By Liberty Goodnow, Senior Reporter
“You are on native land.”
Growing up on a reservation is something that Leiyah Light is proud of.
That is why she wears a beanie with that phrase across the front of it.
Shiprock, New Mexico, is where Light was raised.
But her great grandmother, Louise Bluehorse, resides in Mitten Rock, Arizona, and is only fluent in Navajo.
However, that didn’t stop Light from spending her most memorable summers there.
From herding sheep to connecting with mother earth in the mountains and learning how to cook fry bread and tortillas, Light said her great grandma always had so much to teach her about the native culture.
Every Christmas, Light and her family would buy beanies, gloves and scarves and pass them out to those in need on the street.
Light said her parents taught her valuable lessons: always be kind because you never know what someone is going through and always love each other more than anything materialistic, because you never know when your last day with someone will be.
On Oct. 1, 2014, Light’s father passed away.
At such a young age, she turned to running as a coping mechanism.
Something she once hated and avoided in physical education was now her great escape.
Before high school, Light and her sister, LaLeah, moved in with their aunt and uncle.
Being in a new place can be tough, so she joined cross country to make some new friends.
She became a successful athlete, running varsity and making it to state all four years.
At Northwestern, Light is a pre-nursing major and runs for the women’s cross country team. She previously attended Dodge City Community College and ran for the Conquistadors.
“Running is a part of my culture and who I am,” Light said.
“We as natives say we pray with our fee. We get up early in the morning, pray and give our offerings of corn pollen to the earth.”