The Fearing Time is here - Coronavirus first case on Navajo

It is here.  The Navajo Nation confirmed its first case of Coronavirus from Kayenta, Arizona.  A 46-year old male from Chilchinbito returned from Phoenix tested positive for the deadly disease.

This was the announcement from the Navajo President's Facebook page:

Member of the Navajo Nation tests positive for COVID-19 coronavirus

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. – On Tuesday, Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer were informed by the Navajo Department of Health that a 46-year-old member of the Navajo Nation with recent travel history tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus, which is the first confirmed case involving a member of the Navajo Nation.

The Arizona Department of Health confirmed the positive test result from an individual from the community of Chilchinbeto, Ariz., who first reported their symptoms to the Kayenta Health Center in Kayenta, Ariz. The individual was taken to a hospital in Phoenix, Ariz. where the test was conducted. Health and emergency officials are taking the proper precautions to screen and isolate the person’s family members...

For many people, this is reality hitting home. It's just no longer in the media.  It's here, and soon it will be in your community.  The disease, although it has a low mortality rate, makes us realize our mortal nature as humans.  Many tribal employees are scared.

The fearing time has returned.

Our grandparents dealt with it successfully, as a result, we are here.

We need to do what they did and use our traditional teachings, methods, and practices.  This is why it is important to know your language and culture.  This is why it is important that our government and people uphold the traditional Dine ways.  Without these Dine ways, we are no longer Dine.  The 2015 elections involved a language vote which voted down the language, and it was not a good thing.  This virus might be the result, a sort of teaching.

Some communities are practicing their traditions of holding traditional ceremonies for this type of situation.  Some medicine practitioners are stepping forward for this pandemic.  I heard that there are ceremonies in Window Rock, Dilkon, Red Mesa, and towards New Mexico, like Newcomb.

At this point, I guess we'll see how things go.  I hope that Dine don't die.