Rachel+Vickerson's+Essay


 * Essay: The Modern Years 1800-present **
 * By Rachel Vickerson **

__ indent__ The Navajo People have lived in the South-Western United States for almost one thousand years ( []  ). In this time they traded, fought with and learned from the neighbouring Native tribes, the Spanish explorers and European settlers. In the last two hundred years, in a rapidly changing world, The Navajo learned many new skills and adapted well. The Navajo people have many artistic skills which provide both income and identity preservation for them. The Navajo have also acquired and adapted Spanish agriculture practices which were used to help them integrate with European/Western society. Whilst integrating with Western society the Navajo managed to maintain their own government and identity which is very hard for Native tribes in today’s world. __We can learn much from the Navajos in modern times.__

__ indent__ First, The Navajo are masters of artistic techniques. They did not do this alone though. When the Navajo arrived around 1100 CE ( [] ) they learned many artistic techniques from the nearby tribes of the Hopi, Pueblo, and Apache. These included sand painting, turquoise jewellery making silver smithing, and cotton weaving. These artistic techniques became integral parts of the Navajo identity. Once the European explorers arrived and set up trading posts, the Navajo traded and sold their weavings and jewellery to them. This helped the Navajo economy as well as gave them the money for new European farming and arts technologies, such as brightly coloured synthetic wool. The European trading posts owners helped the Navajo build their weaving success by showing them trendy European designs, which the Navajo incorporated into their weavings. This helped them sell to Anglo-Americans and Europeans ( []  ). Today, Navajo artists have successfully joined together new technology and traditional methods to produce new artistic pieces which are used ceremonially and commercially in the tourism industry.

__ indent__ Secondly, The Navajo are excellent livestock herders. They first got sheep from the Spanish explorers in the 1600’s and in less than one hundred years sheep were an integral part of Navajo culture ([]). The sheep were used in every aspect of Navajo life and almost every person had at least a few. They were given to children to teach them responsibility and independence and their wool was used in weaving and trade (Iverson pg 30). Sheep herding transformed the Navajo economy and was one of the causes of the Navajo population tripling in the 1800’s ( []). The Navajo were so successful with sheep herding and livestock that their soil began to erode based on overuse in the early 20th century. This caused the American government to step in and kill more than 200,000 of the Navajo’s 570,000 sheep and horses in 1933. This hurt the Navajo people greatly. The American government gave them little choice in the matter and a very small compensation for their livestock (Iverson, pg 64) Due to this great injustice, the Navajo economy declined significantly. The Navajo people resiliently rose up and the Navajo’s economy grew more diverse but sheep still have a strong place in the Navajo identity.

__ indent__ Finally, the Navajo people have their own independent government and nation within The United States of America. Originally the Navajo people simply had various different clans, each with their own chief. This worked fine when the Navajo people were co existed with the Apache and other neighbouring tribes. Once the European explorers and settlers came to the Southwest this government system proved problematic. The Navajo did not have one Government body to make decisions for them. This made it hard for the Navajo to sign treaties with the settlers and American government ( [] ). <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">__ indent__ After coming back from the imprisonment in Fort Sumner in 1868 the Navajo people realized they needed a singular government body to make decisions for them and negotiate treaties. They started a system with four chiefs, each representing a different region, who would convene and discuss issues concerning the Navajo people as a whole ( Wilkins, pg 79). The Navajo government system has evolved over the last 140 years greatly but has already maintained its own identity. The Navajo Nation government system was started in 1980’s and continues successfully today as the largest North American native government system (Pasqua and Begay, pg 17). It currently has 110 chapters (similar to regions) each with up to 1,000 members. If a chapter exceeds one thousand, it is split into two. ( <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">[] <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> ). This is just one of many ways the Navajo people make sure every person is represented and has a say in their local community. The chapters each have a leader and make up the legislative system of the Navajo Nation The Navajo Nation government currently includes their own judicial system, legislative system and an executive branch made up of a president and vice president (Pasqua and Begay, pg 17) The Nation Nation run their own school system, post secondary education system, police force, courts, and social services for its people. Through running their own government the Navajo people have been able to be in control of their heritage and culture.

<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">__ indent__ The Navajo people have had many struggles in the last two hundred years. They have been invaded, imprisoned, had their animals slaughtered and their land taken away. Throughout all of this they have remained resilient and determined to maintain their own identity and culture. At the same time they have worked hard to combine new American ways and technologies with their heritage. They have successfully done this through their effective use of their arts, sheep herding, and the ability to maintain their own government system. In a country currently with many different native and immigrant minority groups, we can learn much from the Navajo people in modern times on how to successfully maintain a cultural identity while being an integral part of the larger community

Works cited Elias, Scott. "Navajo (Diné)." __Land Use History of North America:Colorado Plateau__. 2002. 4 May 2009 [] <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> Iverson, Peter. "Navajo." //Encyclopedia Americana//. 2009. Grolier Online. 11 Apr. 2009 <[]> <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> Iverson, Peter. //The Navajos//. New York City: Chelsea House Publishers, 1990. (Pgs 30,64) DiLucchio, Larry. "FAQ's About Life on the Navajo Nation." //Navajo Central//. 1998. 10 May 2009 <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">[] <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Pasqua, Sandra and Begay, Steven. // The Navajo Nation //. Mankato, MN: Capstone Press, 2000. (Pg 17) <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Wilkins, David. //The Navajo Political Experience//. Walnut Creek, CA: Rowman & Littlefield, 2003. Print. (Pg 79)