Hogans

Hogans are traditional dwellings of the Navajo people, also known as the Diné, native to the southwestern United States, especially Arizona, New Mexico, and parts of Utah. A hogan is an earth-covered wooden-frame house that can vary in shape from rounded to polygonal and is typically low to the ground. The exterior is usually finished with an earthen coating or plaster.

Most hogans have a single doorway oriented toward the east, a placement tied to cultural beliefs about auspicious beginnings and the sunrise. The interior is relatively simple, with a central, open space around a hearth used for cooking and heating, and sleeping or storage areas arranged around the perimeter. The floor is commonly earth, and interior details are modest and functional.

Construction and use of hogans are guided by Navajo cultural practices. The hogan is associated with the concept of hózhó, or harmony, and sacred directions; building or blessing a hogan may involve ceremonies led by community elders or traditional practitioners. While modern houses are common, hogans continue to be built and used in ceremonial contexts, for seasonal living, or preserved as cultural heritage. Some hogans are maintained as demonstrations for visitors or within tribal cultural programs.