Navajos largely unscathed by recession

[formercia]

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Navajos-largely-unscathed-by-apf-15270473.html?sec=topStories&pos=3&asset=&ccode=

Navajos largely unscathed by recession
Recession's effects not as deeply felt by Navajos; high unemployment part of life for years

* Felicia Fonseca, Associated Press Writer
* On Saturday May 16, 2009, 11:06 am EDT



TONALEA, Ariz. (AP) -- Talk at the community center in this small Navajo town isn't as focused on the economy as it is in many places off the reservation.

That's because the people living on the largest American Indian reservation have been largely unscathed by the recession.

--snip--

"They're freaking out out there, but to us, we've always had 50 percent unemployment," said John C. Whiterock, a Navajo youth pastor. "To us, that's just part of life."

--snip--

[DemBones DemBones]

1. A friend of mine says her family never noticed

the Great Depression, things were just normal for them. I'm sure they weren't alone.

[formercia]

3. Many people in rural communities were able to get by

At least if you had a garden and a few chickens and a pig or two....

[Turbineguy]

2. They were obviously spared

the good times too.

[formercia]

4. Good times mean different things in different cultures.

It's hard to say if they would have considered the housing bubble good times. It's not as if they were selling housing developments.

[Turbineguy]

6. Precisely!

[formercia]

7. On the down side

Members who worked off the Reservation and brought income from outside may not be able to provide as well in the future.

[Warpy]

5. That's the only comforting thing about being all the way down

You have nowhere else to fall.

The poorest live in hogans, one room houses with a door facing east. There is no electricity beyond what they get with batteries and no running water, certainly no toilet. Shampoo is yucca root.

If they were dragged to a boarding school to learn English, they haven't used it in so long that they're embarrassed to try.

They usually have a few sheep or barter for wool and meat from someone else. They do crafts to sell or pawn old sand cast silver and turquoise jewelry. Unfortunate ones have discovered alcohol.

They are also some of the finest people on the planet.

[midnight]

8. Yes.