Navajo writer's Covid journey signals Hope for Dine

Former reporter Alastair Bitsoie wrote an article for the Navajo Times. ("My COVID journey") He encourages us to value the traditional ways because those ways protect us.

So as long as we stay connected to our cultural identities and the original instructions designated by Changing Woman/White Shell Woman, First Man, First Woman, the Hero Twins, Talking God, Spider Woman, and many other deities like the Air and Fire Peoples, we will get through this as well. As Diné, we know this knowledge, and it must be acknowledged and practiced more than ever, while sheltering in place and following the respective public health orders that help to prevent COVID-19 spread.

Like he says, it is the time to practice these traditions.

He says that Dine values protect us from harm.

As Diné people, our values are what keep us protected from most dangers of the world. Our cultural knowledge, ceremonies, faith and narratives of the natural world are what will help us persevere through this pandemic.

After all, our connection to the fire, air, earth, sky, plants/medicines, water and every living being in our universe, including our animal clan protectors, has helped me heal from COVID-19.

And this knowledge that I acquired comes from you – our Diné people – where I had the pleasure to write for the Navajo Times. You’ve all grounded and taught me the importance of our culture, language, ceremony and lifeways. So, thank you for helping me heal with your stories.

It is wonderful that Bitsoie publicly acknowledges his identity as a Dine. Many of us are Dine, but yet we don't acknowledge our identities. He talks about his clan protectors, something that not very many people talk about.

It sounds like Bitsoie's Covid experience was a life-changing experience that made him realize how vulnerable we are and that we cannot take life for granted. It seems like he obtained a different perspective on life.

Bitsoie most compellingly says: "Having been quarantine/isolated for the last two months as a COVID-19 survivor, I have come to the conclusion that Nature is in control, and she is cleaning up our anthropogenic impacts." It seems like the major religion in America doesn't acknowledge that nature is in control, and instead wrongly instructs the majority to exploit the earth. This causes the majority to adopt an attitude of superiority toward the environment and minorities, some of whom value the world. As a result of this misconception of superiority, our world is being ruined. I've heard a profound statement about Corona, it says "Corona is not the virus, it is the vaccine. We are the virus." The corona pandemic has momentarily stopped our daily life activities on earth. But really, the earth is taking a break from us. Go Mother Earth!

Overall Bistsoi's article was very interesting and good, especially to encourage other Corona survivors to be transparent about their recovery and experience, and writing about it from a traditional perspective. In doing so, he integrates traditional principles like Siihasin into his journalism. This gives me, us, hope as Dine in terms of our people surviving the current pandemic, and our language and culture surviving the current colonization.

Finally, a Navajo government statement from the Dine perspective

Instead of putting pastors in the Townhall press conferences, our leadership needs to acknowledge the Dine perspective. The Peacemaking Department put out a statement about the Corona virus. It is from the Dine perspective. Thank you Peacemaking Program and the Judicial Branch for acknowling the Dine.

  

PEACEMAKING STATEMENT ABOUT COVID 19

When the Twins slayed the Naayéé, certain things were spared for a reason. Cold, poverty, old age, lice—these things were left in the world to teach the Diné to take responsibility and to solve problems.

Now, we are facing a Naayéé that is a monster that kills through invisibility. It hides in cold places and in the dark and harms us when we don’t take responsibility for our hygiene and prayer. The medicine people say this Naayéé will invade us and linger on, building its strength until it can kill many of us.

This was foretold. Our medicine people know of the warnings of the Holy People, that the invisible body would come onto Diné Bikéyah to harm us. We would know it was coming when the dawn and the dusk were red, and when there were meteor showers.

These things have happened, but we were not vigilant. Our ancestors would have recognized the warning signs of danger and fearsome coming, the Yikáí Yiichii’ Red Dawn and Nihootsooi Biyi’ji’ Ni’halchíí Red Sunset, which would cause us to perform protection prayers.

