During this month in 1868 the Navajos at Bosque Redondo Reservation were rejoicing about going back to their ancient homeland. June 1 marked the anniversary (1868-2018) of the signing of the Navajo Treaty of 1868 at Fort Sumner between Lt. General W. T. Sherman, other Army officers and several Navajo chiefs, including Manuelito. The Treaty established a reservation for them, forbid their raiding, protected their rights, required schooling for all their children, and provided farming equipment, food and supplies to get them back on their feet.
For centuries bands of Navajo warriors had stolen livestock and food from the Pueblo villages, Spanish and American ranches and the U.S. army posts. Most of the Navajo men, women and children never participated in the conflicts but suffered as a result. As the Civil War ended in New Mexico, General James H. Carleton ordered the army scout Kit Carson to lead the extra American troops on hand in 1864 to capture and march the Navajos to Bosque Redondo, a desolate spot south of Santa Rosa. Chief Manuelito resisted and was among the last to surrender. After years of starvation and sickness at the concentration camp, he and others went to Washington, D.C, to plead their case. With help from local New Mexican Hispanic leaders and national politicians, their request was granted in 1868.
The UNM Center for Southwest Research holds some important letters, recordings and photographs related to these events. Some are online via the New Mexico Digital Collection.
Here are some examples:
The American Indian Oral History Collection, CSWR MSS 314 BC, has eight interviews with Navajo elders about the memories of these times. Here is a transcript of Bob Manuelito telling the story of his father, Chief Manuelito. (Tape #341 - Bob Manuelito, Tohatchi, February 1969, Interviewer: Tom Ration). Summary - Bob’s father Manuelito, great Navajo leader during time of Long Walk; the great Jesus Arviso, interpreter during May 1868 treaty negotiations with General Sherman; the People’s return to Dinetah, day by day activities in route home; Manuelito decrees every fourth day is sacred; Fort Wingate distributes tools and food to People, etc. Text of Bob’s interview: http://econtent.unm.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/navtrans/id/154/rec/1
Photo of Navajos at Bosque Redondo, from the William A. Keleher Photo Collection, CSWR PICT 000-742 - https://econtent.unm.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/keleher/id/364/rec/8
Photo of Chief Manuelito, from Margaret Herter Collection of Karl Moon / Alabama Milner Photos, CSWR PICT 2015-008 - http://econtent.unm.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/moon/id/129/rec/38
See La Música de los Viejitos: Hispano Folk Music of the Río Grande del Norte. With Jack and Katherine Loeffler, recordist and illustrator, and Enrique Lamadrid. Albuquerque: UNM Press, 1999. CDs that accompany book has a recording of "El Indio Manuel." https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?authtype=ip,guest&custid=s4858255&groupid=main&profile=eds&direct=true&db=cat05987a&AN=unm.43289301&site=eds-live&scope=site
Fort Union National Monument Ethnographic Overview and Assessment (2006) by Joseph P. Sánchez, Jerry L. Gurulé, Larry V. Larrichio, and Larry D. Miller. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?authtype=ip,guest&custid=s4858255&groupid=main&profile=eds&direct=true&db=cat05987a&AN=unm.646306797&site=eds-live&scope=site
The Treaty of 1868 is a Federal document and appears online. Actual treaty - http://nmai.si.edu/static/nationtonation/pdf/Navajo-Treaty-1868.pdf
Transcript of treaty - http://nmai.si.edu/static/nationtonation/pdf/Navajo-Treaty-1868.pdf
NM Magazine article - https://www.newmexico.org/nmmagazine/articles/post/to-touch-the-soil/
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