The Navajo Nation

The Navajo Nation is the largest Native American community in terms of land area and the second largest in terms of people.  The Navajo people are one of the most culturally rich indigenous American groups, having preserved their language, culture and national identity through a long history of military, political and cultural struggle.  Navajoland remains one of the most isolated, beautiful and fascinating places to visit in North America.

Location and Population:  The Navajo Nation covers 27,000 square miles in the states of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.  In land mass, this area is larger than 10 of the 50 U.S. states.  Navajo speakers refer to their land as Diné Bikéyah.  (Diné - meaning "the people" is the word by which the Navajo refer to themselves.)

There are approximately 300,000 Navajo living in the U.S. today.  Roughly 175,000 people live within the boundaries of the Nation.  As you will see when you visit the Navajo Nation, this results in a low population density of only about 6 persons per square mile.

History:  It is believe that the Navajo first migrated to the area from the north - possibly the area of Central Canada - around the year 1000 C.E. At that time, the area was occupied by the ancestors of today's Hopi, Tewa and other pueblo peoples.  The Navajo tended to be aggressive with their neighbors, stealing and raiding, and forced the Hopi into the tight, protective villages that still exist today.

Traditional Navajo society was very loosely organized, with little or no centralized governmental or religious structures.  With the arrival of first the Spanish and later European-American settlers, the Navajos began a period of violent clashes that eventually resulted in an incredibly violent campaign against the Navajo by the US Army.  Government forced killed or captured all of the Navajo they could find, including women and children.  The captives were transported to a desolate army base in Redondo Bosque, New Mexico, where many people starved or died of disease in the horrible conditions there.  As part of the campaign, the Army burned everything they could - hogans, crops, looms, and household belongings.  Over 8,000 men, women and children were marched the 400 miles from Navajoland to Bosque Redondo in the winter of 1864, in what is known as the Long Walk.

After several years, even US government officials were appalled and embarrassed by the conditions in Bosque Redondo.  A treaty was concluded recognizing the sovereignty of the Navajo Nation and allowing the Navajo to return home to their ancestral land.  In exchange, the Navajo pledged not to take up arms against their neighbors.  The Navajo are one of the few Native American groups who managed to hang on to a significant portion of their historical lands.

Language and Culture:  The Navajo culture remains very strong and vital on the Nation.  Most people speak the Navajo language and every summer we encounter elderly homeowners who do not speak English.  Culturally, traditional Navajo religious ceremonies, housing styles, dances and foods are commonplace. 

Governmental Structure:  The government structure of the Navajo Nation was established in the 1920's.  The Nation is sovereign, meaning that it is not subject to the laws of the United States of America.  Tribal members are citizens of the U.S. and can vote in U.S. elections.  The local government unit is the "chapter" or community.  Each of the 110 chapters provides social services to local residents and is governed by a chapter council with a president.  Each chapter also sends a delegate to the Navajo Nation Council, which discusses issues critical to the entire nation and enacts legislation.

Current Social and Economic Conditions:  Sierra Service Project will spend the summer working in the communities of Wheatfields, Tsaile and Lukachukai.  These communities are economically very poor by U.S. national standards.  Per capital income in 1999 was $6,426, compared to a U.S. national median of $21,857.  This translates to 58 percent of the population living below the poverty level.

Other serious social problems include significant alcohol and drug abuse problems.  Alcohol possession and consumption is a crime on the Nation; however, it is readily available in the bordering towns.  Drugs are a growing problem.

Many people also suffer from a variety of medical problems.  Diabetes is widespread and is the target of a diet-awareness and exercise campaign.  Housing conditions tend to be poor, and many houses lack electricity and running water.  Overcrowding is a problem.

Despite this list of social and economic woes, many Navajo would mention the following things as very positive characteristics of their communities:  strong, multi-generational families, retention of traditional customs and values and a beautiful, safe homeland.

How to Learn More:  There are lots of books and websites available with information about the Navajo Nation and its people, language, culture, and history.  Here are just a few web links:

There are also many good books and some decent DVDs that provide insight into Navajoland.  In particular, we recommend the fiction of Tony Hillerman.  Hillerman's mystery books are set on the Navajo Nation and are an entertaining, accurate and very respectful portrayal of life today in Navajoland.  The links below will take you to Amazon.com.  If you purchase through this link, SSP receives 4% of what you spend from Amazon.