5143 - An oral history with Seth Bigman, 1975 August 7

File

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

The contents of the Samuel Moon Monument Valley Oral History Collection consist of oral histories, transcripts, and records documenting the history of Monument Valley and Four Corners area. The oral histories are from those who lived in this area between the 1900s-1970s and pertain to Goulding’s trading post (one of the most well-known trading posts of the 20th century)and its owner/operator Harry Goulding, the Navajo tribe, sheep ranching, local tourism, uranium mining, and the western movies made in the valley.

Dates

1975 August 7

Extent

2 Cassettes

1 Files (Verbatim (48 pages) and edited (29 pages) transcripts)

4 digital objects (Abstract and digitized copies of cassette recordings)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

In the interview, Bigman talks about his schooling and being the only member of his family to finish high school; recounts his experiences and travels with the Navy during World War II; speaks about his work after the war: first for Harry Goulding, then for the National Park Service at the Navajo National Monument; discusses Navajo superstitions about the dead and how his experiences in the was took away his fear of the dead; talks about the tourists who come to Navajo National Monument and Monument Valley; explains why he doesn’t think the Tribal Park in Monument Valley should become a National Park; describes his agricultural engineering training; talks about prospecting for uranium, owning a mine, and the uranium mining and the Navajo people; describes his current job and work as Community Health Representative for the Navajo Tribe; speaks about the movies made in the area and misrepresentation of Navajo rituals/customs; and addresses The Long Walk and Fort Sumner, and the loss of Navajo land.