Day 7: Gallup and Window Rock, New Mexico.

It’s nearly midnight and I’m just getting settled in after a full and emotional day. We spent nearly 12 hours in the company of Leland Silversmith a member of the Navajo Nation that spans New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and Colorado.

Leland met us at a rest stop off of I-40 where he gave us an overview of his family and the Navajo nation. To our surprise, he generously planned to host us for the day, even though he’d worked all night at his casino job. Our first stop was a visit to his family home where we talked for a few hours with his family inside their hogan, an 8-sided structure made that represents the connection of humans to the earth. The Navajo Nation lies between four sacred mountains. Each mountain possesses two natures-- “feminine“ and “masculine,” hence the 8 sides (4 mountains x 2 natures). Part of our discussion involved learning about the Silversmith’s life within the greater context of Navajo history. Additionally, we got to see a bible written in the Navajo language and we learned of Leland’s participation in The Longest Walk, a walk from San Francisco to Washington, D.C. that took place in 2008 to raise awareness about issues facing native people and which commemorated a march that took place 30 years earlier.

Leland’s mother, sister, and niece had prepared “Navajo tacos” for us--beef, beans, lettuce, tomato, onion, and chilies atop a fried bread and fried bread with delicious jam made from fresh berries picked in Oregon. The meal fortified us for an afternoon in Window Rock approximately 30 minutes away. We stopped at the natural site for which Window Rock is named, a massive hole or window inside the red rocks.

We spent the afternoon meeting with administrators of the Navajo Nation learning about the difficulties facing native peoples, especially the Navajo. These issues are too complex to go into here, but most students hadn’t learned such things in school. Since our students are some of the most educated in this country, this suggests that most people in the US wouldn’t have learned the history of native peoples, either. As the representative told us issue after issue--from a lack of adequate schools, land taken under imminent domain laws, massive unemployment, and sacred sites being encroached on by businesses, students around the room simply shook their heads in disbelief. As part of our class discussions, students wondered why they knew so little of Native history and what is lost when we don’t examine all sides of an issue or event.

After visiting the Navajo Nations offices, we had a brief tour of the Navajo Times newspaper offices, a paper run for Navajos by Navajos before we returned to and attempted to herd sheep. Unfortunately, we couldn’t find any--they‘d managed to come home on their own!! We still enjoyed walking through the beautiful landscape filled with wild flowers, cacti, and an occasional horse or two.



We were all ready to head back to Gallup for dinner when we learned that Leland’s mom hadn’t wanted us to return hungry. (Keep in mind it’s only a 30 minute drive.) She and the other women of the family had prepared dinner for us. And, while the meal was lovely, it was their generosity that sustained us that day and evening. Leland, a storyteller, told us more stories as we sat around two large tables in the front yard, surrounded by the high cliffs. Both parents passionately encouraged us to think about the legacy that we will leave to our grandchildren and the debt that we owe them. How is what we do in line with our values? In what ways do we squander Mother Earth? What will our legacy be?

The history (and present) of Native people is filled with tragedy yet they--like others in our country--continue to thrive. I found myself thinking that native people are like the plants in the New Mexican landscape--struggling to emerge and grow while battling harsh conditions--and thriving nonetheless.

Before we left, we gathered in a circle and were honored with prayers of protection--in Navajo-by Mr. Silversmith. I am not sure what he said, but it was clear from our tears we all felt the love and respect with which his blessing was given. Our day spent with Leland and his family was a true gift of time, knowledge, stories, and hospitality. As with other stops along our journey, it reminded us that the human spirit can’t be defeated and that hope may very well be the single most defining feature of what makes us Americans.