Yolkaí Estsán

Also known as: White Shell Woman / the White Shell Woman · Role: divine sister · First appears: Origin Legend III: The War Gods · Part 1

In Origin Legend III: The War Gods · Part 1, the white shell image became Yolkaí Estsán, the White Shell Woman, and she was left on the mountain with her elder sister, Estsánatlehi. Four days after they spoke, both sisters felt that they were carrying children; To`badzistsíni was born to Yolkaí Estsán, after Estsánatlehi’s child. In Part 3, the sisters found the boys’ tracks after they slipped away, but stopped searching when they concluded the boys had taken a holy trail.

In Origin Legend IV: Growth of the Navaho Nation · Part 1, Estsánatlehi took leave of her younger sister, and Yolkaí Estsán chose to return to Depe'ntsa. She built a brush shelter beside the lake and stayed there. Hastséyalti promised to return with Estsánatlehi and other gods; when they came for the ceremony, Estsánatlehi directed Yolkaí Estsán to stand in the east. Yolkaí Estsán led the newly created the boy made of corn and the girl made of corn into her hogán.

In Part 2, Yolkaí Estsán married the boy made of corn to Hadáhonestid Atét, the Ground-heat Girl, and the Mirage Boy to the girl made of corn. After two private visits from Hastséyalti, she told the girl, “I am going to leave you. The gods of Tsegíhi have sent for me”; she then disappeared from the girl’s sight. In Part 3, after Yolkaí Estsán departed, the people moved to Todokónzi.