New Mexcio Governor extends lockdown of Gallup through Thursday, May 7

Navajo President Jonathan Nez led delivery of food and water to areas near Gallup, N.M. today, Monday, but many chapters are still in need of help, with roads closed to Gallup for supplies. More than 800 families on the Navajo Nation near Gallup were provided with supplies today at Manuelito, Chilchiltah, Tsayatoh, Red Rock, and Bááháálí, formerly Bread Springs, N.M.

The New Mexico Governor extended the lockdown of Gallup through Thursday, May 7, under the Riot Control Act

Grassroots aid organizations said on Sunday night that they are struggling to reach 500 families in Gallup and McKinley County, which said they need food and water. 

Volunteers are currently seeking permission to deliver vital supplies to the most vulnerable during the lockdown. -- Censored News

Below: Gallup/McKinley County: 89 new cases of coronavirus in the past 24 hours reported during the lockdown. May 4.

New Mexico data
 

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Below IHS service agencies coronavirus cases May 4, 2020

Nationwide, the Indian Health Service shows increases in coronavirus cases throughout Indian country

McKinley County now has 1,233 coronavirus cases, and 21 deaths, as Gallup emergency order extended

Press statement of New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham

Censored News

May 4, 2020 | Press Releases

SANTA FE – An emergency declaration requested by the mayor of Gallup and authorized by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has been extended through noon, Thursday, May 7, per the mayor’s request. The action is intended to continue the aggressive physical distancing in the community and thus mitigate transmission of COVID-19.

In response to an emergency request from Gallup Mayor Louis Bonaguidi, the governor at 12 p.m. on Friday, May 1, invoked the state’s Riot Control Act, authorizing her to enact further temporary restrictions to mitigate the uninhibited spread of COVID-19 in that city.

An emergency declaration made under the act is in effect until noon the third day after it becomes effective.
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Traditional O'odham Relief by O'odham Voice Against the Wall

The drive to the south by Ofelia Rivas. 

Some of the food, greens, frozen chicken, eggs and canned goods.

"Because of an illegal gate, we had to walk the donations across." -- Ofelia Rivas

"We also brought a rooster and two chicks to a family." -- Ofelia Rivas

O'odham land to the south, O'odham land in what is called Sonora, Mexico.

Photo by Ofelia Rivas, O'odham

Article and photos by Ofelia Rivas, Tohono O'odham

Special to Censored News

French translation by Christine Prat

To begin this story is somewhat difficult, we are not facebook warriors. We are just following the ways of our ancestors,  we help any person and we share what we have. The political International boundary does not stop our efforts.

The decades of neglect of O'odham communities on the southern side of this border is shameful. The O'odham as a whole has lost tremendous vast lands of cultural significance, very vital in the lives of all O'odham.

Generations of young O'odham have never set foot on the shores of the sea or climbed the mountains to collect foods and medicines, nor do they know the names of these places.

Institutions that display maps of O'odham lands abruptly end at this political border. The political system creates documents of guidance and authority such as the Tohono Oodham Constitution that states implicitly that all O'odham are united, that O'odham culture is protected, just as all such documents are just written words often repeated methodically without connection or understanding.

In these fruitful times of the gaming enterprises, the lands to the south are just a nuisance to politicians to write a word or two and budget funds for politicians to travel into Mexico fully stipended.

Meanwhile, O'odham are living without safe drinking water and without electricity and many times without food.

This effort is by donation only. 

"We have no Go Fund Me accounts and are not a non-profit. Compassion is a great O'odham virtue."

Mail donations to Ofelia Rivas

PO. Box 1835

Sells, Arizona 85634

Ofelia Rivas on her O'odham homeland. Photo by Jason Jaacks

E-mail: Ofelia Rivas

4oodhamrights@gmail.com

Copyright Ofelia Rivas, Censored News. May not be used without permission.

Louise Benally: The balance of life has been disturbed, what is in the Earth was to be left alone

Photo by Ethan Sing

Photo by Lyla June Johnston

Messages from the land, messages from the people

By Louise Benally of Big Mountain

Special to Censored News

April 30, 2020

French translation by Christine Prat

Our elders used to say: Whatever is in the ground, that is a part of the Earth and needs to be left alone, like the natural resources, because it holds the balance of all life.

