July 4 we celebrate Independence Day. Behind all the picnics, BBQs, firework displays there is a sense of national pride that few Americans don’t feel, at least for a moment. Not all Americans have been equal, however, despite what the Declaration of Independence says. The words:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.
seem more like an ideal that actuality. Nothing reminds us more of how unequal men have been treated than the Navajos. They were driven from their lands and every attempt was made during mid-19th century to eradicate not only their culture but also their language.
The United States eventually came to depend on that language that they had tried so hard to stamp out. The Japanese were excellent code breakers. They could decode anything slung at them until a man named Philip Johnson, son of a protestant missionary, suggested that the Navajo language be used to encrypt military messages. Johnson had spend many years on the Navajo Reservation and this adaptation seemed like a natural to him. Many people have suggested that without the use of the Navajo Code Talkers, the War in the Pacific could have very easily have been lost. Fortunately, we will never know for certain.
The use of Navajo was kept classified for many years. It wasn’t until fairly recently that Americans were finally told about the unique contribution made to the WWII effort by these Navajo Code Talkers. The code was never broken.
The Navajo Code Talkers were finally honored. See them at a New York Veterans Day Parade Nov. 2009:
We should remember that most of these men were not United States citizens. According to Southwest Crossroads:
Although the United States government finally granted citizenship to Native Americans in 1924, the states of New Mexico and Arizona denied native people the right to vote until 1948. Nevertheless, during World War I (1917-1919) many Native Americans, including Navajos, enlisted to fight for their country. In 1941 when the United States entered World War II, more than 3,600 Navajo men enlisted. Some of them were too young, but they lied about their age so that they could fight.
There are just some things that don’t make me ‘proud to be an American.’ The treatment of the Navajo as well as other tribal people is one of those things. On the other hand, the Navajo Code Talkers just make me beam with pride!
To read more about the Code Talkers
To donate to preserve the history of the Navajo Code Talkers
Just got back from a week’s vacation in Arizona and Utah, and while on the Navajo Reservation I came across a rather interesting Code Talkers exhibit – in a Burger King, of all places (the owner’s father was one of the first Code Talkers). Had a quote from a former Japanese general who was in their Intelligence branch – when he was finally told how we had secured our communications, he thanked the briefer and said “that mystery has been driving me crazy for years” or words to that effect. Also of interest is that this was not the first time Native American languages had been used in military communications – during World War I some radio messages were sent in Cherokee (not 100 percent sure it was Cherokee, maybe someone else has more on that).
http://www.quantico.usmc.mil/sentry/StoryView.aspx?SID=1006
Thanks for putting this up Moon. It is so easy to forget these heros.
I love everything Navajo. I am green with envy of Don Richardson. My only criticizm is you didn’t allow yourself enough time. You probably agree. What a great find at Burger King. Was it over near Window Rock? I sure didn’t realize Cherokee had been used also.
I hope these old gentlemen have everything they need to live out their years in comfort. Povery on that reservation, like so many reservations is extreme. Many folks don’t even have electricity because it is too expensive to install the lines. I would love to adopt a vet and just send a little spending money each month.
George, thank YOU for reading it. In a way it the timing is out of sync but it also has everything to do with freedom and some of our themes we have been discussing.
Don, what was your favorite event or sight of the AZ/Utah trip?
Film Recommendation (Rick Jr. here)
In search of history: The Navajo Code Talkers
Its on nexflix in the instant view section.
One of my favorite movies was windtalkers with nicholas cage! Its amazing how we cherish our native american history now, but not so long ago, we did not even want them as full citizens.
Love that story Don, thanks for sharing!
I just took a look at some of the technical material on the Navajo language. Man, that is some complicated deal. Multiple intonations for different meanings. Almost no adjectives. Verbs and expression of feelings seem to be key. No wonder the Japanese were baffled.
Pretty ingenius wasn’t it. I didn’t realize that Navajo was a tonal language.
May The Great Spirit bless and protect our displaced indigenous.
The 14th amendment has been greatly discussed on this blog. 1965 or thereabouts was when it was passed, right after the Civil War. 59 years later, the American Indian received the birth citizenship right. How outrageous.
@Moon-howler
I think the issue is more complicated than the American Indian not receiving citizenship. Here is a webpage that describes the unique governmental situation of tribes. According to this page, members of federally recognized tribes were considered citizens before the 1924 law. Since tribal lands within states are not part of the state, I believe, they did not have the right to vote in state elections in some states.
http://www.narf.org/pubs/misc/faqs.html
I would agree with you. I probably should have said universal birth rights were not extended until 1924. Definitely there was a patchwork of situations involving Indian citizenship.
I don’t think the feds are sorted out yet when dealing with Indians. Look at the Black Hills situation, the oil money…the list goes on.
It seems that the Indian situation shifts around still and that as usual, they are used.
@Moon-howler
I definitely wished I had more time. Hard to pick a favorite site – we visited Sedona, Flagstaff, the Meteor Crater, Winslow (yes, I have a photo of me “Standing on the Corner in Winslow Arizona”), Canyon De Chelly (east side of Arizona and one of the Navajo’s holy places), Monument Valley (lots of John Wayne-type Westerns filmed there). The Burger King was actually in Kayenta, just south of Monument Valley. We also hit the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks, before heading back for one fun night in Vegas before we flew home. Unfortunately, sometimes “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” is because it wasn’t terribly interesting. Definitely a town more oriented toward the 20 and 30 something set. The whole trip was really amazing and the weather was absolutely perfect, but if I had to pick, Bryce Canyon was my favorite spot by a whisker.
@Don Richardson
I agree, how do you pick a favorite out of all that. You really covered a lot of territory for only being gone a week. I have a Winslow, AZ picture too. LOL Talk about dating ourselves. Is the building behind it still in ruins? When I was there a couple of years ago there had been a fire and because of the instability of the wall, the town had erected a large cyclone type fence around the Standing on the Corner guy.
I never made it to meteor crater but did go to Walnut Canyon National Monument. I also didn’t get to Monument Valley or Canyon De Chelly. Next trip. I have been to Zion twice, Bryce and Capital Reef which I loved. The ride over there on scenic route 12 is one of the most famous in the country.
I haven’t been to Arches or Canyonland either. Bryce is good. But I think I like Zion the very best. North Rim, I have only been to South Rim. Every time I tried to go to North Rim, I discovered the road in was closed. Sedona rules but a little goes a long way. Too touristy. I liked the Montezuma’s Castle also.
Agreed on Vegas but I do like a penny slot fix and the ambiance every so often.
I am very envious of your trip, not just for the spots I havent seen but also for the ones I have seen.
Oh I went to Painted Desert and …moan…that nirvana of all places…Gallup, NM.