David Brugge, pioneer in creating the field of Southwest Studies, is being honored by the Navajo Nation in a reception on Friday, July 15, at 1 p.m. in the Willard Room in the University of New Mexico’s Zimmerman Library. Brugge received an honorary doctorate from the University of New Mexico this spring.
Arvin Trujillo, director of the Division of Natural Resources for the Navajo Nation, will present Brugge with a letter from the Navajo Nation in recognition of Brugge’s contributions.
Jennifer Denetdale, UNM assistant professor of history, spearheaded the effort. “His archeological, historical and archival work resulted in an incredibly valuable database and was central to the Navajo/Hopi land dispute,” she said. One publication he produced from that research was, “The Navajo-Hopi land dispute: an American tragedy.”
Denetdale, UNM’s first Navajo Ph.D. faculty in the Department of History, recalled that when she was a graduate student at Northern Arizona University, she queried Brugge about an article she’d read.
“He sent me four pages of handwritten notes detailing points he wanted to make. He is very generous with his support, guidance and advice,” she said.
Others who have contributed to honoring Brugge are Richard Begay, former deputy director of the Navajo Nation Natural Resources Division; June-el Piper, technical publications editor, Navajo Nation, and Navajo Studies conference board members Lloyd Lee and Roseann Willink.
Brugge has more than 150 publications to his credit, including, “Navajos in the Catholic Church records of New Mexico, 1694-1875.”
“He tabulated all baptisms of the Navajo and native people as they were recorded in church records because the first thing Hispanic families did with natives brought into their families was baptize them. It is an indication of captivity,” Denetdale said.
Among invited guests are UNM President Louis Caldera, New Mexico State Historian Estevan Raul-Galvez; New Mexico Senator Leonard Tsosie; and UNM Professor Emeritus of Linguistics Robert Young.
Contact: Carolyn Gonzales, (505) 277-5920
Posted by scarr at July 8, 2005 05:21 PM