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Show 120 VIII. BILAGAANA NINAAD44' River in Utah and Colorado. Some lived as far north as the La Sal and La Plata mountains. Bear's Ears, which could be seen for many miles around, was the site of many Navajo births. A group of Navajos normally lived and grazed their stock in this region. Their most important leader was K'aa'yelii or "One with Quiver." K'aa'yelii ranged widely, knowing all the region between the Uncompahgre Plateau in Colorado and the Henry Mountains to the west of the Colorado River. He moved freely from the La Sal Mountains on the north to Monument Valley on the south. Navajos lived along the Dolores and Colorado rivers from modern Dolores, Colorado, all the way downstream to Moab, Utah. Others lived far to the west around Navajo Mountain and beyond Tuba City, Arizona. These people picked plants, hunted game, and grazed sheep as did their kinsmen to the south. Many of them also farmed. Most of the farms were in the valley of the San Juan River. This long, winding stream was home for the largest group of northern Navajos. For many years the Navajos on the northern frontier had lived in peace with their closest neighbors, bands of Utes and Paiutes. Friction had sometimes arisen, but those Navajos living closest to the Utes normally managed to stay friendly with them. Thus many Navajos had made their homes in a region which would later be held by the Utes. Even those who lived far to the south often came to the San Juan country to graze their stock or, more often, to gather plants and hunt game. The pinyon nuts in the La Sal Mountains were well known to the Navajos. Whenever the corn crops to the south failed to produce, the People moved north to gather the nuts. The fact that many Navajos used the northern regions without always living there meant that those who really thought of the area as home varied in number. Ute pressure and marriage into the larger Navajo clans to the south kept their numbers fairly low. The great leader Manuelito, for example, lived his early life near Bear's Ears but moved south when he married. His wife was the daughter of Narbona, another great Navajo leader. Navajos used the extreme northern and western reaches of their land for one other purpose. When their enemies pressed them too hard, the Navajos could retreat into what they called Nahonidzo', the Escaping Place. The Americans found this out soon after they came to New Mexico. Major Gilpin saw the many Navajos in the San Juan Valley in 1846. Major Walker learned in |
