Diné runner retraces the Long Walk to honor those who never returned
Submitted | Edison Eskeets
Edison Eskeets stands outside a screening venue during the Golden Gate International Film Festival this year, where a documentary based on his Long Walk relay run was shown. Eskeets retraced the historic route to honor those who endured the forced march and those who never returned home.
By Kyle Leslie
Navajo Times
GALLUP
Edison Eskeets, a 66-year-old runner from Springstead, New Mexico, has spent decades preparing for a journey that mirrors one of the most painful chapters in Diné history. Through distance running, ceremony and storytelling, Eskeets retraced the 330-mile route of the Long Walk to honor those who endured the forced march and those who never returned home.
In 2018, Eskeets completed a solo run from Chinle to Santa Fe, beginning near Canyon de Chelly and finishing at the Santa Fe Plaza. He completed the run in 15 days, often starting before sunrise as he moved east across Dinétah and into New Mexico. The effort grew from remembrance and spiritual responsibility.
“It was to honor the people,” he said in an interview. “I know it’s very sensitive. Most folks will not. They just don’t talk about it. I wanted to pay and acknowledge people who never made it home. Parents, kids, brothers and sisters.”
To read the full article, please see the Dec. 4, 2025, edition of the Navajo Times.
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