In a 1,500-square-mile territory in northeastern Arizona, traditional Navajo families who have lived and raised sheep there for generations are now considered by the US government to be trespassing on Hopi land. The relocation law is believed to stem from pressure from the Peabody Western Coal Company, which wants to mine low-sulfur coal from land where these communities are located. This book presents transcripts of interviews with four Diň women elders of the region, based on 25 hours of filmed personal testimony of women at the heart of the movement to resist relocation in the mid 1990s. The women offer their perspectives on social, environmental, and political issues as well as the spiritual beliefs that inform every aspect of their traditional way of life. The transcripts are presented in written Diň and English. The book includes essays by editor Benally and Diň historian Jennifer Nez Denetdale. An epilogue reviews advocacy and legal developments since the mid-1990s, and an appendix reviews the Navajo religion and way of life. The book is illustrated with high-quality b&w photos. Annotation 2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
