Navajo Stories Of The Long Walk Period

In 1863, the Dine (Navajo) faced transformations to their way of life with the Americans' determination to first subjugate and then remove them to a reservation in order to begin their assimilation to American culture. This book exposes the series of events that facilitated the Navajo's removal from their homeland, their experiences during the Long Walk, their time at the Bosque Redondo reservation, their return home, and the ways in which they remember the Long Walk and the Bosque Redondo.

From bookcover: "More than one hundred years ago commenced one of the most pathetic and tragic episodes in the history of Anglo-Indian relations. Under the ruthless direction of General James H. Carleton and Christopher "Kit" Carson the Navajo Indian of New Mexico were rounded-up and driven to a disease ridden reservation on the banks of the Rio Pecos in east-central New Mexico--the infamous Bosque Redondo. The Long Walk, however, does not merely explore the Navajo roundup and the horrors of their internment at Fort Sumner. It offers instead the first truly detailed study of the Navajo Wars, their causes and aftermaths ... The insiduous slave raids, the encroachment of New Mexico sheepmen, the stupid and careless administration of Indian and military affairs, as well as the Navajos' innate desire for status through the acquisition of livestock, are clearly probed and documented."

Navajo Long Walk is the story of Kee, a young boy who traveled this long, arduous route with his mother, grandmother, sister and what few domestic animals they could bring. Over the four-year period, Kee learns to adapt to his inhospitable surroundings. Ultimately, Kee realizes the frailty of his people in the presence of the white soldiers and that to survive, they must find a way to get along with the white man. Ages 9-12

The most complete and current history of the largest American Indian nation in the U.S., based on extensive new archival research, traditional histories, interviews, and personal observation.

Shedding fresh light on a tragic chapter of American history, this book documents a shameful episode in the 1860s, when U.S. soldiers forced thousands of Navajo to march 400 miles from their homeland to a desolate reservation. Full color.

"In the second part of the book, Holiday details the family and tribal teachings he has acquired over a long life. He tells his grandparents' stories of the Long Walk era, discusses local attitudes about the land, relates Navajo religious stories, and recounts his training as a medicine man. All of Holiday's experiences and teachings reflect the thoughts of a traditional practitioner who has found in life both beauty and lessons for future generations."--BOOK JACKET.