Navajo Long Walk

Bruchac, Joseph. 2002. NAVAJO LONG WALK: THE TRAGIC STORY OF A PROUD PEOPLE'S FORCED MARCH FROM THEIR HOMELAND. Illustrated by Shonto Begay. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society.

Plot Summary

Joseph Bruchac and illustrator Shonto Begay come together to tell the tragic story of the forced march of thousands of Navajo from their homes and relocation to a reservation. The story also tells of the return of the Navajo to their home and how today the Navajos number more than 150,000 and live on what has become the largest of all reservations in the United States.

Analysis

Bruchac tells the story of the forced removal of the Navajos in seven chapters beginning with Broken Circle and concluding with The Walk Home. In the dedication page, both writer and illustrator acknowledge their ancestors. Bruchac acknowledges and is grateful to the Navajo Nation for their wisdom and guidance in the writing of this book. It is apparent that this work was handled with much reverence.

The Afterward includes comments on the success of the Navajos as herdsmen and gifted artisans. Moreover, the contributions by the Navajo peoples during World War II in form of a code that was based on the Navajo language, contributed greatly to winning the war in the Pacific.

In order for the readers to fully understand the story, Bruchac takes the readers to the genesis of the Navajo peoples. He tells of the arrival of the Spaniards in 1540. We further understand how the Navajo people got their name. “ From the Pueblo peoples they learned agriculture –how to grow corn, beans, and squash. Indeed, the word ‘Navajo’ is derived from the Tewa Pueblo word Nabaju, which means 'people with planted fields.'" Bruchac’s interlingual use throughout the book adds authenticity to the tale and further demonstrates his knowledge of the Navajos.

Bruchac depicts the Navajo as real people, and not mystical figures that only possess good qualities. While he states that “The Navajo way has always been to seek the path of balance and beauty,” he also tells of the Diné Ana’í – the Enemy Navajos. “The Enemy Navajos were feared as slave raiders and later as scouts for the U.S. Army. It was not easy for Navajos to escape from their own people, who knew the language and the land.”
Bruchac chronologically breaks down the story, making it easy for readers to follow. Visual learners will also appreciate the inclusion of an 1863-1868 map that demonstrates the trails taken by the Navajo people for each of the three walks.

Another aspect that adds validity to the telling of this story is the fact that Bruchac’s tale is not one sided. In the same manner that not all Navajos were depicted as just, Bruchac does not portray all Americans as evil. He mentions Henry L. Dodge, appointed as an “Indian agent.” Bruchac states, “He was the first agent to actually live among the Navajos. He always treated them with respect and honesty and tried to act in their best interest. The Navajos grew to love Dodge…”
Finally, the illustrations presented convey the story in a convincing manner. The illustrator, Shonto Begay incorporates seven oil paintings and various two toned watercolor illustrations to accompany Bruchac’s text. For each acrylic painting, Begay annotates the connection between illustration and text. It is evident in the annotations that Begay has poured his heart and soul into this project. For example, in relating one of the walks of the Navajo people Bruchac writes, “Although the Army had orders to use wagons, horses, and mules to help carry the sick, the children, and the crippled, they were seldom used for this purpose. The soldiers rode and the Indians walked.” Of the accompanying illustration for this depiction Begay states, “…the cries of children, moans of the dying, futile prayers uttered in the snow and mud along a blood-soaked trail – [these] were emotionally difficult to recreate.”
I have to admit that the reality depicted in the illustrations and the inclusion of stories passed down and printed as Bruchac’s words, made a dramatic impact on me. There were instances when I was so overcome with grief that I had to put the book down and continue at a later time. One instance dealt with a pregnant woman. Bruchac writes,

"The late Howard Gorman, a deeply respected elder whose ancestors made that terrible journey, told a story passed down to him by his elders... a young woman who was about to give birth could keep up no longer. Her relatives begged the soldiers to wait for her. They were forced to move on. One soldier rode back. Then the sound of a gunshot was heard."

Notwithstanding, I do not believe that this is a book that should be hidden from students’ view. Quite the contrary, this is a story that must be heard by their ears because it is part of the tapestry that formed this nation. Bruchac also agrees as he states, "We were given two ears so that we may hear both sides of every story.” Without a doubt, this is a book that must imperatively be included in the libraries of our schools.

Review Excerpts

"Begay's paintings, rendered with acrylics on clay board in swirling brushstrokes, convey urgency and emotion. His art reaches a new level of accomplishment and his captions, explaining his use of symbols, will help youngsters interpret the cryptic moments in his work."– Publishers Weekly

"Told with drama, tension, conflict, and with a positive resolution the author gives dimension to 'one of the greatest and least known injustices in American history.' Shonto Begay has created extraordinary paintings using acrylics on clay board. They have an emotional intensity and eloquence." – From Children’s Literature

Connections

Other titles by Joseph Bruchac include:

The Warriors
The Waters Between
The Winter People

Pocahontas
Sacajawea
Children of the Longhouse
Dawn Land
Dog People, Native Dog Stories
Eagle Song
The Heart of a Chief

Seasons of the Circle
Skeleton Man

Website of illustrator:

http://www.shontobegay.com/