Ruth Benally
P.O. Box 64
Kykotsmovi, AZ 86039

 

December 28, 1999

To: The Hon. Eldridge Coochise
Hearing Officer
Hopi Tribe
8565 W. Granada Rd.
Phoenix, AZ 85037

Re: The Hopi Tribe Petitioner vs. Marsha Monestersky, Respondent in the Hopi
Tribe Exclusion Process, Hopi Indian Reservation, Kykotsmovi, AZ

Support Statement for Marsha Monestersky

Dear The Hon. Eldridge Coochise,

We have known Marsha Monestersky ever since she came here and we know that
she has been supporting the people here ever since. Her papers are strong
and her words are strong. And she has let people know how we are being
treated around the world. People know about what is going on here because of
her. This is why the Hopi tribe behaves themselves. We like it like way
this because we want to stay on the land. She is the only one that is doing
that and if she is not here then who is going to work for us like she does.
She has been working for us for several years and we feel a lot stronger
because she is helping us.

We want her to stay here and continue working with us. We say, keep her
here. We want her to continue. We are afraid if she is not here that we
will be thrown off our land.

A lot of people here know her. In our way if a twin works on something like
this issue, we will win one day. This is the way it is in our belief. This
is what we believe in We want to stay on the land. We want a future for our
family, with livestock, live like a traditional Navajo person. We want to
keep our belief, our language. We want someone to support us and that person
is Marsha Monestersky.

Some people are just in the way like ----- -------. They just want money
and they are not solving our problems. That is not good. We want someone
that will help us. This is serious. And the person that we have chosen is
Marsha Monestersky.

I, Ruth Benally do not speak English and I trust Marsha who knows English
very well and is very educated. The person that I want to help me is Marsha
Monestersky.