Why are string figures still so popular among the Navajo?
During our visits to the reservation we were astounded by the number of individuals who knew string games it was rare to encounter someone who did not know at least one. What might possibly account for this popularity? There are several practical reasons which help explain why Navajo culture, in general, has remained intact, but there are also several specific social and behavioral reasons that may explain why string games, in particular, have survived. These are explored in the remainder of this essay. Population size and relative isolation are among the more practical reasons for preservation of traditional culture. The Navajos are the largest tribe in the United States, numbering around 230,000 (Page and Page 1995:50). If someone forgets how to make a particular string figure, chances are good that someone else will still remember how to make it, and can therefore reintroduce it. In this way the figure remains in the current repertoire. Relative isolation is also identified as a key
