What metaphors are used in Skeleton Man by Tony Hillerman?

Much of the narratoive can be seen as a metaphor for the power of belief. Hillerman uses an amalgam of Native American belief systems to weave a consistent theme throughout Skeleton Man. Hillerman never actual promotes Native American beliefs over Caucasian ones, but he implies several times that even the sophisticated Jim Chee and Cowboy Dashee harbor a lingering respect for the old spiritual ways. In other Native American characters, those with lives less sullied by the influence of white culture, the beliefs are absolute and inviolable.