If it is disturbed it will create a big disruption, which is what we are facing now. There is no remedy to fix it, it is man-made -- the unbalancing of the Earth for its resources and non-stop pollution.

Be very careful with everything you do, wash hands more often with soap and water. Drink hot beverages often, keep away from crowds, don't be close to anyone and stay six feet away or more. Work on projects away from people. Take vitamins C and D. Lemon, garlic and mint teas or good with honey. Prayers with nature as much as possible, and less time on TV or other media that will get you stressed out. Wear masks if you have to go into a crowded area and don't touch just anything.

The virus has no boundaries, and only you can make a difference for your self.

About the author

Louise Benally and her family have been fighting forced relocation for 40 years. Peabody Coal orchestrated the seizure of Dine' land on Black Mesa to seize the coal to mine for the Navajo Generating Station, near Page on the Navajo Nation. It provided cheap coal-fired electricity to the Southwest, depleted the water, poisoned the land, water and air,  while the people suffered, many without running water or electricity. Over the past 40 years, this power plant was designated one of the dirtiest in the world, a leading cause of global air pollution. Surrounding this devastation from coal mines and a total of three coal-fired power plants on the Navajo Nation are the unreclaimed radioactive uranium tailings, left strewn behind by irresponsible uranium mining companies. These uranium mines left behind a legacy of death from respiratory diseases and cancer for Navajo uranium miners and their families. The Church Rock, N.M. uranium spill continues to contaminate the Rio Puerco as it flows toward west. The air, land and water have been poisoned by the oil and gas drilling and flaring on the Navajo Nation,  which is widespread from the eastern homelands in New Mexico to the Aneth, Utah oil and gas fields. -- Brenda Norrell, publisher, Censored News

Peacemaking Statement about COVID 19 by Navajo Nation Judicial Branch

PEACEMAKING STATEMENT ABOUT COVID 19

Navajo Nation Judicial Branch

Censored News

When the Twins slayed the Naayéé, certain things were spared for a reason. Cold, poverty, old age, lice—these things were left in the world to teach the Diné to take responsibility and to solve problems.

Now, we are facing a Naayéé that is a monster that kills through invisibility. It hides in cold places and in the dark and harms us when we don’t take responsibility for our hygiene and prayer. The medicine people say this Naayéé will invade us and linger on, building its strength until it can kill many of us.

This was foretold. Our medicine people know of the warnings of the Holy People, that the invisible body would come onto Diné Bikéyah to harm us. We would know it was coming when the dawn and the dusk were red, and when there were meteor showers.

These things have happened, but we were not vigilant. Our ancestors would have recognized the warning signs of danger and fearsome coming, the Yikáí Yiichii’ Red Dawn and Nihootsooi Biyi’ji’ Ni’halchíí Red Sunset, which would cause us to perform protection prayers.

The government has named this disease Big Cough áį Dikos Nitsaa’ígíí- áį , but we know its true names are Invisible Body, Bits’íís Dooyit’íinii and Air that Gives Evil Spell, Níłch’i Bi’iiníziinii. These come to attack the Diné when we are weakened in our spirit. Our weakness comes from losing the strength that is our language and our Diné Fundamental Law. We must coexist with nature by getting up early in the morning to make an offering of white ground corn, at noon making an offering of corn pollen, and making our evening offering of yellow ground corn.

Many people are storing away their Native American Church and traditional paraphernalia, or their Christian Bibles and prayer materials. These things must be brought out of our closets and drawers, from under our beds and used in the open, in the light. Not only is it significant to bring out traditional paraphernalia but also utilize the honeeshgish, fire poker, arrowheads, stirring sticks, with prayers and protection songs.

This disease exists in darkness and cold. Our strength is brought against it when we pray in the light. When we fail to follow our traditions of prayer in the home and performing our ceremonies as they were given to us, these are the things that cause us to be vulnerable.

Some Diné are worsening our vulnerability. Some people who are infected with the virus are still out in the community and among their families, exposing others. This behavior is against the dignity and worth of all individuals, and our responsibility to protect each other. Others ridicule the Diné who are being diligent in their hygiene with masks, hand washing, and social isolation. When these responsible behaviors are ridiculed or not followed, we are not respecting the teachings that were given to us by our ancestors.