Tu Revista Latina Magazine

Je-'Sóós' One Man... Three Identities

Tears welled up in the eyes of the melancholic, 13 year old Jesus Alviso as he was captured by Mangas Coloradas. His Apache captor took him far northeast of his home in Sonora, Mexico. On that day, Jesus lost all contact with his Mexican family, culture and identity forever.

Although he had heard many stories about the Apaches’ cruelty towards their captives, Mangas Coloradas and Broken Foot had treated him kindly. One day, after months of traveling with the Apaches, another group of Indians came to their camp. Fear took over the little Mexican boy as Mangas Coloradas beckoned him forward toward the other Indians while grabbing the reins of a black horse. He had been traded to a new group of Indians, the Navajos.

Jesus was given to a man by the name of Black Shirt. It didn’t take very long before Jesus, known as ‘Sóós’ by the Navajo, began to embrace the Navajo life style and became one of them. He learned the language well and was treated like family. In 1860, when Jesus was 23 years old, American military troops were making their way near the camp that Jesus now called home. His friends and family feared that the soldiers were going to attack. Because he spoke Spanish, Jesus was ordered to go to the troops and tell them that they were peaceful people. He rode his horse towards them waving a white sheepskin in the air. As he approached them, a soldier – who spoke little Navajo – stepped forward ready to translate. To everyone’s surprise Jesus spoke Spanish. Several of the soldiers were fluent in Spanish making communication easier and more accurate. Capitan McLaws examined the young man. He looked like a Navajo with the exception of his wavy hair. Realizing that the young Mexican boy was fluent in both Navajo and Spanish and he knew the land well, Capitan McLaws offered him a position as an official interpreter and guide for the army.

It was a hard decision for Jesus as he didn’t want to be seen as an enemy by the Navajos. He knew if he accepted the offer he would be able to help convey peaceful messages from his people to the army. Besides, if he had inside information of the army’s plans, he could warn his people if they were in danger. Jesus opted to join the army and once there, he realized that his life would change drastically. The once peaceful existence he lead with his Navajo family would become busy days of scouting trips and hard labor. His last name had also changed from Alviso to Arviso. He thought of escaping many times but was afraid that the soldiers would go after his family and harm them. The soldiers attacked many Navajo camps but Jesus was able to lead the troops away from the country where his family made their home. During his time as an interpreter for the American army, Jesus learned that his father had been killed and his family had gone south in fear of the soldiers. Jesus took leave and traveled mile after mile, sunrise to sunset, looking for his family. He finally found them hiding in a deserted camp. When he was to report back to the army, Jesus was distraught to leave his family once again, unable to help their situation.

In August, 1863, General Carleton created the first “reservation” in Fort Sumner. He had given orders of war against the Navajos – they were to be killed or subdued into this reservation. Jesus rode desperately looking for Navajo leaders to present a reasonable settlement. If they resisted, their homes would be burned and they would be forcefully taken from their lands anyway. Most Navajo families turned themselves in, fearing for their lives. Many had already been killed or died of starvation. The prisoners were forced to walk long distances to these reservations. Their feet bled from the long barefooted walk. Many more were killed on the way and the weak were left behind. Once the survivors finally arrived to their hostile destination, which was to be their new home on the reservation, they didn’t have clothing or shelter and food was scarce. These horrible living conditions caused countless deaths from starvation, dysentery from spoiled food, smallpox, chickenpox, whooping cough and pneumonia.

Jesus finally got his opportunity to do something for his people. In April, 1868 he went to Washinton, DC to interpret for Barboncito, a leader and the finest speaker among the Navajos, and President Andrew Johnson. This was the most important council he had ever interpreted for as they were advocating for the Navajo, hoping to end the torment they were being put through. The words spoken in that council meeting were like poetry and Barboncito, with the help of Jesus as an interpreter, saved the Navajos.

Jesus lived three lives. One was his early beginnings in Sonora, Mexico – a life he would leave behind and to which he would never to return. The second was as an interpreter – biting his tongue to hold in his angry words every time he interpreted. His third life was as a Navajo – the life he cherished the most, fighting along his people during attacks, suffering with them when the crops failed and comforting them during the tragic time of war against the white man.

Je-‘Sóós’ made the land of enchantment his permanent home, wishing to forget his army life and start a new one with his family. No one knows why but Jesus’ last name would change once again along the way to Arvizu. In modern day Las Cruces, exists a link to this extraordinary story. Some of Jesus Arvizu’s great-great grandchildren live here today and countless others throughout New Mexico and Arizona.

By Gloria Vaquera

Winter 2010