Dine' Medicine People: Honoring Great Horse Nation shouldn't depend on outside influences

By Brenda Norrell

Photo Jones Benally and son Clayson Benally, courtesy Nohooka Dine'

KAYENTA, Arizona -- Dine Medicine People say Navajo leaders should respect the Horse Nation without needing the outside intervention of the former New Mexico Governor and Robert Redford. The Nohooka Dine, now joined by the largest group of Dine Medicine People, the Dine Hataalii Association, have called for a halt to the roundup and slaughter of horses on the Navajo Nation.

Dine' Medicine People said that regardless of the admonitions of the Dine Hataalii Association, traditional Dine people and others, Navajo President Ben Shelly and his administration continued to round up horses for slaughter.

Many elders, medicine people and traditional people welcomed the announcement last week that President Shelly reversed his position on horse slaughter. The reports indicate that Shelly entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with former Governor of New Mexico Bill Richardson to stop the roundup and slaughter.

While elders and traditional leaders approved of the announcement, many were concerned that it took the outside intervention of Governor Richardson and Robert Redford to persuade Shelly to reverse course, said the Dine Medicine People in a statement on Tuesday.

The elders and medicine people have also expressed concern that this attempt at livestock reduction would soon extend to cattle, sheep and other livestock. These traditional leaders request to be included as a party to discussions on how the livestock reduction issue, in its entirety, should be addressed going forward. It is important that future discussions pertaining to MOUs and livestock reduction involve representatives from the Nohook Dine, the Dine Hataalii Association and the Elders and Medicine People of the Dine.

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Dine' Medicine People: Respect Horse Nation without outside intervention