Welcome to the Fort Defiance Chapter
District #18 Project Newsletter
This newsletter will cover chapter project updates from Sawmill, Fort Defiance, Red lake #18, and Crystal. The PDF attached below will also cover past/future legislation for delegate Wilson Stewart Jr.
link to PDF: 24th Navajo Nation Council Newsletter
Business Hours
Monday-Friday: 8am-12pm and 1pm- 5pm
The Chapter is closed on federal and tribal holidays
College Scholarship Information
Fort Defiance Chapter House Scholarship is now available for both Fall 2021 and Spring 2022. Fall semester deadline is July 31st and Spring semester deadline is December 31st. The application has more information on what is required and can be obtained from the chapter house or online by clicking this link: http://ftdefiance.navajochapters.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/91/2021/01/Scholarship-Application-1.pdf
Important Information: FAFSA required, Verification of Chapter Voter Registration – Must be a registered voter for six months before applying. If accepted for the scholarship, a family member or yourself will have to attend both the planning and regular chapter meetings.
Covid-19 Information
Covid-19 is still actively affecting the community, the Chapter House deeply encourages everyone to still practice social distancing, wearing masks in public, sanitizing hands and surfaces often. This is for the overall safety of the community as we all do our part in keeping Covid-19 cases low in our Navajo communities . Lastly Covid-19 vaccines are now available at the Tsehoostooi Medical Center for ages 12 years and older. Contact the medical center at (928) 729-8000 for information on the vaccine and dates available.
Important to note: You can still contract and transmit the virus after vaccination. Vaccine lessens the severity of Covid-19 symptoms. For more information use the highlighted link below.
Link to TMC PDF
Link to Navajo Nation Covid-19 page: https://www.ndoh.navajo-nsn.gov/COVID-19
Link to the CDC Covid-19 page: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
history of the Fort defiance region
The Fort Defiance area was established on September 18, 1851 by Colonel Edwin V. Sumner to monitor and control Navajo Land.1 After the establishment of the fort, the local Navajos were not allowed to use the surrounding land for their crops or livestock grazing. The 1860 Navajo raid on the fort was unsuccessful, and during the Civil War in 1861, the US Army abandoned the fort area to be positioned in modern day Fort Wingate.1 After the US government not seeing any progress on Navajo containment in 1863, Col. Kit Carson was assigned to subjugate the surrounding Navajos.1 In Carson’s efforts, he established Fort Canby as a base camp to execute his campaign of utilizing the American scorched-earth tactic to conquer the Navajos.1 The campaign forcefully removed some 8,000 Navajo men, women, children and elderly to relocate to Bosque Redondo near Fort Sumner, NM.3 Hundreds had died on the journey, and more so when the new encampment was unsuitable for growing crops or sustaining livestock.3 After four long difficult years, a treaty was signed to allow the Navajos to return back to their homeland in a designated land space, now known as a reservation.1 After the Navajos return, the US government established Fort Defiance as the first Navajo Indian Agency.1
Notes
1 Barnes, Will C. “Arizona Place Names : 1858–1936.” Internet Archive, Tucson, University of Arizona Press, 1960, archive.org/details/arizonaplacename00barn/page/10/mode/2up. Accessed 23 June 2021
2 Donovan, Bill. “50 Years Ago: Ft. Defiance Played a Role in Diné History.” Navajo Times, 26 Aug. 2018, navajotimes.com/50years/50-years-ago-ft-defiance-played-a-role-in-dine-history. Accessed 23 June 2021.
3 Weiser, Kathy. “Fort Defiance, Arizona – Watching the Navajo – Legends of America.” Legends of America, www.legendsofamerica.com/az-fortdefiance. Accessed 23 June 2021.