The government has named this disease Big Cough áį Dikos Nitsaa’ígíí- áį , but we know its true names are Invisible Body, Bits’íís Dooyit’íinii and Air that Gives Evil Spell, Níłch’i Bi’iiníziinii. These come to attack the Diné when we are weakened in our spirit. Our weakness comes from losing the strength that is our language and our Diné Fundamental Law. We must coexist with nature by getting up early in the morning to make an offering of white ground corn, at noon making an offering of corn pollen, and making our evening offering of yellow ground corn.

Many people are storing away their Native American Church and traditional paraphernalia, or their Christian Bibles and prayer materials. These things must be brought out of our closets and drawers, from under our beds and used in the open, in the light. Not only is it significant to bring out traditional paraphernalia but also utilize the honeeshgish, fire poker, arrowheads, stirring sticks, with prayers and protection songs.

This disease exists in darkness and cold. Our strength is brought against it when we pray in the light. When we fail to follow our traditions of prayer in the home and performing our ceremonies as they were given to us, these are the things that cause us to be vulnerable.

Some Diné are worsening our vulnerability. Some people who are infected with the virus are still out in the community and among their families, exposing others. This behavior is against the dignity and worth of all individuals, and our responsibility to protect each other. Others ridicule the Diné who are being diligent in their hygiene with masks, hand washing, and social isolation. When these responsible behaviors are ridiculed or not followed, we are not respecting the teachings that were given to us by our ancestors.

Former Attorney General rejected by Gospel Nez

Isn't it appalling that the Nez-Lizer Administration won't let former Attorney General Ethel Branch's group give supplies to Dine families in need throughout the reservation?  Former President Russell Begay did say that Jonathan Nez can't handle difficult situations. (Begaye endorses Shirley)  Branch raised over one million dollars on GoFundMe to help Dine families in need who don't have easy access to food and supplies during this pandemic.  But the Navajo President is willing to make an exception for the church group to meet while the President's curfew and social distancing order is in effect.  Branch applied for an exception twice and was rejected twice by Jonathan Nez saying he received public backlash for the church organization's exception.  I think this is the real Nez we're seeing, without his advisors, since he is in isolation (quarantine).  But that's what the People voted for in 2018 in a landslide.  I  believe the People were misled.  Here is Branch's petition to the gospel president.

Don’t sell your soul and try to destroy your nation like Nez

Navajo President Jonathan Nez kissing  the Western Wall in Jerusalem, Israel in 2020, the year of the Covid Pandemic

Many Dine are beginning to realize just how brainwashed our Navajo President is. The Christian Church has brainwashed President Nez to such an extent that he is telling us Dine that we are protected by "the blood of Jesus Christ." This past weekend, a lot of Dine people were upset that President Nez lied about allowing a church group to meet while he ordered all Dine to stay at home, and to practice social distancing.  A lot of people complained about a church gathering in Ganado, Arizona. Initially, President Nez ignored the complaints. Then President Nez stated that there was no gathering that occurred. Then later, he said that a gathering did in fact occur, but that he did not give permission for such a gathering to occur. But there was a letter, with the presidential letterhead, that permitted the Church gathering in Ganado.  Our president straight up lied to the Dine. We Dine need to demand that he, President Nez, come clean with us, the people. He needs to tell the Dine that he favors his Christian groups politically because those same groups put him in Navajo office by paying for his campaign, and for the purpose of continuing the Church's historical destruction of the Dine Way of Life. I don't think many people knew what they were voting for when they voted for Nez in a landslide election against former President Joe Shirley Jr.  By voting for Nez, the Dine People blindly voted against the traditional Dine Way of Life which defines the Navajo identity. Nez is starting to put pastors in his Townhall Updates. Unlike Nez, the Vice-President is less discreet by starting to conduct his sermons on the updates. The picture of President Nez kissing the Western Wall in Jerusalem is an insult to the traditional Dine and the Diyin Dine'e. We Dine need to be educated about the role of the church in the genocide against Native America. We also need education about how some traditional Dine that practice the dark side hide behind the Christian church. These are the reasons the virus has come to the Navajo, starting with the church rallies. I say if we remain silent about the President’s conduct and act like nothing is happening, we’ll be going down that cliff up ahead.

