has died to prevent illness or misfortune. The chindi represents the impure part of the soul. Navajo customs aim to avoid any contact with it after death.

Q: How to get rid of a chindi?

To get rid of a chindi in Navajo tradition, the home where the person died is often abandoned or destroyed. Ensuring someone dies outside, away from living spaces, can prevent the chindi from lingering. Ceremonial cleansing rituals, like the “Blessing Way,” are performed to protect against the chindi. Family members avoid direct contact with the body to prevent attachment. Following traditional death and burial customs helps keep the chindi at bay.

Q: What does chindi mean in Navajo?

In Navajo (Diné) culture, chindi refers to the malevolent spirit or ghost that remains after a person’s death, embodying the negative aspects of their life, such as anger, disease, or unresolved emotions. Unlike the positive elements of a person’s spirit, the chindi is seen as harmful and can cause illness or misfortune if encountered. Navajo customs surrounding death are designed to avoid contact with the chindi, including practices like abandoning the place where someone died. The chindi represents the impure and unwanted part of a person’s soul.

ByNitten Nair

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At a glance

	Description
Origin	Navajo Mythology
Classification	Ghosts
Family Members	N/A
Region	United States of America
Associated With	Death, Sickness

Chindi

Introduction

In Navajo mythology, a chindi is the ghost of a deceased person that’s supposed to leave the body with the person’s last breath. According to the tradition, this is because the person was unable to bring about universal harmony during his or her lifetime. The belief that contact with a chindi can induce ghost sickness is also indicated by the tribe’s traditional practices.

According to the beliefs of the Navajo, chindi are known to remain around the deceased’s possessions, so they are often destroyed after death and the deceased’s name is never said after death, as they fear that that will make one ill. The practice of allowing death to occur outdoors is carried out to allow the chindi to disperse.

Physical Traits

A mini-whirlwind of dust/dirt is said to represent a chindi. The Navajo call these ‘dust devils’ and believe that a clockwise dust devil is a good spirit and the counter clockwise is an evil entity.

Other Names

The Chindi is also spelled chʼįį́dii in Navajo toungue and sometimes written as Chi’idi.

Powers and Abilities

The Navajo believe that the final breath of a deceased person contains all of the sins of that person’s life, and if the Chindi is released outside, it can dissipate on its own. The other belief that suggests that the presence of medicine men and witches can spread the disease carried by the Chindi and that they can infect people with it as well. The symptoms of ghost sickness are usually fever, fatigue, and nausea. It can also be triggered by the presence of a chindi or if a person is exposed to a piece of the body that’s been buried.

Modern Day Influence

Belief in the Chindi is still prevalent in the Navajo community with special rituals being conducted to ward off the effects of the Chindi. Cedar berries are used to make ghost beads, which are made from the hollowed out berries and are designed to protect against evil spirits. They are usually made by allowing ants to consume the insides of the berry, leaving behind a shell that’s punched through, and they are then strung together on necklaces and other accessories. The other type of beads, which are also made from wood, are used to keep the chindi at bay.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does chindi mean?

Chindi in Navajo mythology refers to the malevolent spirit or ghost of a deceased person, embodying the negative aspects like anger or disease. It is believed to linger in places the person frequented or died. Navajos avoid chindi by abandoning or destroying homes where someone has died to prevent illness or misfortune. The chindi represents the impure part of the soul. Navajo customs aim to avoid any contact with it after death.

How to get rid of a chindi?

To get rid of a chindi in Navajo tradition, the home where the person died is often abandoned or destroyed. Ensuring someone dies outside, away from living spaces, can prevent the chindi from lingering. Ceremonial cleansing rituals, like the “Blessing Way,” are performed to protect against the chindi. Family members avoid direct contact with the body to prevent attachment. Following traditional death and burial customs helps keep the chindi at bay.

What does chindi mean in Navajo?

In Navajo (Diné) culture, chindi refers to the malevolent spirit or ghost that remains after a person’s death, embodying the negative aspects of their life, such as anger, disease, or unresolved emotions. Unlike the positive elements of a person’s spirit, the chindi is seen as harmful and can cause illness or misfortune if encountered. Navajo customs surrounding death are designed to avoid contact with the chindi, including practices like abandoning the place where someone died. The chindi represents the impure and unwanted part of a person’s soul.

What is the Navajo legend of death?

In Navajo tradition, death is seen as a natural process, but it brings the risk of a chindi, the harmful spirit of a deceased person. To avoid the chindi, homes where someone dies are often abandoned or destroyed, and death outside the home is preferred. Navajo rituals, such as the Blessing Way, are performed to cleanse and protect the living from lingering negative energy. The body is handled carefully to prevent the chindi from affecting others. Death is viewed as a passage in the natural cycle, with strong respect for life, death, and the spirit world.