Voices From Black Mesa

Launched in January 2021, Voices From Black Mesa features six to seven distinct narratives from each Navajo chapter community on Black Mesa (Dził Yíjiin). This media project was created to showcase the stories, resiliency, and beauty of Black Mesa by providing our audience with an inside look at the places, the people, and life in Black Mesa. These narratives originate from the following Navajo chapter communities:

  • Piñon (Bitxa' Dah Yisk'id/Beʼekʼid Baa Ahoodzání)
  • Whipporrwill (Hooshdódii Tó)
  • Low Mountain (Jeeh Deez' á)
  • Blue Gap (Táchii'/Bis Dootlí'ízhí Nídeeshgiizh)
  • Hardrock (Tsé Dildǫ́’ii)
  • Forest Lake (Tsiiyi' Be'ak'id)
  • Black Mesa (Kits'iilí)

For more information on Voices From Black Mesa, contact our media organizer at adrian@tonizhoniani.org

2021 Voices From Black Mesa

Lorraine Herder, Chíshí Dine’é, is from the community of Hardrock located on Black Mesa in northeastern Arizona...

Lorraine Herder, 67, is Chíshí Dine’é from the community of Hardrock located on Black Mesa in northeastern Arizona. Lorraine is our first Voices From Black Mesa narrative we are showcasing. We caught up with Lorraine after Black Mesa was hit with its first big snowfall this winter measuring out to seven inches in her area. Lorraine wanted to acknowledge the importance of this snowfall on Black Mesa and how it would bring blessings to the land, as stated in her quotes in slides 2 and 4.

Pastoralists (na’niłkaadii) like Lorraine rely heavily on this moisture type to bring abundant plant growth to the land. “This moisture not only benefits us, but most importantly the animal and plant life on Black Mesa,” she said. Lorraine raises Navajo-churro sheep and is one of the very few Diné weavers left that uses her sheep's natural colors and local plant dyes in her weavings.

Lorraine has experienced many changes during her lifetime, and a change in the weather patterns is one of them. When Lorraine was a little girl, she remembered how deep the snow would get and how long it would rain. But today, she is lucky enough to experience a snowfall like this.

Along with the unusual rain and snowfall, Lorraine has seen the disappearance of the seeps and springs her family would rely on for their water. She remembers exactly where these seeps and springs were located and how to get there. She is one of the countless residents on Black Mesa that noticed the disappearance of these surface water sources since the industry began its operations on Black Mesa in the late 1960s. Lorraine and many others in the region must rely on the local chapter house (community town hall) for their water with the disappearance of these water sources. For the time being, this snowfall and melt help alleviate the stress of having to worry about their water constantly.

It’s with the stories and experiences like Lorraine’s that we’ve made it our mission as an organization to protect the Diné people and our vulnerable water resources on BlackMesa. To hear a part of Lorraine’s story, check out the documentary Weaving Worlds directed by Bennie Klain on YouTube. Also, the article was written by Sonia Narang with Public Radio International.

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DiAndre Francis, Ta’neezahnii, is from Hooshdódii Tó, located on Black Mesa in northeastern Arizona...

DiAndre Francis, 23, is Ta’neeszahnii from Hooshdódii Tó, located on Black Mesa in northeastern Arizona. DiAndre is a recent graduate of Indiana State University, where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health. Currently, DiAndre is working at the Piñon Health Center as a biostatician with the COVID-19 task force. DiAndre’s inherent need to help his community encouraged him to pursue a degree in Public Health.

While studying other minority groups' issues, DiAndre looked to his own community on the Navajo Nation. To his surprise, DiAndre found numerous similarities. The issue of climate change and industry impact on indigenous communities was an eye-opener for DiAndre. He was unaware that his community was also dealing with the impacts of climate change and industry.

Other than the physical reminders of rising dunes in his backyard, DiAndre’s first real-world experience occurred when the local watering point in his chapter community ran low. DiAndre can recall how plentiful the local potable watering point used to be in his younger years, even during the summer months. He mentioned that people in the community would line up to get water, and plenty could go around. Now, his family, like many others in the area, must be mindful of future water shortages and prepare accordingly.

