Hantavirus: Ecology and Disease in US, Chile, and Panama

In the Diné tradition, hózhó represents harmony in all aspects of life, including relationships, family, and the environment. While its meaning is complex and difficult to define, it is often described as “walking in beauty,” or living in balance with everything around. When one is out of harmony with others or nature, it results in disharmony. It is traditionally believed that disharmony leads to illness.

Excess in any form is disharmony – including excess rain. Diné elders and medicine men reported similar times in this century when their people died of a sudden respiratory disease: 1918, 1933, and now 1993. The year before, it was noted that there was more precipitation than usual, following with an increase of piñon crops and othervegetation.

As the original stewards of this land, the Diné and other indigenous peoples have learned how to live in and with the environment. This concept is commonly known as Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK). With direct contact with the environment, they learn how to live in harmony with their surroundings, passing down this knowledge through generations.

Although oral traditions and stories vary, many Diné families note the importance of keeping humans and mice separate. They believe that humans are from the diurnal world, while mice are from the nocturnal world, and that they should not associate. If association occurs, then so will illness and even death.

During the initial outbreak of the novel virus, the Navajo Nation became the focus of media attention. In the first year, 34% of references to Diné culture were negative, and many communities were ostracized off-reservation. The media even coined terms like “Navajo illness” and “Navajo flu” for the then unknown virus. Traditionally, viruses were named after the area of origin. Virologists initially proposed “Muerto Canyon,” a location on the Navajo Reservation. However, the Navajo Nation rejected the name, fearing it would further perpetuate negative associations. After much discussion, the virus was named “Sin Nombre,” or “without a name.”