Exhibit highlights legacy of Diné traders in Indian Country
Researchers’ unusual find initiates unforeseen 20-year project

Harris Francis and Klara Kelley pause from setting up the new exhibit, Legacy of the Dine' Traders, Thursday at the gallery inside the Navajo Nation Museum in Window Rock, Ariz. The project, which opened to the public Thursday night, is the result of more than 20 years of research and study into the history of Native American traders and trading posts. [Photo by Jeff Jones/Independent]

By Natasha Kaye Johnson
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — When the words “trading post” and “trader” are uttered, people often envision the bilagaana traders who businesses have flourished in the nearby border towns of the Navajo Nation.

But seldom do people envision Navajo traders, nor do they hear the expression of “Navajo traders.”

“You hear a lot about bilagaana traders,” historian Harris Francis said. “But you don’t read or hear anything about Navajo traders.”

It has been a widely accepted misconception traders on the Navajo Nation have been primarily bilagaana (Anglo), or naakai (Hispanic).

When historians Klara Kelley and Harris Francis began their ethnographic field work on the Diné and Diné traders in the 1980s, they stumbled across what would initiate an unforeseen 20-year project. As they conducted interviews with elders on a regular basis for research projects related to preserving the land and religious protection, they began hearing reoccurring stories about different Diné traders. Even as historians, learning about the vast number of traders was astounding.

“It was very surprising,” Francis said.

Francis learned as a young child his late grandfather, Jack Nez of Teesto Star Mountain was a Diné trader, who learned the business from John Hubble. But he never knew there were Diné traders who were spread across the Navajo Nation.

The two began documenting the history over the years and have turned their research into an exhibit titled “Legacy of the Diné Traders — Before the 1950s.” The exhibit opened Thursday evening at the Navajo Nation Museum in Window Rock, and it highlights Navajos who owned and managed trading posts before 1950.

But documenting the history of Diné traders was no easy task. The two learned the reason Diné traders were unheard of was because of there was such little documentation of these traders. Kelly said historical researchers tended to be from outside Navajoland, and were unable to speak the language, so they gravitated to non-Diné traders.

“The scholars, their comfort zone was talking more to bilagaanas,” Kelley said.

The stories of bilagaana traders became widely recorded, with very little written or even mentioned about Diné traders.

“Another reason why is because, historically, Diné traders weren’t required to have a license,” Kelley said.
For their research, Kelley said they relied heavily on oral tradition.

“A lot of these Diné traders were leaders, headman, and judges,” Francis said. “They had the financial means to start a trading business.”

Francis said they don’t yet know who the first established Diné trader was, but said one of the first was traders was Chee Dodge.

“I’m not sure if people really know he was in the trading business,” Francis said.

A brief history of trading posts
Before the Diné were forced on the Long Walk to Hweeldi in 1864, they traded among themselves and with neighboring tribes for centuries. Most of the goods traded included fruits, vegetables, fire wood, livestock, hand woven blankets, and other necessities.

The first trading posts in Navajoland were built in the 1850s at the U.S. Army posts of Fort Defiance and Fort Fauntleroy, which is now Fort Wingate, and served primarily Army patrons. It wouldn’t be until after 1881, when the railroad was built across Navajoland, trading posts would thrive.

Trading posts were built in border towns surrounding the reservation in Gallup, Flagstaff, Ariz., Farmington, Winslow, Ariz., Holbrook, Ariz., and Cortez, Colo. Eventually, the posts took over the heavy trade which had first existed among Navajos and neighboring tribes.

Many Navajo people began working inside the trading post system as freighters, tourist guides, herders, domestic workers, construction and maintenance workers, clerks and warehouse workers. Many of these same workers would eventually open their own trading business.

“They learned the business from traders and learned that there was a need for this,” Francis said.

Francis said as far as the 1880s, the Diné were trading from their wagons, and were trading from their hogans. Many traded out of their hogans, and even in tents, before building a small separate structure to house their tradable goods.

A different mentality
Unlike Bilagaana traders, whose livelihood was built on their business of trading goods, Francis said many Diné traders didn’t turn a profit. Because k'e was held in high regard, many Diné traders helped their family and clan relatives with items when they were in need.

“People helped each other all the time back then,” Francis said. “You didn’t turn away someone who asked for your help.”

Because of this, many traders were unable to keep their business for long.

Francis and Kelley believe bringing out the stories of Diné traders for the Diné people is important.

“The exhibit is to call attention to a neglected history,” Kelley said.

Of the 400 trading posts spread across the Navajo Nation, Kelley said they have learned there have been over 102 Navajo owners or managers of trading posts, with 70 of them in those positions before 1950.

The completion of the project remains indefinite, and interviews still need to be conducted on the eastern region of the Nation.

“There are so many Diné traders who have not been identified yet,” Francis said . “We’re at the tip of the iceberg.”

Francis hopes the story of Diné traders will inspire the youth, and instill ambition and pride when learning the history of their ancestors.

“Our elders did have a head for business to make a life in that field,” Francis said. “You can be whatever you want to be if apply yourself and work at it.”

If you know of a Diné trader who could be added to the exhibit, please call Harris Francis at (928) 871-4482, or Klara Kelley at (505) 371-5306.

Friday
August 24, 2007
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