By Brenda Norrell, March 28th, 2008.
PUEBLO, Colo. – Bahe Katenay, Navajo from Big Mountain
on the Navajo Nation,
said the US media created the stories of the so-called Navajo Hopi Land Dispute,
which was orchestrated by Peabody Coal and US politicians, the same way the
US
orchestrates the war in Iraq for its resources.
“There was never a dispute,” Katenay said
of the so-called Navajo Hopi
Land Dispute. He said the lands were long shared by Navajo and Hopi.
“The Hopi had their trails through there.”
Katenay said the United States media created the stories of
the
so-called Navajo Hopi Dispute, the same way the US media creates and
fuels other disputes and wars.
“One of the examples of this is the Iraq war right
now.” Katenay said
the media claims there is a dispute in Iraq. Those US claims led to the
U.S. occupying and dividing the country and the people.
“Over there it is more brutal and more horrific.
But it is the same
sort of thing they did in Big Mountain and Black Mesa. They divided the
two tribes.”
Katenay said the Navajo and Hopi tribal governments do not
represent
their people.
“The tribal governments are basically a board of
directors. They are
not a sovereign assembly. The Navajo government does not represent the
Navajo Nation and the Hopi government does not represent the Hopi
Nation,” Katenay said in an interview with Longest Walk Talk Radio,
www.earthcycles.net/
Katenay, one of the original Long
Walkers in 1978, joined the Longest Walk 2 Northern Route in Pueblo and
described the orchestrated scenario and the so-called “Navajo Hopi Land
Dispute,” which grew out of the Indian Land Claims Commission.
Katenay told how a Mormon attorney for Peabody Coal, John Boyden,
came
to Hopi country and attempted to form a Hopi Tribal Council for the
purpose of seizing leases for coal mining.
“It failed each time because the traditional Hopi
people were a
sovereign people and rejected the Hopi Tribal Council. They still had
power in the villages. The traditional people supported the traditional
chiefs.”
Finally in 1964, Peabody’s attorney John Boyden picked
Hopi people and
formed a Hopi Tribal Council which was recognized by the US government.
However, the Hopi Tribal Council was not recognized or given authority
by traditional Hopi.
Katenay said federal laws and proceedings complicated the issues
for
Navajos and Hopis and the BIA played a role. The BIA had its hand in
tribal governments and federal laws. Referring to the so-called range
war, Katenay said there was no range war and there is no proof that it
ever existed. It was a staged scenario which Congressmen fueled.
Among those Arizona Congressmen in the 1970s were Rep. Sam
Steiger who
introduced the relocation legislation, Barry Goldwater and Morris K.
Udall.
“They spearheaded this legislation back then.”
Then, other Southwest Congressmen took notice because of plans
to seize
the Colorado River water and Navajo and Hopi resources. The concocted
scenario that there was bloodshed on the Navajo Hopi lands was a means
to an end.
Last year, Big Mountain celebrated 30 years of resistance.
Katenay, resisting relocation since 1974, began as a translator.
He
left community college to return home to assist the elders. Later, he
returned to college in 1994 and now lectures on the history and facts
of Black Mesa.
“I believed in their struggle to resist.”
Katenay said this era of the Internet is deceptive when it
comes to
communication. “With fast communication, we are losing communication.”
Further, in the United States, Americans are without a culture and
focus on the individual and comfort.
“Americans do not have a culture. The Navajos and
Hopis’ worlds have been
flipped upside down, but there, they have a culture.”
Katenay said Americans believe their culture to be baseball,
hotdogs,
fast cars and war. “Most Americans say, ‘We’re proud to bomb
Iraq and
destroy many countries.’”
With three decades of resistance at Big Mountain, Katenay points
out that
many of the elders are gone now.
“We only have a handful of old people who are determined
to make a stand
if they have to and hold on to their land.”
While Navajos continue to resist, Katenay said the Navajos
who were
relocated paid a huge price. There were 14,000 Navajos who received
relocation homes, but at least 150,000 -- including extended families
-- were impacted by relocation.
The United States government relocated Navajos from Black Mesa
to
contaminated lands, New Lands near Sanders, Arizona. The land was cheap
because it was abandoned by white ranchers after the contamination of
the Church Rock, N.M., uranium tailings spill on July 16, 1979. It was
among the worst spills in US history and flowed down the Rio Puerco.
Navajos who remain in Big Mountain now live with constant surveillance.
“The people of Big Mountain are under surveillance
all the time.”
Katenay said Navajos are not allowed to gather firewood or traditional
medicines. When people gather, even for a child’s birthday party, they
are under surveillance.
“They have to live guerilla style, go out and gather
their firewood and
herbs at night.”
Peabody’s coal mining has left deep scars in the land
and the water
depleted.
“Our water has been depleted and sacred springs are gone.”
Now, Katenay says the power of humanity would disappear at
Big Mountain
without volunteers’ support for the elders, who can help with planting
and herding sheep. In May, Katenay said there will be a project for
volunteers to learn about planting corn and squash, about Mother Earth
and Father Sky. He said all people are welcome.
“We don’t care who comes, just like this
Longest Walk. We need to all
come together, not just Dine’ and Hopi.”
On Big Mountain, people will learn about planting and Dine’
culture. “A
cornfield is a very sacred place, there is no misconduct,” he said,
describing the harvesting and husking of corn.
Reflecting on the resistance, Katenay said a handful of Navajos
resisting relocation and coal mining disrupted the schemes of the
United States government and Peabody Coal.
“We’re still there. Peabody has not expanded
its mine into Big Mountain
area.” Katenay said neither the power plants nor the cities that
Peabody planned for Big Mountain area ever appeared.
“The elders stood and disrupted the American process.”
Listen to the interview, audio file (bahiemp3) at: www.earthcycles.net/
Photos of the Longest Walk Northern Route:
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com/