Laurel Morales

In a series of marches that began in 1864, the U.S. Army forced thousands of Navajo and Mescalero Apache people to walk 400 miles to an isolated reservation; more than a third died. Some say today's ills in Indian Country — severe poverty, suicide, addiction — have their roots in the "Long Walk."

The controversy over the recent Paris auctions of Hopi objects boils down to competing definitions of what is sacred. The same tension exists elsewhere in Indian Country where economic development projects are proposed for land Native Americans consider to be holy.

The government shutdown has some American Indian tribes bracing for the worst. They've seen cuts to food distribution, child care and financial assistance. At the same time, a handful of northern Arizona tribes are seeing an unexpected spike in tourists who were turned away from nearby national parks.

The Navajo Nation is one of the most violent reservations in the country. The U.S. attorney's office tries to take on the most violent crimes, but it often lacks enough evidence to prosecute. And because of antiquated tribal codes, the maximum Navajo court sentence is one year.

Indian reservations don't collect state property taxes, meaning most of their education budget comes directly from the federal government. With graduation rates already low, administrators worry about what larger class sizes and fewer school buses will do to the community.

Rep.-elect Ann Kirkpatrick is returning to Washington this week after sitting out a term following her 2010 defeat. This time around, Kirkpatrick hopes to strengthen her foothold in a swing district, but she's dealing with a tricky electorate.

Think moccasins, turquoise jewelry and sheep butchering. The competition tests Miss Navajo hopefuls on their knowledge of traditions and language.