With those firsthand experiences and troubling reminders of an ever-changing climate, DiAndre looked to ways to address these issues by first starting with his household. Currently, DiAndre is researching ways to address desertification and water scarcity in his remote community. He has started composting and hopes to produce a plentiful crop yield this year. DiAndre is a huge fan of biodiversity and plans to reintroduce native plants and trees that once were dominant in the region with his composting.

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Mary Ann Sherlock, Tódích’íi’nii, is from Tsiiyi’ Be’ek’id, Arizona. Before coal mining, Tsiiyi’ Be’ek’id was known for its abundance of seeps...

Mary Ann Sherlock, 84, is Tódích’íi’nii from Tsiiyi’ Be’ek’id, Arizona. Before coal mining, Tsiiyi’ Be’ek’id was known for its abundance of seeps and springs located within this wooded region from which its name was derived. Today, this area is more commonly referred to as the site of the Kayenta Mine. Mary Ann currently resides in Chilchinbito, where her husband is from. Before moving in the 1960s, Mary Ann recalls what life was like growing up in Tsiiyi’ Be’ek’id.

Like many during this time, her livelihood consisted of moving with their livestock with the changing seasons, foraging, & ceremonies. Mary Ann recalls how they used to herd sheep throughout the area, thanks to the abundance of seeps and springs. “Life back then was plentiful and beautiful,” says Mary Ann. Unfortunately, that all changed with the arrival of Peabody Energy to the Tsiiyi’ Be’ek’id region.

In the 1960s, Mary Ann saw how her homelands dramatically changed before her eyes. What was once an area abundant in medicinal plants, wild foods, water, and an astounding landscape adorned with Pinon trees was replaced with open coal pits, the constant smell of sulfur and coal ash. The days became an endless noise of blasting sirens. This devastating impact on the land and water is what Mary Ann’s mother foresaw and  vehemently opposed. As representatives from Peabody approached her and other families to inform them of the need to move to make way for coal mining, they reluctantly agreed to take up Peabody’s request to relocate.

Mary Ann was promised a new home once she agreed to relocate, but that never happened. In 2000, Mary Ann noticed 2nd and 3rd generation kids of her siblings receive new homes from Peabody, but nothing came her way. She approached the Peabody mine offices requesting a home as promised, only to be turned away.

At her age, she feels as if that day of being compensated will never come. Mary Ann’s experiences are just one of many where Peabody destroyed people’s livelihood on Black Mesa and walked away. To learn more about Mary Ann & her story, you can contact Terlyn Sherlock at sherlock.teri@frontier.com.

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Olin Begay, Tsénjíkiní, is from Tsé Ch’il Yaató, located within the Low Mountain chapter community on Black Mesa...

Olin Begay, 27, is Tsénjíkiní from Tsé Ch’il Yaató, located within the Low Mountain chapter community on Black Mesa. Olin is a student at Northern Arizona University, majoring in Environmental Sustainability. Before NAU, Olin’s western environmental academia journey began at Diné College, where he connected the issues happening in his home community to the overarching climate crisis.

Like many communities on the Navajo Nation, Olin's community has been struggling with water and vegetation availability for their livestock. Already grappling with industry impact on their  original water sources (Navajo Aquifer), ranchers like Olin's family struggle even more from the changing climate.

By this time of the year, stock ponds would normally be filled, and vegetation would flourish because of the heavy winter snow and summer monsoons. As the climate continues to change, these blissful occurrences have become distant memories.

As a result, it has had a huge impact on livestock and wildlife alike. One example are feral horses. These animals are constantly on the move in search of water. Unfortunately, some become so desperate they damage existing water storage infrastructures to access the water below or venture to nearby homesteads and disturb domestic animal watering points.

With the lack of vegetation and scarcity of water, Olin is pushing for protection and conservation of what little water is left in this area. This initiative is nothing new for Olin's family but rather a continuation of his great paternal grandfather’s legacy in his community.

Hastiin Tsé Ch’il (Oaktree Man) was a prominent figure in the community for his stewardship of the spring located at Tsé Ch’il Yaató, from which his name was derived. Tsé Ch’il Yaató refers to the abundance of oak trees located near a spring in the area. Hastiin Tsé Ch’il dedicated his life to the development and maintenance of the local spring and even made his home near it.

