A navajo indiánokról (EN)

The Navajo's

Among the 14 Indian tribes of Arizona, the Navajo tribe is the largest. In  fact, the Navajo tribe is the largest in the United States, with some 200,000  people occupying the largest land area reserved for Native Americans - 17  million acres in Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico. The tribe has its own  government which works in close relationship with the U.S. government. The  Native Americans were once considered "The Vanishing Americans"  but their numbers are now rising, even though they face an identity crisis in their  own land.

For economic survival, hundreds of Navajos have left the reservation and  have gone to Flagstaff and other southwestern cities for employment. However,  large numbers remain on the land, seeking to support themselves with their  livestock and arts of rug weaving and silversmithing.

Historically, the Navajos never asked the U.S. government for aid, but were  allotted land and livestock which they might keep for their sustenance. So they  are noted for their sheep herding, doing so in a high desert plateau region where  pasture and water are scarce. From the sheep wool, they produce their world  renown rugs.

Silversmithing has also become an important means of livelihood. The silver  is purchased in large sheets, cut up, and melted to produce their beautiful  jewelry inlaid with coral, turquoise, and mother of pearl. All this jewelry was  originally hand crafted but lately, machine made jewelry has become common off  the reservation. In recent years the price of Navajo arts and crafts has  skyrocketed, partly due to the shortage of turquoise, silver, and individuals able  to make them.

The Navajo people are proud of their integrity, industry, native talent, and  ingenuity. They make excellent artists and craftsmen. When the native soldiers  came back from World War II, the curse of alcohol set back many of them but  even this curse is being slowly overcome.

FMN has rejoiced to see the fruit of its labor among the Navajos. Many  Navajo Christians have become faithful servants of the Lord, filled with zeal to  reach their own people with the Gospel and to toil and sacrifice in the  "harvest field" for Christ. With its headquarters located in Flagstaff,  AZ, FMN has planted and established eight Navajo churches in the western and  central portions of the vast 25,000 square mile Navajo Reservation. Each of  these eight churches is shepherded by Navajo pastors and leaders.