Johnny Rustywire: Attorneys work to help the Navajo people

On the Navajo Reservation a non-profit legal services group was set up to serve the needy based on income, it was called Dinébe’iiná Náhiiłna be Agha’diit’ahii which means “attorneys who work for the economic revitalization of The People.” Some would just say it also meant “man who speaks for his people.”

DNA paid very low wages and some lawyers would volunteer their time and worked with Navajo Tribal Court Advocates to provide legal help to the reservation. Many of the lawyers were young and had a fierce outlook, carrying forward the attitude that change was coming. They made their presence known both on and off the reservation.

A part of this effort was community education and taking the lawyers out in the outlying areas. One place where this was done is a place called “Circle of Trees” or “Trees which are round about” in Navajo known as Teec Nos Pos, which is near the Four Corners area west of Shiprock.

Some time ago a lawyer, a graduate of the John Marshall Law School in Chicago, came to work at the newly formed DNA Legal Services, to be a poor peoples lawyer. He went to Teec Nos Pos to speak with the people from the community there. He talked to them about the services DNA provided. Everything involving the bad business practices that affected the local people, particularly shady car dealers.