Ayah is an elderly Navajo woman living in her family's traditional hogan in New Mexico. She speaks only Navajo and retains a deep connection to her ancestry, culture, homeland, and the natural world. Carrying the grief of losing her children to the government and military, she remains proud despite the ongoing encroachment of modern American society.

Chato is Ayah's husband of forty years who speaks both English and Spanish. He spent much of his life driving cattle for a white rancher and attempted to assimilate into mainstream American society. Currently suffering from dementia and frail health, his mental deterioration reduces him to a childlike state.

Jimmie is Ayah and Chato's eldest child who serves in the United States military. He represents his mother's hope for passing traditional culture on to the next generation. His absence forces Ayah to rely on the blanket he sent home as a physical connection to him.

Danny is Ayah and Chato's young son who is taken into government custody for health treatments. During his visits home, he demonstrates the effects of cultural indoctrination by losing his ability to speak Navajo. He functions as a symbol of the alienation younger generations experience.

Ella is the youngest child of Ayah and Chato, taken into government custody when she is just a toddler. On her second visit home, she looks at her mother fearfully and does not recognize her. Her removal leaves a lasting physical and emotional void in Ayah's life.

Ayah's mother is a traditional Navajo weaver who figures prominently in her daughter's memories. She worked at the loom with bright yellow and red yarns, acting as a vital link in the matrilineal transmission of culture.

Ayah's grandmother is an elder Navajo woman who passed down the traditional songs and weaving techniques. She represents the deep historical roots of Ayah's family and the oral traditions that sustain their cultural identity.

The white rancher is a landowner who profits from Chato's labor driving cattle and riding horses. He abruptly terminates Chato's employment when the older man's physical capabilities decline.

The white doctors are government medical personnel who arrive at the hogan to test Danny and Ella for tuberculosis. Unable to communicate in Navajo, they use bureaucratic authority and police enforcement to remove the children.