5172 - An oral history with Mercy Whiskers, 1975 July 11

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 July 11

Language Note

The interviewee speaks Navajo throughout the interview, with an interpreter translating into English for the interviewer. The transcripts are in English.

Extent

2 Cassettes

1 Reels

1 Files (Verbatim (7 pages, incomplete) transcript)

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

Additional Description

Abstract

In the interview, Whiskers talks about her grandparents’ tribe (Paiute) moving into the area from north of the San Juan River and how they survived when they reached the Navajo Mountain area; discusses the discovery of Rainbow Bridge by a Navajo and a white man; tells the legend of the Squaw Dance; recounts her childhood in Navajo Mountain; talks about conflicts with white soldiers; and speaks extensively about the Hopi, Paiute, and Navajo tribes in the area and their conflicts and exchanges and intermarriage between tribes.