BARBONCITO

I hope to God you will not ask me to go to any other country except my own. It may turn out to be another Bosque Redondo.

The bringing of us here has caused a great decrease of our numbers, many of us have died, also a great number of our animals. Our grandfathers had no idea of living in any other country except our own and I do not think it right for us to do so

My friends, my brothers! I know why you are coming to cross the river ... our land is hungry, and offers little food. But it will always be this way, unless you young men give your strength to the fields around your homes. The few cattle you bring home will be gone before you know it, and you will have to risk your lives again and again to steal more. And what is becoming of the small flocks you were given? They are starving, because you have been neglecting them. The Navajos have suffered drought before, and lived through it without making enemies on every side of their land. If you dig deep enough, you will find water. If your thoughts become harmonious, the rain will come. Give your hearts to your own land, not to the trails which lead to your neighbors' land.

This ground we were brought on, it is not productive. We plant but it does not yield. All the stock we brought here has died ... we have done all we could possibly do, but found it to be labor in vain ... For that reason we have not planted or tried to do anything this year. It is true we put seed in the ground but it would not grow two feet high. The reason I cannot tell, only I think this ground was never intended for us. We know how to irrigate and farm. Still we cannot raise a crop here.

I hope to God you will not ask me to go to any other country except my own. It may turn out to be another Bosque Redondo.

My friends, my brothers! I know why you are coming to cross the river ... our land is hungry, and offers little food. But it will always be this way, unless you young men give your strength to the fields around your homes. The few cattle you bring home will be gone before you know it, and you will have to risk your lives again and again to steal more. And what is becoming of the small flocks you were given? They are starving, because you have been neglecting them. The Navajos have suffered drought before, and lived through it without making enemies on every side of their land. If you dig deep enough, you will find water. If your thoughts become harmonious, the rain will come. Give your hearts to your own land, not to the trails which lead to your neighbors' land.

This ground we were brought on, it is not productive. We plant but it does not yield. All the stock we brought here has died ... we have done all we could possibly do, but found it to be labor in vain ... For that reason we have not planted or tried to do anything this year. It is true we put seed in the ground but it would not grow two feet high. The reason I cannot tell, only I think this ground was never intended for us. We know how to irrigate and farm. Still we cannot raise a crop here.

The bringing of us here has caused a great decrease of our numbers, many of us have died, also a great number of our animals. Our grandfathers had no idea of living in any other country except our own and I do not think it right for us to do so