How the Navajo Nation Works (A Country Within a Country?)

Writing by Sam Denby
Research by Sam Denby and Tristan Purdy
Editing by Alexander Williard
Animation by Josh Sherrington
Sound by Graham Haerther
Thumbnail by Simon Buckmaster

Select footage courtesy the AP Archive

[andrewgarcia]

Sam got tired of waiting for CGP Grey so he decided to make this video himself.

[JustaReadingguy]

And even stranger is the Hopi nation INSIDE the Navajo nation.

[fratercontenduntocculta]

Have an Army buddy who is from the Navajo Nation, and moved back there after he got out. Got to hear all sorts of cool things about his people and he showed me a picture of the traditional Hogan he lives in. Bless you my Navajo friends!

[grahamturner]

If this wasn't mentioned in the video, the funniest thing about the Navajo Nation, in my opinion, is that it's the only part of Arizona that recognizes Daylight Savings Time.

[jhunt]

This is probably a graphic design problem but the ‘hole’ in the middle of the Navajo reservation is actually another reservation, the Hopi reservation, but it isn’t colored like a reservation in the map.

[mrrpepsi]

As a truck driver who travels across the Navajo once a week, I am saddened by the poverty I see, if you could see what some of these people call homes and places they live, it would probably bring a tear to your eye.

[HouseJawn]

The INSANE logistics of the Navajo Nation

[Findeeney]

I spent an entire summer in the Navajo Nation. It is such an interesting area, the Nation is truly incredible in history. They fought in WW2 as code talkers, they weren't fighting for the government, they were fighting for what was right

[lunarhighway]

Small correction: WinStar World Casino is owned and operated by the Chickasaw Nation, not the Chippewa Tribe. Love your videos!

[RomainPMusic]

Small correction at 8:15 : the US federal government absolutely taxes on residency in addition to citizenship. Foreigners living in the US, whether they are on immigrant or non-immigrant visa or green cards, are required to pay US federal taxes too.

[schlaackmusic]

Much love and respect to the Navajo People. When I lived in Arizona many of my friends and coworkers were Navajo, and they were all lovely Human beings.

[alexandertheresurrection]

I’ve been to the Navajo Nation on several occasions to attend ceremonies me and my brother were invited to. Wonderful people and community we were with. Got to do a lot of site seeing and hiking. The land I saw was beautiful.

[krmendozaa]

One of my good friends and old roommates grew up in the Navajo Nation and I’ve had the chance to stay with her family there too. Learning about their history and seeing the conditions myself was so eye opening and sad. Our government (and partially the tribal government) makes it so difficult for them to do anything and everything there.

[hewhohasnoidentity]

I have driven all over the Navajo Nation many times in a semi. Words can't express how bad the situation is.

Most of the land is not not useful for anything. There are a bunch of abandoned mines from uranium and other materials. You see scattered shacks or trailers that have actual outhouses behind them. There is no water, electricity or even cell phone service on many areas.

Not being able to mortgage property or have personal ownership means they can't upgrade anything and make payments. They just have to do without. Even doing business with people or companies in the US is so risky it is rarely done and even rarer to end well. There is no effective means to enforce contract law. Either side can just decide not to perform as agreed with no consequences. The glass walkway over the Grand Canyon is a recent reminder of the risk.

The US provides tribes with very limited support, but it is provided by non tribal members in buildings built by and for the US to remind them of what they don't have.

There are many people that somehow have incredible drive to improve the situation though. Many literally hitchhiker 150-200 miles to get to low paying jobs to at least have the dignity of working.

Alcoholism is an ongoing crises on there areas along with the domestic violence that alcohol brings.

Oh, and many of these familiar have served honorably with the US in every military conflict since the American Revolution.

But we put them on some rocky land with the scars from mining and the destruction of testing nuclear weapons. Put of site out of mind.

I'm glad Sam did this video. I really wish every American would be forced to actually understand the situation so close to home that is literally worse than third world countries.

[od]

During the Great Famine here in Ireland the Choctow people sent 175$ to the people of Ireland to help even though they had just suffered the trail of tears, this act of kindess has never been forgotten and during Covid when the Navajo Nation was been very badly effected a go fund me page went viral in Ireland with people sending millions of euros back.

[ClemensJason]

I was expecting CGPGrey to do this earlier :(

[TECC]

Not true, you can build your house but you got to get something called a homesite lease where you have to apply and pay the tribe to build your house on public land. Not all of us live in NHA housing or Mobile homes most of us live in homes we build ourselves on homesite leased land

[rez-ye]

Sometimes it’s hard for me to accept I’m a Navajo. I want to feel good about it but then I realize how flimsy our foundation is. I hate pride and feeling bad for myself but ... they’re my people and I want them to soar. However, there’s just so many variables and problems that make it impossible to see a future here.

[tubastud]

How do you say "Jeep Grand Cherokee"? I've never heard someone struggle so much with pronouncing "Cherokee".

[ketv]

Sam, I'd love if you could continue this story into Akwesasne - the reservation that spans an international border.