TRUST-BUILDING EXERCISE BETWEEN WESTERN SCIENCE AND INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES: A STUDY FROM THE NAVAJO NATION

Often compared in size to the state of West Virginia, the Navajo Nation has an area of over 27,000 square miles. Situated in the southwestern Colorado Plateau, the Nation’s geography and topography are characterized by arid deserts, alpine forests with high plateaus, mesas, and mountains reaching up to 10,388 feet in altitude. There is a long history of mining on the Navajo Nation including mining for gold, copper, lead, and silver since the mid-1800s, uranium since the early 1900s, and coal since the 1960s. In addition to naturally high levels of metals in groundwater, mining activities resulted in extended areas with soil, water, and air pollution. Nearly one-third of the Nation does not have access to a public water supply and rely on water hauled from unregulated wells and springs, many of which have elevated metal levels. The Navajos are ancient people, existing for thousands of years, and are concerned about violations of Navajo culture resulting from environmental practices at odds with traditional concepts, such as the one that sees the Navajo as Earth people responsible for maintaining balance between Mother Earth and humankind. Respect is a key precept of Diné (Navajo) spirituality that encompasses all living beings. The challenge seen by traditional Navajo beliefs is the dichotomy between traditional teachings and practices brought by the Western people. This is an important factor that shows how environmental degradation has led to distrust of Western scientific precepts in the minds of Diné people. Successful deployment of any scientific technology in any Indigenous community requires a deep understanding of the culture and the trust of that community. This study will demonstrate a successful bridge development between Western Scientific world and Navajo communities to address one of the pressing environmental issues in the Navajo Nation, the access to clean water. The Navajo Technical University- New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology Navajo Nation Water Purification Project (N⁴WPP) is installing university developed cutting-edge water filtration systems in the Navajo communities. Since 2020 this project started trust-building exercise with local Navajo communities, tribal government, tribal agencies, chapter houses, and state, and federal agencies. This project revolves around a common Navajo philosophy: Tó éí ííná (water is life).