The Yei

In Navajo mythology, the Yei are a group of deities who act as mediators between humans and the Great Spirit. One Navajo myth states that the Yei are the creators of the first man and woman and that they gave to humans many advices about life on earth, before leaving them.

The Yei are represented as female and male spiritual and powerful beings : the female Yei is recognizable by its square head and the male Yei by its round head. These deities are dressed in the same way and can be recognized by their traditional skirt, which forms a triangle over their long legs. According to the representations that can be found of the Yei, these deities hold various symbols: musical instruments or natural elements (lightning or plants for example).

If you want to see how the Yei are represented on Native American jewelry or on decorative objects typical of Native American crafts, type "Yei" in the search bar of our website. Some bracelets, various accessories and decorative objects represent these original Navajo deities.