Graduation Year
2015
Graduation Month
May
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science
School or Department
Resource Conservation
Major
Resource Conservation
Faculty Mentor Department
Forestry and Conservation, College of
Faculty Mentor
Keith Bosak
Keywords
navajo, sacred mountains, land use, arizona, new mexico, colorado
Subject Categories
Environmental Studies | Human Geography | Indigenous Studies | Natural Resources and Conservation | Nature and Society Relations | Nonfiction | Place and Environment | Social and Cultural Anthropology
Abstract
The Navajo homeland, Dinetah, is bordered by four mountains that are sacred to the Navajo people: two in Colorado, one in New Mexico, and one in Arizona. Historically, Navajo medicine men have traveled to these mountains to renew prayers and collect medicinal herbs. Today, the mountains, which exist outside of the reservation boundaries, are used for resource extraction and various recreational pursuits. While many Navajo are fighting for the protection of these sacred lands and their traditional culture, others are disinterested. Traditional practices and beliefs are slowly disappearing within the Navajo Nation. The land-use issues associated with these sacred mountains illustrate that the decline of Dinetah and the decline of the Navajo culture are inextricably connected.
Honors College Research Project
Yes
Recommended Citation
Catterson, Jocelyn, "May You Walk in Beauty: The Decline of Navajo Land and Culture" (2015). Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts. 21.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/utpp/21
Included in
Environmental Studies Commons, Human Geography Commons, Indigenous Studies Commons, Natural Resources and Conservation Commons, Nature and Society Relations Commons, Nonfiction Commons, Place and Environment Commons, Social and Cultural Anthropology Commons
© Copyright 2015 Jocelyn Catterson