Navajo Traditions and Surrounding Chindi: A Closer Look at Ghost Sickness and Ritual Cleansing.
7A wind called chindi is released from a newborn's body with its first breath, and it returns with that same person when they pass away.
Traditionally, the Navajo make every effort to ensure that their people pass away outside, where their chindi can fade away innocuously.
If someone passes away inside, the chindi becomes trapped, and only a ritual cleansing can release the home from the anger of the ghost.
In Navajo tradition, chindi are given great importance.
Ghost sickness, which can result in illness and possibly death, can be contracted via being exposed to a chindi.
Bones or body parts can also be used to cause ghost disease by evil witches and medicine men.
Navajo people used to often wear jewelry and perform purification rituals as a means of warding off death.