Thursday, March 28, 2024

Council bill would change name of U.S. Highway 491

Council bill would change name of U.S. Highway 491

Navajo Times | Donovan Quintero
Orange barrels direct traffic during construction on U.S. Highway 491 on Friday in Twin Lakes, New Mexico.

WINDOW ROCK

U.S. Highway 491, the highway that was once infamously dubbed the “Devil’s Highway” when it was formerly designated as U.S. Highway 666, might get a new name.

The Navajo Nation Council drafted a bill last Thursday that would designate the highway as “Chief Manuelito Highway” after the late Diné leader Chief Manuelito. The legislation is sponsored by Navajo Nation Council Delegate Leonard Tsosie.

The delegate said the highway designation would honor the late leader and the history of the Navajo people.

“Chief Manuelito, or Hastiin Ch’il Haajiin, was a leader for the Navajo people before and after the Long Walk,” Tsosie said in a news release from the speaker’s office.

Manuelito was born in 1818 and died in 1893. He negotiated and advocated for the Navajo people to return to their homelands, which created the Treaty of 1868. Manuelito was famously quoted saying “My grandchild, education is the ladder. Tell our people to take it.”

Manuelito’s grandson, Tom Tolino, from what is now known as Coyote Canyon, New Mexico, attended the Carlisle Indian School in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, from 1882 to 1885. He was one of many Navajos to go to the school.

“His legacy is greatly appreciated and honored within the Navajo Nation and the highway designation will illustrate the honor, pride, and strength of the Navajo people,” Tsosie said.


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About The Author

Donovan Quintero

"Dii, Diné bi Naaltsoos wolyéhíígíí, ninaaltsoos át'é. Nihi cheii dóó nihi másání ádaaní: Nihi Diné Bizaad bił ninhi't'eelyá áádóó t'áá háadida nihizaad nihił ch'aawóle'lágo. Nihi bee haz'áanii at'é, nihisin at'é, nihi hózhǫ́ǫ́jí at'é, nihi 'ach'ą́ą́h naagééh at'é. Dilkǫǫho saad bee yájíłti', k'ídahoneezláo saad bee yájíłti', ą́ą́ chánahgo saad bee yájíłti', diits'a'go saad bee yájíłti', nabik'íyájíłti' baa yájíłti', bich'į' yájíłti', hach'į' yándaałti', diné k'ehgo bik'izhdiitįįh. This is the belief I do my best to follow when I am writing Diné-related stories and photographing our events, games and news. Ahxéhee', shik'éí dóó shidine'é." - Donovan Quintero, an award-winning Diné journalist, served as a photographer, reporter and as assistant editor of the Navajo Times until March 17, 2023.

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