"Picturebook People"

This, the June issue of ARIZONA HIGHWAYS, concerns itself from cover to cover with one of the most interesting subjects in all our west -the Navajo and his land. It is just a brief vignette, to be sure, because it would take volumes to present the Navajos, for volumes have been written about them and the subject is still untouched. They are not only the largest Indian tribe in the United States, but by far the most picturesque, and amid the green hills of America their harsh jagged land stands forth in all of its color and brilliance.

We are indebted to Chuck Abbott for our cover, a typical study of the Navajo. There was never created on earth a more perfect picture of rhythm and poetry than a Navajo on his horse. Cowboys are fine riders. A schooled officer, military fashion, is a figure of poise on a horse. But a Navajo whether man or woman-has a bearing and a dignity on a horse that cannot be equalled wherever horses are ridden.

Travel into the Navajo country and far away on a mesa there will be a spot of movement. It will be a Navajo pony and rider. As far away as you can see you can determine the Navajo for his grace and carriage, the way he holds the reins, the way he sits all have an indefinable touch that you will see in no one else.

To say that the Navajos were born in the saddle says nothing. Many people were born in the saddle, but the Navajo, of all people, seems as if he ought to have been born there. Too, a polo pony is something to see, or a race horse, or a good ranch horse, but a Navajo pony, generally small and rather weather-beaten looking, is the most beautiful of all horses, the perfect horse for the limitless country he roams about in and the perfect horse for the lithe, graceful person who rides him.

In these pages you will find one vivid Navajo personality, Henry Chee Dodge, the venerable and aged chairman of the tribal council, whose story is told to us by Richard Van Valkenburgh. We call Chee Dodge the "Chief of the Navajo Nation." He is not a chief in the old sense of the word, but in every sense of the word he is a worthy and outstanding man, and above all a great American. It was Chee Dodge, you will remember, who last winter on a visit to Luke Field inquired of the commanding officer the price of a fast pursuit ship performing in neat circles in the air above him, and when being told the price (something in six figures) said gravely that he would soon buy one (in bonds). Many snows have beat against Lukachukai, many hot summer winds have burnt the walls of Navajo Canyon since Chee Dodge first became an important figure in Navajoland. Today at 83, his importance has not lessened, nor has his judgment been dimmed by the years.

We offer you these pages, not with the aim in mind of urging you to travel to and through the land of the Navajos, because travel into their country is no easy task, hard on tires and demanding of gas. We do hope that you will make a notation in your travel book, and list Navajoland as a place to go after the war, because in all the west, there is no place like it. You might follow the trading post trail, as Esther Henderson describes such a journey for us in this issue, cover a lot of country and meet many interesting people. Or you might be venturesome and discover hidden places for yourself.

The roads have improved on the reservation, but we hope they won't improve too much. When a person once suggested to John Wetherill of Kayenta how fine it would be if a super-highway could be built from Cameron through Monument Valley, that distinguished pioneer trader looked shocked and said, in effect: "I hope not. The people we want in this country do not mind the poor roads. Let the others stay away." Once the spell of that country seizes you, you'll understand what John Wetherill meant. May the roads never be improved too much and may the country never be spoiled by the unfeeling traveler!

One time long ago a great artist wandered into Navajoland. In a letter to a friend he said: "The Navvies are picture-book people." They are truly the "picture-book people," and theirs is the picture-book land. And speaking of pictures, we would like to point out that the sketches for these pages were done especially for us by Maynard Dixon, who has the artist's eye and the artist's touch.

So until next month we'll leave you with our friends the Navajos, and we hope you'll find them both interesting and entertaining. So long until later and pages of happy reading... R. C.

JUNE, 1943

Arizona Highways

the friendly journal of life and travel in the old west Published monthly by the Arizona Highway Department in the interest of good roads and devoted to the story of our people and our land. All communications should be addressed to ARIZONA HIGHWAYS, Arizona Highway Department, Phoenix, Arizona. Subscription rates: One Dollar per year, Ten Cents per copy. Printed in the U. S. A. "Entered as second-class matter Nov. 5, 1941, at the post office at Phoenix, Arizona, under the Act of March 3, 1879."

A Journey through Navajoland