Olin and his family hope to continue the legacy of Hastiin Tsé Ch’il by protecting and conserving the natural spring in their area to ensure the community's water future. Olin’s current project is to build the soil back up, eroded by livestock traffic, to prevent the spring holdings from collapsing. Ahéhee' Olin, for allowing us to share a small part of your water story.

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Noel Adrian, Dził T'aaí, is from Ch'il Hooshahii, located within the Piñon Chapter community on Black Mesa...

Noel Adrian, 27, is Dził T'aaí from Ch'il Hooshahii, located within the Piñon Chapter community on Black Mesa. Noel is a Care Coordinator with @azfol, and she is currently continuing her education at Diné College and plans to major in Pharmaceutical Science in the future.

Outside of her current occupation and academics, Noel and her immediate family are working to preserve their way of life on Black Mesa. Ch'il Hooshahii, also known as Thorn Valley, is nestled in one of the many remote valleys adjacent to Wepo Wash. Thorn Valley feeds directly into the tributary that runs south through the community of Piñon (Slide 2).

Noel and her immediate family are currently working on trying to restore their family's grazing permit. Unfortunately, their pursuit of re-acquiring their permit has become more challenging as they are losing small amounts of their land and road every year due to erosion (Slide 5).

This past summer, the Black Mesa region experienced an unusual torrential rainfall that arrived at the end of the summer season. This late arrival caught residents off guard and wreaked havoc on unpaved roads, water catchment dams, homes, and grazing lands. Therefore, Noel and her family have taken it upon themselves to downsize their herd to meet the holding capacity in their area. This past summer's water restrictions and the unpredictability of precipitation to the region forced these changes

Along with downsizing, Noel's family worked with the Piñon Chapter and the Little Colorado River Watershed Chapters Association in the past to create several gabion dams in their area and restored a large earthen dam that holds water for their livestock and wildlife (Slide 6). Noel and her family are grateful for the large dam since the valley's windmills, seeps, and springs fed by the Navajo-Sandstone Aquifer no longer produce the water they relied on for their livestock and wildlife.

Although Noel and her family's efforts are not the primary solutions to the erosion and water issues in their area, it's a start that all ranchers should consider. Ahéhee' Noel, for allowing us to share a small fraction of your story from Thorn Valley.

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2022 Voices From Black Mesa

Earl Tulley, Ta’neeszahnii, is from Tó Áden Dah’aztą́h, located within the Blue Gap/Táchii’ Chapter community on Black Mesa...

Earl Tulley, Ta’neeszahnii, is from Tó Áden Dah’aztą́h, located within the Blue Gap/Táchii’ Chapter community. Earl resides in Tółigai, New Mexico, where his family lives amongst the Tódích’íi’nii Clan. Earl has held numerous positions over the years, but he will never forget the advocacy work he has done in his community.

Growing up in rural Black Mesa, Earl recalls his earliest memories of having to translate and communicate with the local trading post on behalf of his family. Earl believes these early experiences created the foundation for the advocacy he would later do in his community. Earl’s recollection of uranium mining in Blue Gap/Táchii’ is told by his family and other uranium-impacted community members such as Helen Nez.

During the 1950s and 60s, Blue Gap/Táchii’ witnessed the comings and goings of uranium mining in their small community. Initially, the people of Blue Gap/Táchii’ were not properly informed of the uranium mining operation until they saw large trucks driving through their community one day. These large trucks carried uranium ore from Táchii’ through Blue Gap toward Hopi, eventually ending in Tuba City, Arizona.

As mining progressed, the mining company hired more local community members to extract the uranium ore and paid them in mining supplies, and minerals found onsite. Unaware of uranium’s deadly effects, the trade-off of goods and services led to the cross-contamination of miners and their families. Due to constant uranium exposure, families had developed cancers and other deformities that impacted their reproductive functions, to name a few.

Years later, Earl and other community members began to speak out about the harmful impacts of uranium mining. Yet, when interviewing their elders, they were often told: “T’áadoo baa yániłti’í” (Don’t talk about it) or “Nihi doo baa *yéilti’ da” (We don’t talk about it).

Traditionally, these discussions were considered taboo due to uranium's devastating impacts on the community. However, as time progressed, these stories/experiences were eventually shared, which have brought communities such as Blue Gap/Táchii’ the needed attention for remediation and reclamation.

