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Show THE NAVAJOS W E S H A L L R E M A I N : U TA H I N D I A N C U R R I C U L U M G U I D E 48 problems of poor planning by Carleton, a feud between the army and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Navajos' unfamiliarity with how to prepare the food provided, bad water, and crop destruction due to weather and insects all meant that the Navajos had insufficient food and shel-ter. In 1868, in response to Navajo petitions and concern over conditions at Bosque Redondo, a treaty was signed that allowed the Navajos to return to a reservation in their ancestral lands. Though they had participated in large-scale farming and had lived in large settlements while at Bosque Redondo, once they returned to their homeland they resumed their traditional lifestyle, including living in small groups and practicing their own cultural traditions. Utah plays an important part in the story of the Long Walk, as many Navajos were able to escape the army raids. The secluded and difficult-to- reach areas in what is now known as southeastern Utah, though loosely controlled by the opposing Ute tribe, made excellent places of refuge for the Navajos. For example, a Navajo man named Haskeneinii, who lived near Monument Valley, was able to escape the advancing troops and live at Navajo Mountain for the next four years. Through the efforts of Navajo leaders in Utah, particularly Manuelito, Utah's Navajos were able to survive and avoid being moved east. These Navajos continued to fight the soldiers and settlers who attempted to force them off their land. Coop-eration with the local Paiute bands was another factor that allowed the Navajos to survive both Ute and U.S. Army raids. The Paiutes were especially useful allies because they often helped to mediate conflict between the Navajos and Utes. In 1933, due to their continuous presence in southeastern Utah, this area was restored to the Navajos' reservation, though, as a testament to the fact that it was an area of joint occupancy, this section of the reservation is referred to as the "Paiute Strip." |