President Nez authorized Church gathering while ordering Dine to social distance and stay home

Bordertown Businesses Depend on Dine - Curfew Realization

The streets of Gallup, NM were empty this weekend due to the weekend curfew

Dine usually race to the bordertowns for the weekend. But this weekend, the Dine were told to stay at home. There was a weekend curfew that lasted from Friday evening to Monday morning. There were some pictures being passed around of eerie empty streets in Gallup and Farmington. Over the next few days and weeks, we will undoubtedly hear about how much this has affected major bordertown businesses such as Walmart, Sam's Club and other money-makers. We will hear about how much these businesses have loss money due to the Dine not being allowed to go to town. This is the reason bordertown businesses will not shut down their operations for a few days even though more and more people are infecting each other with the virus and some are dying. This has made many of us realize our power as a Dine nation, how much the bordertown businesses depend upon the Dine people for their survival. If the bordertown businesses closed down, the Dine People can probably survive without them. Dine are survivors. I truly believe that. The liquor stores such as Sage Brush Liquor store was also forced by the Governor to close down. Yay! The same is true for the State Championship Basketball Games - our Dine support those valley businesses even though our Dine get discriminated against. *SMH* We need to capitalize on our power and make the bordertown businesses cator to our needs, not the other way around. We need to demand better services, products, and to get rid of the racism, or else we'll boycott them. The curfew may be seen as a sort of boycott on these businesses.

Wild Dine arrested for stealing tribal police vehicle

They say that Pinon is where the wild west starts. In the early hours this morning, two wild Dine in Whipporwill, Jessie Nez and Harold Lee Jr., stole a Navajo police vehicle and weapon while they were arrested. ("Suspects drive off with police vehicle") The radio quickly put out a public alert about the incident, to look out for the stolen police vehicle, and that there were armed and dangerous men in the Pinon-Whipporwill area. This may have led to the quick arrest of these men. Around 11 A.M., the Navajo Police Department announced that these men were caught and arrested. I would suggest to Jessie Nez and Harold Lee Jr. if they want some adrenaline-rushing typing of excitement, then they should join the police department or the military. There they can brandish automatic weapons for a good cause.  These organizations have minimum entrance requirements such as having a high school diploma.

Page man arrested for racist Facebook post

There was a man from Page, Arizona who posted on social media to use "lethal force" against Navajos because they have Corona virus. The Page Police Department posted:'

Facebook Post Leads to Arrest

On April 6, 2020, at 7:53pm, the Page Police Department was made aware of a volatile Facebook post that appeared to have been published by a Page resident. The post was threatening in nature and directed toward Navajo community members due to the suspect’s stated belief that all “Navajo” are infected with COVID-19. An investigation was immediately opened, and the suspect was identified as 34-year-old Daniel Franzen of Page, AZ. Franzen was arrested shortly after having made the unlawful social media post and booked into the Coconino County Jail for attempting to incite an act of terrorism, a class 3 felony.

The Page Police Department recognizes the alarming nature of this incident and shares the justified concern this behavior has caused the Navajo community, and others. The police department wishes to remind community members that unlawful hate speech, especially that which singles out protected classes (race, religion, gender, etc.), will be aggressively investigated and violations will be prosecuted to the fullest extent possible. Additionally, threats toward Franzen, as well as other retaliatory measures will be investigated in a like manner.

34-year-old Daniel Frazen was arrested and charged with Attempting to Incite Terrorism, a Class 3 Felony.

Shi Dine'e, be aware of your surroundings.  There are many racist people in our bordertowns who want to harm and destroy the Navajo People and destroy the Navajo way of life. I hope Frazen gets the max.  There's no room for racism in Page.