the long walk to bosque redondo. creation story the sacred ancestors emerged the “glittering...
TRANSCRIPT
Creation Story
• The Sacred ancestors emerged
• The “Glittering World”• Built Sacred
Mountains from four sacred objects
Sacred boundaries of the Dine’
• Homeland called Denetah
• Walk in the harmony that comes when all things are in balance- ho’zho
• Center of sacred boundaries
• Canyon de Chelly
Petroglyphs found at Crow Canyon in Northwest New MexicoDepicting the Spanish invasion of the Navajo
US Arrive
• Brigadier General Steven Watts Keary arrive in Santa Fe
• Navajo life forever changed
• Navajo tried to live in peace with “New Men”
• Mexican raids continue
• Children sold
Navajo weaving
US Steals Navajo Land
• Tricking the Navajo people into treaties and agreement that served the purpose of the Americans
• Did not try to understand the Navajo people
• Dine’ scattered in family clans, bound by beliefs and land
• Many headmen or chiefs• Treaties not binding to all
Navajo beadwork
Summer of 1858
• Severe drought
• Navajo return to land near Fort Defiance
• Cattle belonging to Navajo Headman Manuelito slaughtered
• Hostilities followed
• Bonneville Treaty ends hostilities
• Punishes the Navajos and steals more land
1860
• Faced with starvation the Navajo fight back
• Led by Manuelito they attack Fort Defiance to reclaim their land
• The campaign fails• Comly Treaty signed• Navajos given rations
Rock Chiseling
General Carlton
• Believed there were great riches
• Wanted to eliminate the Navajos
• In 1863 Carleton enlists Colonel Christopher “Kit" Carson
• His mission was to gather the Navajo people and remove them to Fort Sumner
Navajo sand painting
Carson’s Campaign
• Invade the sacred Canyon de Chelly
• Aided by Navajo enemy the Utes
• Forced the people from their homes
• Burned crops• Slaughtered cattle• Pivoted on coming winter• Starving Navajo had no
choice but to surrender
Rock Paintings
Petroglyph found in Largo Canyon, New Mexico, depicting the story of Carson’s campaign against the Navajo
The Actual Walk
• Several walks• First through Santa
Fe• Alternant routes
taken due to large numbers of Navajo
• Columns of more than five miles
Conditions Along the Walk
• Harsh weather• Forced to sleep
outside• No shelter or
blankets• Little food• Food they could not
digest
March 4 1864
• 2500 Navajo
• General Carleton words
“The weather was very inclement, with terrible gales of wind and heavy snow. The Indians were nearly naked; and besides many died from dysentery from eating too heartily of half cooked bread from our flour to which they were not accustomed.”
•Many more than were expected•Walks ended •More than 8000 Navajo, Apache placed on the Reservation
Bosque Redondo
On the Reservation• Crops fail due to poor soil• Little timber for shelter of firewood• Water bitter• Many became sick with stomach problems• Without their land and their corn the Navajo
were wasting away• Period from 1863 to 1868 darkest period in
Navajo history
Treaty of 1868
• Navajos return home• Fraction of their
original holdings• The Navajo have
survived and are one of the largest Indian tribes today
Father Sky and Mother EarthSand painting
Revitalization Movement
Navajo Children playing with their pets after a rain
Harrison Begay. 1955, Navajo artist
Window Rock ArizonaWindow Rock is the administrative Capitol and administrative center of the Navajo Nation, getting its name from the hole in the 200 foot high sandstone hill (Window Rock)
BibliographyBail, Raymond. The Long Walk, The story of Navajo Captivity. New York: Cavendish. 2003
Bruchac, Joseph. Navajo Long Walk, The Tragic Story of a Proud People’s March from Their Homeland. Washington Geographic Society. 2002.
Fish, Peter. “The Riddle of Kit Carson”. Sunset. (2001): v206. Expanded Academic Index. Info Trac. Sunset.20 Mar. 2006 http://libproxy. vsc.edu:2093/itw/infomark
Roberts, David. “The Long Walk”. Smithsonian. 28(1997):46(10). Expanded Academic Index. vsc Info Trac: Smithsonian Institution. 20 Mar. 2006.< http://libproxy. vsc.edu:2093?itw/infomark>
University of New Mexico. The Long Walk. 2000.RETA. Museum of New Mexico office of Statewide Programs and Education. 18 Mar.2006.<http://reta.nmsu.edu/modules/longwalk/default.htm>