A Reason to be Proud
Book tells Navajo children story of the Long Walk

Shown is the cover of "Dzani Yazhi Naasbaa': Little Woman Warrior Who Came Home A Story of the Navajo Long Walk." The Children's book, written by Evangeline Parsons Yazzie, tells of the Long Walk. (Courtesy Photo)

Independent Staff

GALLUP — The author of "Dzn Yzh Naasbaa': Little Woman Warrior Who Came Home A Story of the Navajo Long Walk" has one purpose in mind: to give Diné youth, or Naabeeh, a Diné perspective on the Long Walk.

Evangeline Parsons Yazzie, a professor at Northern Arizona University, penned this latest release of Saline Bookshelf, a Navajo-language publishing company in Flagstaff.

"Naabeeh (Navajo youth) have a right to the truth of their history," Parsons Yazzie said. "They have a right to be proud to be Naabeeh."

The story takes place in 1856 and follows the experiences of Dznbaa', a young girl born in Black Mesa, as she is kidnapped by U.S. soldiers and then forced to walk more than 400 miles to Fort Sumner.

Although Dznbaa' and her family return home at the end, the book highlights the harsh conditions of the years at Fort Sumner, the cruelty of the U.S. soldiers, and how the Diné were affected.

To illustrate this, Parsons Yazzie uses the puberty ceremony as one example.

While the Naabeeh were prisoners at Fort Sumner, Dznbaa' reached puberty. Her mother cried soft, bitter tears as she told Dzanbaa' that the Naabeeh were not to hold the kinaald (puberty ceremony) outside of their sacred land.

"We can celebrate your kinaald when your times comes again," said Mother. "I hope we will not be prisoners then. Naabeeh always celebrate the first and second one."

"I will tell my body to wait until we get home," said Dzanbaa'. "We will have it there."

Parsons Yazzie took a personal interest in this story because, as described in the author's note, she was laughed at during a lecture on the Long Walk in an American history class while a senior in high school.

According to her notes, the professor said the Navajo were sent to Bosque Redondo "because they were raiders and stealers ... and I'm not talking about the NFL Football teams."

On the Net:http://www.salinabookshelf.com