The History of the Navajo and Monument Valley The Navajo, or the Diné as they call themselves, have their own story about how they came to Monument Valley, which they call Tsé Bii’ Ndzisgaii or “Clearing Among the Rocks” (Perrottet; “Navajo History”). According to one version of that story, there were four worlds of different colors. On the first world there were some types of insects which made up the “Air-Spirit People,” four beings ruling over the four seas, and four clouds over the sea of black, white, yellow, and blue color. The black and white formed the First Man, and the First Woman. The Great Coyote and a second coyote named First Angry also appeared. All the beings on the first planet traveled to the second, then third, then emerged
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in the Four Corners Area. Anasazi Native Americans also lived in Monument Valley until they disappeared, along with Paiutes who roamed through the area in about 1300 A.D. (“Navajo History”). There was often conflict between the Mexicans and the Navajo, who first came in contact with them in 1822 (Perrottet). The Navajo would often raid nearby towns and pueblos, stealing livestock and occasionally taking people, which led quickly to retribution (“Navajo History”). In 1848, the U.S. annexed the area from Mexico. In 1863, the U.S. army led by Colonel Kit Carson force the Navajo to migrate to Bosque Redondo, NM on what is called the “Long Walk” (“The Navajos Begin ‘Long Walk’ to Imprisonment”). During the 18 days it took to move, hundreds in the tribe die. Some people did manage to escape to Navajo Mountain in Utah. With a treaty and a reversal of policy, the Navajo were given a small reservation and allowed to go back to the Four Corners region in 1868, although Monument Valley was not included in this area …show more content…
This was after Harry Goulding and his wife Leone traveled to L.A., almost got thrown out of the United Artists Studios reception, and by a stroke of luck managed to show pictures of the valley to an executive and eventually John Ford (Perrottet). Goulding had the idea in response to the Great Depressions terrible effect on his family and the Native people in the area. John Ford set six other movies in Monument Valley, and in doing so created the mythic version of The West the public loves. It also created an influx of money to many Navajo who played extras in the
in the Four Corners Area. Anasazi Native Americans also lived in Monument Valley until they disappeared, along with Paiutes who roamed through the area in about 1300 A.D. (“Navajo History”). There was often conflict between the Mexicans and the Navajo, who first came in contact with them in 1822 (Perrottet). The Navajo would often raid nearby towns and pueblos, stealing livestock and occasionally taking people, which led quickly to retribution (“Navajo History”). In 1848, the U.S. annexed the area from Mexico. In 1863, the U.S. army led by Colonel Kit Carson force the Navajo to migrate to Bosque Redondo, NM on what is called the “Long Walk” (“The Navajos Begin ‘Long Walk’ to Imprisonment”). During the 18 days it took to move, hundreds in the tribe die. Some people did manage to escape to Navajo Mountain in Utah. With a treaty and a reversal of policy, the Navajo were given a small reservation and allowed to go back to the Four Corners region in 1868, although Monument Valley was not included in this area …show more content…
This was after Harry Goulding and his wife Leone traveled to L.A., almost got thrown out of the United Artists Studios reception, and by a stroke of luck managed to show pictures of the valley to an executive and eventually John Ford (Perrottet). Goulding had the idea in response to the Great Depressions terrible effect on his family and the Native people in the area. John Ford set six other movies in Monument Valley, and in doing so created the mythic version of The West the public loves. It also created an influx of money to many Navajo who played extras in the