Eloquence

Eloquence of a Native American Leader

Interestingly enough, I learned in my readings our Dine leader Barboncito, (one of the ten leaders that represented the Dine Nation at Fort Sumner), New Mexico, had to face the devastating truth just as President Lincoln did. Barboncito knew living on a land that is not for his people was destroying his people. Many Dine died on the march to Fort Sumner. Many more were dying because of the harsh conditions of the land and cold winter. Each leader is confronted with a negative, but as a leader, he showed pride and instilled hope in his people to live for their return to the Dine Tah as Lincoln had put hope in American lives to continue the journey to build a new nation. Barboncito quotes were not as elaborate because of the translation from Navajo Language to English, but the concept of voicing what is right for the Dine people was known and felt.

So why is this unit of importance? Why am I so compelled to teach this unit as a key part of studies in my school? There are two reasons. First, illustrating the leadership of Baroncito and Manuelito and their use of words allows us to exist in our homeland, Dine' Tah. Second, how our native prayers and symbolism correlates to the speeches made at the treaty signing of 1868. As a Dine teacher, I have to teach the Dine history with a motivating and gracious manner. This unit will intrigue students' thinking about the land they are occupying today as we speak. How wonderful it is to be on our land and not a piece of land in Kansas or Oklahoma. ⁴ General William Sherman and the United States had proposed to relocate the Navajos to Kansas or Oklahoma. ⁵ In addition to good informative texts, students will be able to develop their questions and develop plays and skits sharing how the signing of the Treaty of 1868 played out. Bit and parts of information from the book Reclaiming Dine' History by Jennifer Nez Denetdale would be exciting to create into skits. This author, Denetdale, is the great, great, great daughter of Chief Manuelito and his wife Jaunita Manuelito. Not only do we get to read her book about the leaders, but other texts by former leaders will help draw out the importance of speech in reclaiming our land.

It is then the students will see our land and history at a different level than they once had. Imagines of students' self-realization and confidence will play out. It is then, that as teachers and Navajo Women we can display our concerns of our own and living our culture. And, how the Dine' language was important during the signing of the Treaty of 1868, and how it is important to keep our land and identity alive for our future generations.