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  • From: "GlobalCirclenet" <webmaster@globalcircle.net>
  • To: livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [Livingontheland] Shepherd of his people
  • Date: Thu, 02 Jan 2003 08:16:54 -0700

Shepherd of his people
http://www.abqtrib.com/archives/news03/010103_news_goldtoot.shtml

A life has a ripple effect.

Gold Tooth Begay is a perfect example.

Begay, posing with his horse on his 100th birthday, New Year's Day 1998, is
credited with inspiring his daughters to work with sheep researcher Lyle
McNeal of Utah to help bring the sacred Churro sheep back to the Navajo
people.

In October, the last of the nucleus flock of Churro being raised in Utah
and Wyoming during the last 20 years of the project was finally delivered
to the Navajo people.

Begay died shortly thereafter in November in Jeddito, Ariz., but his 105
years of life on this earth are being celebrated today by the family and
the people to whom he devoted his life.
.......

He won't be mentioned in any history books; his words never quoted by
politicians. But his legacy lives, in the scruffy Churro sheep that are
safe now, and in a family determined to save what it means to be Navajo.

In that process of saving the sheep, the sheep helped bring the Begay
family back together after suffering years of dysfunction and disunity.
.......

The family has again acquired its own flock of Churro, and has helped
other Navajos obtain some sheep as well. No one is sure if the younger
generations will manage the hard work and commitment of maintaining a
flock, or continue holding on to the Navajo traditions and values at a time
when fewer Navajos than ever are fluent in their native language and
poverty acts as a corrosive force throughout Navajo lands.

But the hope is there. In his life, Gold Tooth witnessed his Navajo culture
threatened, the Churro sheep almost driven to extinction, and the near
disintegration of his family. But he always lived a philosophy he passed on
to his family - don't spend your time worrying, everything passes,
everything works out as it should. "My parents lived a prayer, from dawn to
sunset, and even into the night," says Sharon. "I remember as a child . . .
if we'd wake up, my dad would be praying. I could hear him praying, saying,
`I'm going to rest now, so put the stars into the sky. I hope that I see
tomorrow . . .'"

Those who are honored to have known Gold Tooth Begay grieve today. But his
gift of teaching them how to live is still vitally, however fragilely,
alive.






  • [Livingontheland] Shepherd of his people, GlobalCirclenet, 01/02/2003

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