Diné, The People

The People of Dinétah

Stretching north from the Dinnebito Trading Post, across Big Mountain and up to Black Mesa, is a road I have traveled many times, searching, listening, and waiting. This is the heart of the Navajo reservation, remote, sprawling across almost 25,000 square miles of land that has been the traditional home of countless generations of an ancient people. And it was the people that I had come to photograph for my book Navajo: Portrait of a Nation. But at times, the mere mention that I was a photographer prompted my removal from the premises. To overcome this barrier, I had to take “No!” as “Maybe” and “Maybe” as “Probably, but not today.” In time, though, I began finding willing subjects, like Slim Biakeddy near Big Mountain, or artists like sculptor Oreland Joe of Shiprock. I became adept at recruiting and found subjects at rodeos, trading posts, fairgrounds, political meetings, and tent revivals throughout this timeless land. From this portfolio’s conception, I sought to portray the pride and dignity of the Navajo people, to show them as they truly are.

The People of Dinétah

BODAWAY NEAR PILLOW HILL Dorothy Reed, left, her sister-in-law, Jeanette Lewis, and Lutie Wilson

The People of Dinétah

The People of Dinétah