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Lawrence Gilmore, Tł’ízíłání, is from Bitxa’ Dah Yisk’id, located on Black Mesa in northeastern Arizona...

Lawrence Gilmore, Tł’ízíłání, is from Bitxa’ Dah Yisk’id (aka Piñon), located on Black Mesa in northeastern Arizona. Lawrence is a retired coal miner of 37 years from the Kayenta Mine. As a descendant of those that helped establish Piñon, he has a wealth of knowledge about the area's history.

Lawrence began work at 17 to provide money for his mother and maternal grandparents. Hitchhiking to Wyoming was his first access to work away from home. Peabody Coal swiftly began operations on Black Mesa, which allowed him to work closer to family without the burden of travel.

Although work brought several benefits, it was not without its downsides. Lawrence became vocal about the health and safety issues and concerns he and other miners encountered at the mine site. This prompted Lawrence to be an official of the Miner’s Union.

In a meeting with Tó Nizhóní Ání, he learned about water quality impacts. This presentation led to a resolution: the Black Mesa Mine should not use the N-Aquifer for coal slurry. This was a tipping point for Lawrence’s work. This resolution was met with opposition, perceived as a threat to mining livelihoods. He simply advocated for using another water source, like the C-Aquifer, for coal slurry and not total closure. In the end, Lawrence was eventually let go due to policy violations and declining health due to working at the mine.

Lawrence experienced an epiphany: “There’s life after the mine,” he says, “Let’s not blame each other. It’s in the past; let’s move on.” Blame was traded between miners and environmental groups over responsibility for mine closure. This has propelled him to be an advocate for life after the mine.

The Manygoats Clan (Tł’ízíłání) has deep roots in the region of Piñon. The Beck family of Tł’ízíłání gave up ancestral lands for the town's development, from the NHA to the Piñon Health Center. Lawrence’s grandparents were all part of the groundbreaking ceremonies. He hopes that younger generations learn the history of our communities, and he encourages them to ask questions.

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2023 Voices From Black Mesa

Herb Yazzie, Tábąąhá, is from an area called Tł’ó Yaagai (White Grass), located in what is now part of the more than 60,000 acres of the Peabody Coal Lease area on Black Mesa...

Herb Yazzie, Tábąąhá, is from an area called Tł’ó Yaagai (White Grass), located in what is now part of the more than 60,000 acres of the Peabody Coal Lease area on Black Mesa. Originally from Dennehotso, Herb moved up to Black Mesa when he married and has been there ever since. Herb’s perspective is shaped by his upbringing in Dennehotso and his continued livelihood on Black Mesa.

Herb spent nearly 30 years working in the Navajo Nation Justice System, representing Navajo individuals in State, Federal, Navajo, and surrounding Tribal courts. Eventually, Herb was promoted to the Navajo Nation’s Judicial System as a Chief Justice and served for nearly ten years. During his time with the Navajo Nation Justice System, Herb had seen the inconsistencies and inadequacies of our tribal government and has wondered why we continue to rely on a government that has treated us this way for so long.

Since Herb’s retirement, he has had more time to talk and reflect on the concerns and issues his neighbors on Black Mesa have regarding the coal operation in the area. In 2019, the last load of coal was sent to the Navajo Generating Station, ending Peabody Western Coal operations on Black Mesa. With the end to coal mining, the company is now focused on reclamation only. But the problems continue. Since retiring as Chief Justice, Herb has turned to advocacy for his community, amplifying their long-ignored demands for an adequate reclamation process involving local community input.

Before coal mining, Herb recalls the abundance of water sources in the area. From windmills to seeps and springs, locals did not have to travel far for water. Today, it’s a different story. The discussion of water reclamation to the mined areas and all of Black Mesa has yet to be addressed by Federal Agencies, namely the Office of Surface Mining (OSM), the Department of Interior (DOI), and the Navajo Nation.

Just as Peabody Western Coal Company prepares to exit from Black Mesa, Herb has found history repeating itself with yet another energy project that will impact the region’s land, people, and, crucially, the waters of the deep aquifers. The proposed Black Mesa Pumped Storage Project is expected to use three times the water that coal mining used on Black Mesa. Herb fears that this project will not only further impact our water accessibility but it will destroy what little untouched lands remain for wildlife that have already been forced to move to the northern edge of the plateau after being displaced by coal mining.

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