Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Bahe Katenay of Big Mountain: US orchestrated so-called Navajo Hopi Land Dispute

by Brenda Norrell
Monday, 31 March 2008
 
The so-called "Navajo Hopi Land Dispute" was a scenario orchestrated by the United States, Congressmen and the Navajo and Hopi tribal governments, which do not represent their people, said Bahe Katenay, Navajo from Big Mountain on the Navajo Nation, during an interview on the Longest Walk.
"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, 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.

"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 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 at: www.earthcycles.net/

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