Swastika Navajo

In the Navajo culture, the swastika has its origins in sand painting as part of certain religious ceremonies, and is commonly known as the "whirling log", though literally in the Navajo language it is called "that which revolves". Briefly, it comes about through a story about an outcast who decides to crawl into a hollow log and float down the river to some distant land where he might find peace and security. He is interrupted by four sacred deities who ultimately seal him inside such a log and conjure up a big wind that launches him into the river. After four days he hits a whirlpool (thus the "whirling" log). Finally, he is hauled out of the river by emissaries of the four dieties, and is joined by his pet turkey who is carrying a bean and three grains of corn. These are planted and in four days' time abundant crops have matured; in four more days' time they are harvested. Finally the outcast is instructed how to prepare sand paintings celebrating these miracles when he returns to his people.
This Information comes from the Whirling Log and more to read there.