Recently we shared a story on Ron Cooper, the Comanche man who retraced the Trail of Tears and wrote a book about his journey. After such an amazing experience he decided he wanted to take on the Navajo Long Walk. Well, that time has come and he's now looking for support with a new Kickstarter. Here's a little bit more from his page:
I'll be retracing on foot The Long Walk – The tragic removal of the Navajo from Arizona to Bosque Redondo (Hweeldi) in NM (535 miles).
The Long Walk was the 1864-66 removal of the Navajo people from their homelands in northeastern Arizona to the Bosque Redondo reservation in Fort Sumner, New Mexico.
Many Navajo died in the concentration camps before the march, during The Long Walk itself, and during their imprisonment in Hweeldi. This Navajo name for the reservation means, appropriately, “A Place of Suffering.”
There were many routes of The Long Walk, but I will be traveling on the longest – 535 miles.
Ron estimates the task should cost around $1500.00. But I think he'll surpass his goal with your help! If you donate to his Kickstarter project, you have the chance to get stickers, bookmarks with the map of the Long Walk, and signed copies of his book. I know I'll be personally pledging so I can get a copy of his book!
Ron, we wish you well on your journey. Thank you for inspiring us all to learn more about our history.
Please visit https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/776997919/my-long-walk-to-hweeldi-in-the-footsteps-of-the-na to donate or learn more about the project.
