We call this place Willow Springs, and today it is our main community. In 1907, our reservation was established, but we were considered a part of the Navajo Nation. Some of our reservation lands in southern Utah were returned to public domain, opening the land to mineral exploration. We lost much of our land, and for over 50 years we were ignored and forgotten by both the Navajo Nation and the U.S. government. We continued to support ourselves through farming and sheep herding.
Basket weaving is an art form practiced by many of our community members.
We create baskets using rechniques, designs and knowledge of materials passed down for generations. We also trade baskets with the Navajo and Hopi people to supplement our economy. We have formed a basket weavers' cooperative in our community, and representatives travel to different places to sell our baskets. We became a federally recognized tribe in 1990. At this time we also began a process to reclaim part of our traditional homeland through the U.S. Land Claims Commission.