BIA: Hopis allegedly abused woman

By John Christian Hopkins
Diné Bureau

BLACK MESA — The plight of Rena Babbitt Lane, an 84-year-old Navajo, who was allegedly abused at the hands of three Hopi rangers is sweeping across Indian Country as people wonder how such a thing could happen.

Originally, it was reported that the three rangers involved were Bureau of Indian Affairs employees, but a BIA spokesman from Washington D.C. said that was not accurate.

"They are not BIA employees," said BIA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Warren Youngman. The Hopi tribe is supposed to issue a release on the matter, Youngman added.

Hopi Vice Chairman Todd Honyaoma was on travel and not available for comment. A receptionist who answered the phone said the tribe's legal counsel was preparing a press release. No release was received as of press time.

The Nov. 4 incident took place in an area involved in the Navajo-Hopi land dispute, or Bennett Freeze area near Western Navajo. Lane, adamant against forced relocation, lives in a remote region of Black Mesa, without electricity or running water. She neither can speak, read or write English.

According to a press release from the Western Navajo Agency on Aging, the heavily armed agents "... broke into her home, dragged her from her bed, threw her around, shook her cane at her, threw her cane on the roof of her home ..." The Hopi rangers then forced her to stay in one of their vehicles while they searched her home and her son's without search warrants, the release stated.

During the altercation, Lane who has a history of heart problems suffered a heart attack.

According to the press release, Lane told the agents, "How can you treat me like this? I am not a criminal. I am a good person, a kind person. I am your mother. You are my son."

The officers reportedly threatened to take her to jail and said they would "let the coyotes eat all your sheep." They continued that they would make her sit in jail and then walk home about 100 miles in the winter, according to the release.

Lane's crime was going into another grazing area. She had gone through a section of barbed wire fence to retrieve her goats that had wandered off.

"I can take care of myself, but I know there are others who can't and I'll speak out for them," said Rachel Day, an Oklahoma Choctaw elder. "Where are the tribal leaders? They are supposed to be there for the people."

A copy of the original press release was sent to Navajo President Joe Shirley Jr. However, the president's spokesman George Hardeen said he had been on Thanksgiving holiday and had not had a chance to speak with Shirley on the matter.

Tribal elders are supposed to be sacred, and it is horrible to know that elders can be treated like this, said Ranena L. Davis, who is of Lakota and Cherokee descent.

"I read this and it was like someone did this to my own grandmother," Davis said. "These people are animals and have no respect for anyone."

Davis wondered how these officers would like it if their loved ones were treated so shabbily.

"Native Americans are brought up to respect their elders," said Debra Johnson. "They are precious historians who help preserve our culture and traditions."

John Christian Hopkins can be reached at hopkins1960@hotmail.com or by calling 505-371-5443.