In Navajo Kinaaldá tradition, which figure does the ceremony seek to emulate?

In Navajo Kinaaldá tradition, the ceremony seeks to emulate Changing Woman.

Changing Woman, known in Diné tradition as Asdzáá nádleehé, is a major supernatural and cultural figure associated with growth, fertility, maturation, and renewal. Kinaaldá connects a girl’s transition into womanhood with the qualities and life story represented by Changing Woman.

During the ceremony, the initiate is symbolically shaped and blessed so that she may grow into a strong, generous, and responsible adult. Ritual actions such as running and preparing food express ideals of endurance, well-being, and care for others.

Changing Woman is not simply another name for the girl undergoing the ceremony. Rather, the girl is ceremonially modeled after her. This distinction helps explain why Kinaaldá is both a puberty ceremony and a broader expression of Diné religious identity.