38 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [BnU. 188 



at the Colorado, and in effect recognizing the region east of the river 

 as Navaho territory (McClintock, 1921, pp. 59-80; Corbett, 1952, 

 pp. 148-311). There can be little doubt that the century from 1775 

 to 1875 saw the Navaho extend their dominion almost to its present 

 limits, including the modern Shonto area. 



It has conunonly been held that repeated military campaigns against 

 the Navahos in the east between 1860 and 1864, and especially the Kit 

 Carson campaign of 1863-64 which resulted in removal of a large 

 part of the Navaho tribe to the Pecos River, were primarily respon- 

 sible for Navaho westward expansion. This theory is given weight 

 by information from Shonto. Of the three basic population groups 

 within the community (see "Social Structure," pp. 54-65) the larg- 

 est and apparently longest established lineage occupies the territory 

 south and west of Shonto Trading Post. Its interrelations are to the 

 west, with the Inscription House community and the inhabitants of 

 Navajo Canyon. It is impossible to trace this group back to any 

 other location in the past. Two informants assert that it is descended 

 from a band of Navaho who fled into the virtually impregnable 

 reaches of the Navajo Canyon system to escape the Carson campaign, 

 and who continue to occupy the canyon and areas immediately to 

 the east and west. 



A second element at Shonto occupies the area to the south and 

 east of Shonto store, including Kletlila Valley, and has close rela- 

 tions with the neighboring population on top of Black Mesa. Mal- 

 colm Farmer believes this group to be a remnant of what he terms the 

 Black Mesa band of Navaho, who are thought to have moved west- 

 ward from the Canyon de Chelly area for the purpose of preying upon 

 the Hopi.5 



According to Van Valkenburgh (1941, p. 145) a portion of the 

 Black Mesa band was captured near the Shonto area in the cam- 

 paign of 1863 and sent to Fort Sumner. It is believed that the 

 band originally occupied only the summit of Black Mesa, farming 

 in the numerous small interior valleys. Drying up of water sources 

 on the mesa and expanding population have more recently forced 

 considerable numbers to move down into Klethla Valley and across it 

 onto the southern margin of the Shonto Plateau, as far as Shonto itself. 

 This colonization of the Shonto area by Black Mesa people seems to 

 have taken place between 50 and 60 years ago, according to infor- 

 mants in the community. 



The high northern half of the Shonto area, north of the trading 

 post, has apparently been colonized only within the last two gen- 

 erations. It is occupied today by a related group of families who 



5 Personal communication. Farmer's elaborate reconstructions of Navaho population 

 groupings and movements are now in preparation for publication. He believes that the 

 Navaho in the early historic period were grouped In bands similar to those of the Western 

 Apache. Cf. Garrido y Duran, 1786. 



