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Monster Slayer Information

Monster Slayer

The following legend is a verbatim transcription of the information accompanying the Monster Slayer 1 sandpainting. It was written by the artist at the time he made the painting. The other paintings, Monster Slayer 2, Monster Slayer 3, and Monster Slayer 4 have very similar attached legends, with little different explainations of the symbolism.

The Monster Slayer
(Black Flint Warrior)

This is a Navajo Indian sandpainting of the Monster Slayer, made during the five nights and four days curative ceremony called, "Female Shooting Way" chant.

His cap is of the black flint rocks with an eagle plume. His suit is also of the black flint rocks.

The white forehead line is the conscience and the yellow chin line denotes the corn pollen path.

He carries lightning arrows and bow (his weapons). Also the quiver, hanging over the right shoulder and under the left arm pit.

White lightnings are seen at the soles of the feet and mid-body, and at the peaks of the cap for power and strength.

The feet are of the black clouds with red streaks of sunset rays.

By: Grey Squirrel (Fred Stevens, Jr.), Navajo Indian Sandpainter and Medicine Man

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Monster Slayer Notes:

Lives in a permanent flint home Changing Woman and Sun prepared for him, After the earth had been made safe for humans, he went here to live. His brother, Child-of-the-water, lives with him. Bear Man and Big-Snake-Man guard the flint home of Monster Slayer.

Monster Slayer succeeded in ridding this world of evil monsters who were killing Earth Surface People. He and his brother wear caps of flint rocks, decorated with eagle plumes. Their suits are also of flint rocks. The white line which is shown at the forehead represents the conscience, and the yellow line at the chin is the corn pollen path. He and his brother carry lightning arrows and flint war clubs as weapons. The quiver is shown over the right shoulder and under the left armpit. White lightning is shown at the soles of the feet, at the mid-body and at the peaks of the caps for power and strength.

Known in legend as the "Hero Twins", Monster slayer and his brother Child-of-the-water, worked together to rid the world of a large number of notorious monsters such as the Cliff Monster, named from his habit of catching people in his long sharp claws and throwing them to his children lower down among the rocks, and Crushing Rocks, innocent-looking rocks or mountains which, as soon as someone tried to walk between, clapped together and crushed the intruder. These exploits are some of the most enjoyed and loved of the Navajo legends.

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Here are four representations of Monster Slayer. There are several variations of this painting extant. Some of these are unique or very unusual depictions of Monster Slayer, but most of those available have been made for commercial or tourist trade and bear only superficial resemblances to the traditional ceremonial sandpaintings.

Monster Slayer 1 by Fred Stevens Jr.
Monster Slayer 2 by Fred Stevens Jr.
Monster Slayer 3 by Fred Stevens Jr.
Monster Slayer 4 by Fred Stevens Jr.

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