PRESIDENT RUSSELL BEGAYE

The Treaty of 1868 is a 150-year-old legal document that secured our intrinsic right to live within the four sacred mountains. After surviving Kit Carson’s scorched-earth campaign and harsh winter conditions during times of war, many of ancestors were forced on the Long Walk. This painful part of our history cuts deep into our traditions and way of life. But that pain doesn’t define us, or who we are as a people.

We must remember that our ancestors endured and negotiated a treaty that allowed their return to Diné Bikeyah. That is something to be proud of. That inner strength is what truly defines us as Diné. 

As we commemorate the 150^th anniversary of the treaty, we play an important role in the future history of our nation. We must ask ourselves what role we play in preserving hózhó? What can we do to sustain our language and culture? The fact that we are here today is no accident. Our survival is rooted in k’é and resilience.

VICE PRESIDENT JONATHAN NEZ

2018 is a year of commemoration, especially for our younger generation who need to be reminded of the strength and resilience of our people. During their time at Fort Sumner, our ancestors suffered through cold, hunger, and the gradual loss of their way of life. But they never gave up. Instead the leaders of that time came together and negotiated with the military. Our leaders thought about the future of their children and their children after them. They wanted us to be on our homelands, to carry on our values, teachings language.

A lot of our people are hesitant to talk about this part of history because there was pain and suffering, but there’s a larger story here, a different perspective we need to think about. As Navajos, we want to know who we are. We are struggling today with modern-day monsters, such as alcoholism, drug abuse, suicide and diabetes, but what better way to instill hope than to tell the stories of our ancestors who almost got annihilated? Instead of giving up, they asked for a document, a treaty. They asked to go home.

We are opening the door so we can have frank discussions about our history. If we tell our younger generation not to talk about Hwéeldi or not to return, how will they know who we are? If we don’t share our stories, how will they continue? It is our responsibility to tell the whole story—not just about the devastation and death, or about the signing of the treaty, but what happened after our ancestors signed it. We need to tell the story of resiliency and of not giving up. I want to remind our people that they have the strength of our ancestors in their blood and they have the capability to overcome anything.

I am here to start the conversation.

CHIEF JUSTICE JOANN JAYNE

When I think about the Treaty of 1868, I think about our ancestors – those who died, those who survived, those who signed the treaty itself and fought for our return to our sacred homeland, those who walked back and wept with joy at the sight of our sacred mountain. They had the wisdom, the foresight, the love and the courage to think about us who came after them. We have survived through time immemorial and our way of life will continue to survive. Before the signing of the treaty, we were here and we are still here. Our people are a testament to our strength then and now.

The upcoming exhibit of the original Treaty and accompanying activities have sparked a conversation among our people. I encourage each of us to take this opportunity to learn and to educate our children and grandchildren about the stories that are being shared on the Naaltsoos Saní and beyond that, learn and teach about our creation stories, our traditional ceremonies and our precious language. Continue what was begun by our ancestors long ago.

The Judicial Branch – Hashkééjí Nahat'á – has a responsibility to uphold our sovereignty and to provide education on Diné bi beenahaz'áanii. The sustaining of our language and our teachings will ensure that our people and sovereignty will continue our existence within our sacred mountains forever.

SPEAKER LORENZO BATES

Yá’át’ééh, shi eí LoRenzo Bates yinishyé. Tsé ńjíkiní nishłí dóó Naaneesht’ézhi Táchii’nii bá shíshchíín. Kinyaa’áanii ‘éí dashicheii dóó Naakai éí dashinálí. On behalf of the 23rd Navajo Nation Council, it is my honor to provide this message in recognition of the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Naaltsoos Sání—The Treaty of 1868. The Naaltsoos Sání acknowledges and reflects on the strength, growth, healing, and resiliency of the Navajo people in the past, present, and future.

In 1864, the Navajo people were forcefully removed from their homelands and walked 300 miles east to Bosque Redondo, N.M, also known as Hwéeldi, or The Long Walk. During this time, our people experienced great despair at Hwéeldi and endured vast transformation in terms of our way of life. After four long years of imprisonment at Hwéeldi, our people returned home due to the foresight and strength of our Navajo leaders who negotiated the Naaltsoos Sání.

The Naaltsoos Sání is the final treaty that Navajo people signed with the U.S. Government and marks a shift in Navajo history from a time of despair to the reclamation of our independence, sovereignty, and self-determination. Today, we remember the deprivation that our past Navajo leaders and people experienced and their perseverance to retain our homelands, culture, tradition, and language.

Moving forward as a sovereign Nation, we continue to emphasize the importance of Sa’ah Naghai Bik’eh Hozhoon within our way of life. Each day, we are blessed and fortunate to practice our way of life within our sacred homelands. This time allows us to rededicate ourselves as sacred people, and remember that we overcame many challenges and obstacles.

We will continue to move forward with our way of life and continue to heal from the tragedies of Hwéeldi. We must continue to be strong and determined to ensure the future of the Navajo Nation.

Ahe’héé’

Speaker LoRenzo Bates 23rd Navajo Nation Council