Date of Award

2020

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Social Sciences

First Advisor

Vesperi, Maria

Area of Concentration

Anthropology

Abstract

In this thesis I explore conceptualizations of health and healing by the Navajo in hopes to gain a deeper understanding of how the preservation of traditional medical knowledge is affected by a legacy of environmental degradation. Uranium mining occurred on and around Navajo lands from 1944 to 1982. During this time, hundreds of Navajo miners and their families were exposed to harmful radiation through the contamination of air and water sources. Not only has this directly impacted their health, but it has also negatively affected many of the traditional food and plant sources that the Navajo use for ceremonial and healing purposes. Through the analysis of wastelanding discourse, my research aims to build a better understanding of how this praxis interferes with the integrity of Navajo ethnomedical lifeways. By analyzing case studies, as well as natural scientific data involving the contamination of plant, animal and water resources, I explore how wastelanding interferes with the Navajo’s ability to maintain health and seek healing. I will pay particular attention to the health of native medicinal plant populations throughout the Navajo Nation, as well as specific experiences of Diné miners and their families. My goal is to better understand the health of the people by understanding how public perception of wastelanding practices inform the ways this population interacts with their sacred geographies.

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