Feral Navajo Horses Are More Sacred than the Land they Overgraze
NAVAJO NATION- Overgrazing is continuing to be a growing issue on the Navajo Nation. The environmental issue has prompted to Navajo government to issue wild horse hunting to reduce the impact on the land but some Navajo people protested the permits.
“Their horses sacred and they more sacred than the land they overgraze”, said Whitney Smith a white leader of the non-profit, Save the Horses. “I do not know much about the Dine philosophy and the significance of horses but I think my opinion counts” she said confidently. “We believe that they need to be protected”.
Many Navajos say that she never shows up to other protests that relate to Navajo issues like fracking, limits on sovereignty, and other issues that threaten Navajo lives.
She has become the voice of the many Navajo protesters. Tlo’chi’iin spoke to her Navajo supporters about the horse issue.
“She is right, our horses are sacred” one Navajo man said. “We have no right to issue hunting permits to people who will use the meat in an ethical way”. “Our land is important but horses are so pretty and sacred”.
it is estimated that there are sixty to seven-five thousand feral horses in the Navajo Nation, 40% of the human population. We spoke to another protester about his thoughts and the current global climate issues.
“Drought will help the reduce the horse population” he said. “Drought and overgrazing were the solutions to the horse population”.”Our land is sacred and it looks after us”.
“We must look after the land and it will take care of us but the horses come first”.
The horse hunt was put on hold due to the protesters.
Screw hunting them. The Navajo gov should just allow people to catch them. Horses are sacred but the land is just as sacred. It's up to us to take care of both of them. We shouldn't allow the horses to die of starvation and thirst and we should not allow the over grazing of the land. Round them up and sell them. Feral horse overpopulation is our fault. We need to take responsibility, not just let the problem keep growing. I mean we could round them up and set up a tip program. This way the horses get a chance at finding good homes and people can make a bit of extra money to get by in this hard and unforgiving place. We should also be thinking about the welfare of the other wild animals fighting for the same resources the horses are, they need to be put into consideration as well. All this is our fault and we need to do right by the people, horses, wild animals, and the land. If past beliefs are no longer benefiting us then we need to leave them in the past and find a new way.
