Among other things, she told me a little about her life. She told me that she was a ????, but that the government called them Navajo native Americans. In her family, both her grandpa, and her uncle were healers. She told me how they should cut plants, (but I didn't understand which kind of plant she was talking about), which roots to leave so that a new plant may grow, and how they should always give a prayer to the plant before cutting it. She also told me about some of the ceremonies that they have when a girl becomes a woman, when a woman becomes pregnant, and when someone dies.
I asked her why was she looking for books when she had such a rich background in the "unexplainable" realm. She said that she wants to know more, and understand more; that she is looking for (explanations?) that her people do not have.
She also told me how the government forced the children to go to boarding schools (and missionaries?) in order to get educated (when she was a young girl). There if the children were found to be talking in their own language, they would force the children to eat (donuts?) filled with soap, beaten with electric cords, and sometimes forced to stay up all night to scrub the floors.
She spoke many times in her native language. It was the first time I heard it. For some reason I felt really happy about it. (I realize how stupid it is, but somehow I was expecting something close to spanish, but it was very different!!)
At some point she took my right hand between her two hands, then released it. (I was surprised.) She said one or two more sentences (that I don't remember and left as if in a hurry.
This is how my one hour conversation with this Navajo woman ended. I wish I had at least asked for her name.
