Moments of Enchantment; 59; “The Long Walk” to the Bosque Redondo – Navajo Relocation

Moments of Enchantment brought to you by the New Mexico Office of Cultural Affairs and 770 K-O-B Radio. It was a moment they would speak of in future years. The long line of Indians had finally reached the top of the hill. After years of conflict and suffering at a resettlement camp, they were home again. According to the West, the Navajo could see their sacred mountain, more in a moment. It was a sad and bitter time in New Mexico history. In an attempt to end the conflict with new coming settlers, the government decided to take the Navajo from their northwestern New Mexico homeland and resettlement far to the east. A four-year time of tears known as the long walk of the gun. In 1864, Bosque Redondo was opened along the Pecos River in eastern New Mexico. It was a crowded and stifling resettlement camp. Difficulties came early as efforts to force the Navajos to become farmers were unsuccessful and open conflicts arose between Navajos and Apache's held at the same camp.

But most importantly, Bosque Redondo was not home. The Navajos grew to hate the dry flat land there which stood in stark contrast to the diverse canyons and maces of their homeland. Month after month they pleaded or demanded to be allowed to return northwest until a Navajo delegation traveled to Washington, D.C. and presented the case directly to President Andrew Johnson. Finally, in 1868, the government acknowledged that Bosque Redondo had been a mistake and in June of that year, the Navajo people were allowed to return home. The displaced Indians loaded their elderly and their possessions into wagons and began the long walk home. Toward the end of their journey, crossing what today we call 9-mile hill just west of Albuquerque, the Navajo could see Mount Taylor, landmark of their northwest New Mexico home. It is said that grown men cried at the sight of the end of the long walk. To learn more about the history of New Mexico's native people, visit the Museum of New Mexico's history library inside of Faye. Moments of Enchantment brought to you by the New Mexico Office of Cultural Affairs. For Moments of Enchantment, I'm David Griffin.