This young woman stands proudly in the full, colorful, and beautifully patterned regalia of her people. Anthropologists believe the Navajos, who call themselves Diné, literally meaning “The People,” likely arrived in the Southwest between 800 and 1,000 years ago. Having crossed the Bering Strait land bridge and traveled south, their arrival on earth is part of their creation story. They were a matriarchal society, with mostly women owning livestock and land. Family allegiance served as a bedrock for traditions followed and passed along to younger generations.