Book

Navajo land use: an ethnoarchaeological study

Academic Press • Orlando • Published In 1986 • Pages:

By: Kelley, Klara B..

Abstract

This is a history of Navajo land use and settlement patterns from mid-nineteenth century on. The author documents the changes in these patterns during the railroad era, depression (1930-1950), and industrial era (1950-1983). According to Kelley the change in the dominant form of capitalist practice from merchant to industrial capitalism transformed the Navajo economy from sheep raising and the wool trade to wage labor. The large scale reduction of the sheep herds in the 1930s was the turning point. No longer able to support themselves by sheep rasing, many Navajo settled in the towns and sought out work there, including the large strip mines that began to operate in the area. Kelley also examines changes in housing, settlement sizes, household configuration and structure, and relationships between households.

HRAF PubDate

2004

Region

North America

Sub Region

Southwest and Basin

Document Type

Book

Evaluation

Creator Type

Ethnologist

Document Rating

4: Excellent Secondary Data

5: Excellent Primary Data

Analyst

Ian Skoggard; 2003

Field Date

1978-1985

Coverage Date

1848-1985

Coverage Place

Navajo Reservation, Arizona and New Mexico, United States

Notes

Klara B. Kelley

Includes bibliographical references (p. 217-225) and index

LCCN

85013361

LCSH

Navajo Indians