| The Five Changing Women To understand the origin of the "Five Changing Women", the founders, it is essential to know that the five founders represent a vast majority of American Indian tribes from the Midwestern, southwestern, and northwestern states of the United States. Each is knowledgeable and rich in their traditional backgrounds. They have been able to merge together with the intent to myriad the symbolism, beliefs, cultures, and roots of their creation. The name of "Changing Woman" was derived from the Creation story of the Navajo people of the southwest. In the beginning, First Woman and First Man led the way onto the surface of the Fifth World. The both of them built the four great mountains in the four directions of East, South, West, and North. These represented the sacred boundaries of the Navajo people. One day, First Man was standing on a mountain within the four sacred mountains, looking East he saw a rain cloud resting on another mountain. Each day, the cloud enveloped the mountain more and more, and finally covered it on the fourth day. He told First Woman about this occurrence and sang a Blessing Song for the event. He then reached to the mountain and found a baby lying toward the West. It was in a cradle made of two rainbows. Four blankets, one black, one red, one yellow and one white covered the baby. He took the baby back to First Woman. A voice from Talking God emerged with the news that the Holy People had been wishing for the baby. First Woman took the baby as her daughter. After two days, the baby sat up, after four days she walked. She was dressed all in white shell. On her tenth day of existence, they named her White Shell Woman, and also called her Changing Woman. She was brought to the Holy People to become perhaps, the most pre-eminent of the supernatural beings, for she symbolizes fertility, regeneration, and the bringing of all green things to life year after year. The spirit of Changing Woman blesses the water as it goes forth onto dry land, while fulfilling her mission of renewal, and bringing new crops and a richer life to her people. From the Changing Woman analogy, the five founders, "Five Changing Women", will continue to adhere to the flourishing sisterhood of Gamma Delta Pi. Founders: "Five Changing Women" Jennifer Nez-Blanchard
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