Mentinah

The Mentinah Archives are the recorded histories of the people known anciently as the “Nemenhah.” These people trace their history from the journey of Hagoth into the Land Northward up to the present day. They were written upon plates of various metals and alloys of metals, processed animal hides and paper velum. The records were archived in several locations in North and Central America anciently, but the only surviving copies of the histories of the Nemenhah, of which we have anything to do, have been strictly guarded in the libraries of Sanpete County, Utah.

When the Mormons came into the Sanpete valley they were met by American Natives who had been forewarned in dreams and visions of their coming and of their complete conquest of the region. After converting to the new religion, several of the Chiefs of these Americans met with Brigham Young to give into his keeping a copy of the libraries hidden in the hills of the Wasatch Front, as part of their consecration to the United Order. They were pleased that the men of prophecy had come because this meant that they could leave the valley and return to where their families had originally come. Pres. Young informed them, however, that they would have to remain but for a little while longer. His words to them, “for we have not wherewith to translate these records,” are still repeated today by certain of their descendents. Shortly thereafter, the natives sealed the libraries up and no one was allowed to visit them except their brethren who came periodically from the south.

For generations, the Council of Mayan Elders has sent emissaries to the libraries to make copies for translation purposes. In 1957, the Council requested that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints translate and publish the books of the library. They report that the Brethren of the Church with whom they met responded just as Pres. Young had to the Chiefs of the Indians in Sanpete County – “We have no way of translating these things. No one speaks this language anymore.”

From that day the Council undertook the task of making a translation of the works from Nemenhah into Quiche, the languages being similar, and a sort of “Rosetta Stone” being provided by one of the ancient authors of the records. Several translators have been involved in the project, including those for whom the records constitute family history.

On November 11, 2004, the first release of the English translations was made available to members of the Numi’Pu Tsu’Peli Chopunish (now known as the Nemenhah Band and Native American Traditional Organization), under the direction of the Hereditary Medicine Chief and the Council of Mothers.