" #Navajo babies . . . typically weren’t given names until they have their first laugh. . . . But why wait until they laugh?

"Navajos are great observers, so when it came to newborns – and this is supported to modern data on infant mortality – the period between birth and the first laugh is most critical. Without prenatal care or modern monitoring technology, the first laugh was the best marker for Navajos to judge survival. When baby laughs, it’s a sign that she has found a very important lifeline – laughter itself.

"Of course, when baby first laughs, a celebration – or ceremony – is held. The one to make baby laughs has the responsibility of making the event happen, because it is said that baby will inherit qualities of that person – and there’s no better trait than generosity."

- from Navajo #WordOfTheDay, awéé' "baby" https://navajowotd.com/word/awee/ #language #indigenous