Chief Manuelito and the Navajo Nation: A Historical Overview

As Din4 people (Navajo people) our community is known as “The home Chief Manuelito’s Wife”. Chief Manuelito was a head Dine chief during the Long Walk period in 1864. In the year of 1868 Manuelito and other leaders signed a treaty act to end the period of imprisonment. Also, during this time the Navajo reservations were established. Tohatchi was one of the many communities that were established on the Navajo reservation. The Navajo reservation spreads across New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah. The Navajo Nation is known for being the largest tribe (Discovernavajo 2015). Tohatchi is located in McKinley County. In the late 1800’s the community of Tohtchi was established. Navajo elders of the community have once said Tohatchi (T0haa’ch’9) means “scratching out water from the dirt, when there is no water”. I believe that this has been done in the early years to get water by some people. At the beginning the Navajo Nation reservation was one big nation under the government. Between the years of 1950’s to 1960’s the Navajo reservation was dissected into twenty-three districts. Tohatchi was placed in district fourteen. The elders have said that there was a time when

There are also different sizes and colors of rocks. In some areas there are rolling hills that run very long. The ground is full of brown sand and different kinds of plants. Some areas have cactus and mostly tumble weeds. During the planting season you can see the crops growing people’s fields. The most common crops that are grown in Tohatchi are n11d33’ (corn) and squash. There was a lake located on the East side of Tohatchi that supplied people with fish. But, within the past three years, it dried up due to the lack of rainfall in the summer time. During the hunting season people will go up to the Chuska Mountains to hunt for deer and elk for their meat. There you will find streams, ponds, springs, ponderosa trees, and oak