Tsosie hopes to harness grassroots anger

Dale Tsosie

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A member of LeChee Chapter, Tsosie was raised in Salina Springs, Ariz. For the past 32 years he has worked for the Navajo Generating Station at Page, currently as a lead relay specialist.

His only experience with the tribal government occurred in the 1990s, when he was a land-use planner for his chapter. He also, for a time, taught electrician courses in the chapter.

He went to boarding school in Chinle and graduated from Page High school.

Speaking of his two years in boarding school, Tsosie said it was a lonely time since his parents didn't have a way to visit him.

"I did learn to speak English there, however," he said.

He is Naaneesht'ézhí Táchii'nii (Charcoal Streaked Division of the Red Running into Water Clan), born for Tódích'íi'nii (Bitter Water Clan). His maternal grandfather in Kiyaa'áanii (Towering House Clan) and his paternal grandfather is Honágháahnii (He Walks Around One Clan).

Tsosie has been married for 32 years to his wife, Charlotte. They have four children.

He said he has watched the tribal government operate for decades.

"The government is in chaos," he said, adding that none of the recent administrations have been able to deal with the problems and because of this, the problems seem to get worse and worse.

"I'm worried about our future," he said.

As a private citizen unencumbered by politics, Tsosie has watched what has been going on in the tribal government and said that, like a lot of Navajo voters, he is not been happy at what he is seeing.

"We need to restore the confidence of the people in their government and bring back integrity," he said.

Tsosie said has watched as the people's confidence in their government has been eroded by conflicts within the tribe and actions by the Navajo Nation Council that show an apparent indifference to the public.

"No one seems to care what the Navajo people think," he said.

He wants to see reform and said that if he is elected, he will work to restore the people's confidence in their government.

His goal is to drum up a grassroots campaign that would allow Navajo voters to voice their displeasure at the way the government is being run and get the people's voice heard in the halls of the tribal government.

He admits that the main problem he faces is voter recognition, but he plans to correct that by going out on nights and weekends to speak at the chapters.

There are a lot of people out there who feel the same way about what's going on in the tribal government, Tsosie said, and he hopes to harness this into a movement that will give him the support he needs to win.

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