WTFHN 2015: Walking towards health

Friday - May 15, 2015 by Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum

The "Welcome to Colorful Colorado" only marks the state the walkers left as they enter New Mexico. The walkers from NM left from red Wash to meet the walkers from Colo. and Utah at the entrance to the Four Corners Monument.

Opening ceremonies were accented by a morning song by members of Yellow Jacket and a flag-raising by Ute Mountain Ute veterans. The walk also began with stretching and words of encouragement.

Leading the walkers from the Ute Mountain ute visitor's center, Southern Ute veteran, Dewitte Baker, carrying the Southern Ute tribal flag.

Ute Mountain Ute Royalty, walk in together, sharing laughs and music along the way.

The Ute Mountain Ute and Southern Ute tribal flags are carried side-by-side against a northern wind.

Members from the Ignacio Community and Southern Ute Tribal employees walked together with Ute Mountain and Navjo communities towards the Four Corners from the Ute Mountain Ute Visitor’s Center.

Two Ute tribes, one unified goal, a healthier Ute nation.

With Shiprock in the bakcground, the WTFHN walkers enter the lunch area, meeting the group who walked in from Aneth, Utah, from the north.

Red Bluff Elementary dancers of the Navajo Nation, performed a basket dance for the walkers and volunteers during lunch.

An elder, joined the walkers after lunch, with lunch in their bellies the hardest portion of the walk lay ahead, cloudy skies and rain were not much help along the way.

The color guard from the three tribes represented in the walk – Southern and Ute Mountain Ute and the Navajo Nation, along with flag bearers of the four states flags, converge at the monument.

A Bear Dance demonstration was performed for the remaining walkers and volunteers who braved the wind and rain.

Photo Credit: Robert L. Ortiz | The Southern Ute Drum

If walking 18 miles isn’t hard enough, try doing it in the rain and against the wind. This years Walking Together For Healthier Nations (WTFHN) proved to be more challenging than previous years. Walkers came in from the four states that make up the Four Corners National Monument – Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah. The Just Move It Walk is scheduled to be in Ignacio, Saturday, May 16. Registration starts at 8 a.m., Walk starts at 8:45 a.m.