http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2008/03/bahe-katenay-of-big-mountain-us.htmlFriday, March 28, 2008
Bahe Katenay of Big Mountain: US orchestrated so-called Navajo Hopi Land Dispute
Navajos at Big Mountain: ‘We are still here’
By Brenda Norrell
Human rights editor
U.N. OBSERVER & International Report
PUEBLO, Colo. – The so-called “Navajo Hopi Land Dispute” was a scenario orchestrated by the United States, Congressmen and the Navajo and Hopi tribal governments, which do not represent their people, said Bahe Katenay, Navajo from Big Mountain on the Navajo Nation, during an interview on the Longest Walk.
“The tribal governments are basically a board of directors. They are not a sovereign assembly. The Navajo government does not represent the Navajo Nation and the Hopi government does not represent the Hopi Nation,” Katenay said in an interview with Longest Walk Talk Radio, www.earthcycles.net/
Katenay, one of the original Long Walkers in 1978 joined the Longest Walk 2 Northern Route in Pueblo, and described the orchestrated scenario and the so-called “Navajo Hopi Land Dispute,” which grew out of the Indian Land Claims Commission.
Katenay told how a Mormon attorney for Peabody Coal, John Boyden, came to Hopi country and attempted to form a Hopi Tribal Council for the purpose of seizing leases for coal mining.
“It failed each time because the traditional Hopi people were a sovereign people and rejected the Hopi Tribal Council. They still had power in the villages. The traditional people supported the traditional chiefs.”
Finally in 1964, Peabody’s attorney John Boyden picked Hopi people and formed a Hopi Tribal Council which was recognized by the US government. However, the Hopi Tribal Council was not recognized or given authority by traditional Hopi.
“There was never a dispute,” Katenay said of the so-called Navajo Hopi Land Dispute. He said the lands were long shared by Navajo and Hopi. “The Hopi had their trails through there.”
Katenay said the United States media created the stories of the so-called Navajo Hopi dispute, the same way the US media creates and fuels other disputes and wars.
“One of the examples of this is the Iraq war right now.” Katenay said the media claims there is a dispute in Iraq. Those US claims led to the U.S. occupying and dividing the country and the people.
“Over there it is more brutal and more horrific. But it is the same sort of thing they did in Big Mountain and Black Mesa. They divided the two tribes.”
Katenay said federal laws and proceedings complicated the issues for Navajos and Hopis and the BIA played a role. The BIA had its hand in tribal governments and federal laws. Referring to the so-called range war, Katenay said there was no range war and there is no proof that it ever existed. It was a staged scenario which Congressmen fueled.
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