A Navajo Elder Remembered

This week’s Sprouts is a rebroadcast of a Sprouts show that remembers the life of Leonard Benally, Dine or Navajo elder from Big Mountain, Arizona.

Benally lived and died on his aboriginal home land near Black Mesa on Big Mountain, Arizona, in resistance to the governments repeated attempts to displace him and his people from Big Mountain-a coal rich region, highly desired by mining interests like Peabody Coal. Leonard Benally passed away on in 2013.

Leonard devoted his life to speaking out against the human rights violations of his people-he travelled the world, speaking to the United Nations and to the media about the Bureau of India Affairs and even the elected tribal governments attempts to take away his home and harass those refusing to leave their land.

Credits:

Produced by Christina Aanestad.


Share This Episode