Holiday Stories

nj1639

Paleo-simplistic
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. There's been a rumor of native blood in our family stretching back to that fellow in my avatar who's mother was supposed to be a full blood. DNA testing has shown its in there but just a smidgeon now, being 8th generation down the line, but it's something we as a family hold dear. To any and all outsiders were just white folks.
Many years ago, my uncle was working with a contractor that was from Flagstaff by way of Kaibito Arizona. Gus and his wife Mary were full blood Dine. It happened to be Thanksgiving time and Gus asked Unk if he would invite him and his wife Mary to dinner, as it was traditional to invite Indians........Unk said "We usually invite white people, but I guess we can invite other Indians too." Maybe it's esoteric but it makes me laugh to this day.

I worked with a fellow back in Pleasantville, NJ, who's father was a beer home brewer. At the time, home brewing was a rarity aside from occasional Italian families that made their own wine. Jeffs dad was an alcoholic and had passed on by the time I was working with him. Self attitude and a sense of humor in hindsight can be a gift to those that have suffered under the strains of an alcoholic parent. It was around Christmas time and we were gathered around the shop in the morning waiting for our work route printouts and generally just BS'ing when Jeff related the story. "Yeah, the time my father got drunk at Christmas and threw the whole Christmas tree out the back door. Presents, decorations, everything. My mother and sisters were crying......that was funny!"............and that was the extent of the story, it just kinda trailed off into something else as BS sessions often do. However, I could just imagine such a thing, and in the future during Christmas time, I would threaten my daughters at the first hint of trouble a'brewing that I would do the same thing if there were any pity party meltdowns on their part. It worked.
 
a contractor that was from Flagstaff by way of Kaibito Arizona. Gus and his wife Mary were full blood Dine.

Wow! You really threw me with that one. I’ve lived in Arizona since I was a baby and thought I’d heard of every small town and all the native tribes. I had to look that up! Sure enough, Kaibito is a tiny little town of less than 450 homes on the Navajo reservation in the North West corner of Arizona. If you like open spaces, they have a lot!
And the Dine tribe? Never heard that either, turns out it is the original name of the Navajo people, and a name that many would like to return to.
Very interesting! Thanks for sharing. :)
 
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