Helen Greyeyes Part 1 — David Robert Farmerie

Helen Grayeyes is of the Ta’chee'ne clan (on her Mother's side), and the Salt clan (on her Father's side). This is an important distinction in all Native cultures, and is always part of an introduction.

Helen, who is 83 years old, is a traditional Navajo woman. She lives in Blue Gap, Arizona, several miles after the paved road becomes a deep-rutted dirt road. When I visited her, yesterday, that dirt road had become thick with mud - which became challenging even to my Expedition outfitted with Mud tires on the rear. Unfortunately my Expedition is only two-wheel drive. Her younger sister, Alice, was there when I arrived, to translate. Helen only speaks Navajo.

As I walked through the front door, Helen was seated, just to the right of the door's opening. She was wearing traditional clothing, with a colorful scarf over her beautiful gray hair. The features on her face are distinct, as if carved by a master sculptor. Her eyes were of such life, and beauty, that one could not help but to stare, and be soothed.

Helen lives alone. Her days are occupied by herding her sheep, sewing, and weaving traditional rugs on a loom. Alice told me that, each morning, Helen wakes, feeds the dogs, get dressed, then goes for a run along the road, before herding her sheep.

We talked about many things, in general, before getting into specifics. Mostly it was Alice talking - relaying the information that she knows about her sister. She mentioned that there is, at times, a loneliness from living alone, and secluded. But that is not talked about, or even acknowledged to one’s self, in the Navajo culture.

When Alice relayed a question of mine, to Helen, about what it was like growing up traditionally, Helen’s response was, in part, that she regretted not having learned to speak English. She said that, if she had, it would have helped her to better understand the White Man's ways. Helen did not go to school. Instead she remained at home, tending to the sheep, and other domestic chores.

At one point I asked Helen if she was aware of the fact that Man had landed upon the moon. When she answered, yes, I asked what she thought of that. Her response, I found, was quite intriguing - and thought provoking.

Helen Greyeyes’ reaction when asked if she was aware of men landing on the moon.

She said that she disagreed with it - with landing on the moon. Helen said that we should not mess (paraphrasing) with "what is out there”. They should be left alone. The heavens are sacred to the Navajo.

And based upon her response, I made the following statement: Now mankind is attempting to return to the Moon, as well as to Mars - but not as a quest of discovery, but rather, to commercialize both for their assumed mineral wealth.

As the statement was being translated to her, the expression on her face became a very solemn one. After the translation was complete, her voice was still.

Helen, after my statement regarding the commercialization of the Moon, and Mars, was translated to her.

End Part 1…