"Uranium is really dangerous...

Why did they not tell us this?"

            Uranium mining on the Colorado Plateau—an area consisting of parts of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona—has substantially affected the Native American communities of that area, including the Navajo.  Many Native Americans are suffering or have suffered debilitating health effects from uranium mining, having never been told that they were in danger on the job. 

In Navajo tradition, a monster is anything that “gets in the way of a successful life.”  Monsters are born of evil acts—when people transgressed.  During ancient times, various monsters roamed the lands, destroying the Navajo people.  The Goddess, Changing Woman, gave birth to the hero twins, who would later acquire the skill to kill the monsters.  The first monster they killed was “big monster”—Yeetso.  Yeetso was said to be the worst of the monsters and made his place on Mt. Taylor—Tsoodzil in Navajo language, the sacred mountain of the south.  Mt. Taylor would later become the largest uranium mine ever built, operating from 1979 through 1990.

One way to overcome a monster is to name it.  Uranium is called Leetso in Navajo language.  Literally, it means “yellow-brown” or “yellow-dirt.”  In order to beat a monster, one must become familiar with it and its destructive forces.  Second, one must know the fellow monsters.  Who are the fellow monsters to Leetso?  What gives it power?  The defense/war industry and energy industry are businesses based on disrespect for the Earth as well as Her inhabitants, these industries keep Leetso alive.  Political policy supporting these industries and their enterprises do nothing to lessen the negative effects and do nothing to promote the awareness of the risks involved in uranium mining and processing.  In order to beat the monster, one must use the correct weapons.  One must use respect and compassion, group action and consensus, to weaken the monsters that threaten the Earth and Her people. 

Only through planned group action and understanding can we beat this monster—Leetso—and the others that support it.  Through respect and raising awareness and educating people on the environmental and health impacts of uranium mining and processing, we will be able to put the monster back in the ground where it belongs.