Pauline Whitesinger

From Sweet Water Springs and Wide Ruin Canyon,

February 10th, 2001

"Disagreeably! Disagreeably or unacceptably is the only way I can explain our situation. With my health being not so good, I have been incapable to do many things but by some small possibility I am still able to chopped enough wood to warm the hogan. But still, despite the hardships, I'm able to take care of other things around here. I was so fortunate when my granddaughter came over to stay with me so, she has been helping me with the sheep and their newborns.

"Now, the snow storms seem to be returning again, and I am worried about our food supply. I don't know when someone will help us get to the market. The other day I got visited but they said, 'Here's some dog food.'

" I asked them, 'Well, what about human food?' They said, 'Oh, we only brought food for the dogs.' "'How can you just do that?' I tell them. So, that's what happened, and I hope they come back before the roads become impassable.

"Just two days before was when the BIA workers came. There was a Dineh interpreter and a non-Dineh person. They informed me, 'You are to be allowed only eight sheep units, and you will have no addition of horses nor cattle. None!'

"I confronted them with my answers and questions, 'Tell me, please, from what evil world or from what evil society have you both come from to bring me such an unwarranted message?! Understand that, what you are saying is nothing but threats against Life. Did you not learned that this Earth was created for the Four-Legged Beings, too? Do you realize that you are disagreeing with the Laws of Creation by telling me that I can no longer raise more sheep, horses or cattle?'

"Also last year, the BIA impounded one of my cows which I never got returned. I reminded them of that also, 'Remember that you already took one of my cows? At that time I told you all that, I wish to never speak with you all, again. I guess you all thought that I was just saying that, and it seems you decided not to honor what I've told you back then. Because of that, why should I honor your orders of death?!'

"I turned to the Dineh man and said to him, 'You know better! Would you ever approach your aunts or grandmothers and tell them to give up Life? What gave you birth or what is your diet composed of to make you have a contaminated consciousness?'

"I would like to see as many non-Indians begin to understand, and tell those who are here that, they need to be very observant about their surrounding. The non-Indian supporters have shown me that they are interest in helping us. Some of them pick up Dineh words quickly and then, they begin to gradually understand what they are being told. Yeah, we have many of our own, non-Dineh, Indians who have lived with us awhile, but they have not learned a Dineh word, yet. Also, many supporters are able to learn about the necessary chores around our homes, and they are able to acquire the skills of using tools like the axe or the wool carders. So, if you are informing supporters, who are interested in coming, they must be informed to be prepared for the unexpected challenges, and once they are here, they need to be alert and carefully watch what we try to show them about traditional ways of living.

"Yes, you are right when you tell me about how the environment and the ecology out here has changed since many Dineh have been relocated. I have noticed also, and even some have said that the number of wolves have increased drastically. Of course, there are way more coyotes everywhere. They (BIA Range Technicians) are transplanting them, I think, because we have been told it is illegal to hunt them and that they are all ear tagged. Over a year ago, they must have transplanted some albino foxes which we saw running around like they were lost, and soon they were gone. So, those foxes must have either starved to death or ran off into some other region. I can only agree with you, also, in your conclusion that, because the BIA has used so much tactics to force us to accept relocation, and now, they are introducing predators to reduce our sheep and goats."

This statement was translated by Bahe Kadenay