hogan
n. countablen. a traditional home built by the Navajo people. It is usually made of wood and packed mud, with the door always facing the rising sun.
n. a traditional dwelling of the Navajo people, typically circular or polygonal in shape and constructed of logs and earth. The entrance is conventionally oriented toward the east.
The family gathered inside the hogan for the ceremony.
While modern houses are common on the reservation, many families still maintain a hogan for traditional healing ceremonies.
The structural integrity of the hogan relies on a framework of heavy timbers, which are then layered with bark and mud to provide natural insulation against the desert heat.
Capitalisation varies; it is often capitalised when referring to the specific cultural architectural style of the Navajo Nation.