Navajo (NAV-a-hoe) |
Using three modes of transportation at
Monument Valley on the Arizona-Utah border
Photo:©Sylvain Grandadam/Photo Researchers, Inc. |
Ya’at’ eeh means “hello” in the Navajo language. The Navajo Nation, the largest reservation in the United States, is located in New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona. Canyons, mesas, alpine forests, and deserts make up the reservation, larger than the state of West Virginia. There are pretty names for places, like Painted Desert and Rainbow Bridge. Did you know that the Navajo name for themselves is Dine? It means “the people.”
The Navajo capital is Window Rock, Arizona. Just like the federal government, the Navajo Nation has three branches. The court system includes Peacemaker courts, operated in a traditional Navajo way. Many people speak Navajo and practice time-honored ways of handling disputes.
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Little Miss Four Corners at the Navajo Fair, Window Rock, Arizona
Photo:©Stephen Trimble |
Fun at the school playground,
Ganada, Arizona
Photo:©Suanne Page |
Navajo language and culture are usually taught in school along with academic subjects. Some children have to take a bus a long way to get to school. Homes are usually far from schools and neighbors, because many Navajos have sheep which need a lot of space to graze. The children help with the sheep, and the dogs are smart about taking care of the sheep, too!
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Shepherding at Red Mesa, Utah
Photo:©Stephen Trimble |
The sheep provide plenty of wool for the famous Navajo blankets and rugs. They take a long time to make. Weavers shear the sheep, spin the wool into yarn, ready the loom, make dyes, color the wool, and then it’s time to begin weaving. The patterns come from the weaver’s head and heart. Most weavers start as young girls—it’s a good way to learn patience. Did you know that no two rugs are ever exactly alike?
Some parents earn a living by weaving, but others are employed in government jobs, computer part manufacturing, tourism, and farming. Produce with the Navajo Pride label is grown right on the reservation. Mining companies employ people, too, but many Navajos are saddened by what the strip mining does to the land.
In the 1860s, Navajos were forced to leave their homelands and walk over 300 miles to a New Mexico fort, where they were imprisoned for four years. Thousands died on the “Long Walk.” Navajos won the right to return to their home, where they live today. |
Sharing a laugh with Mom
Photo:©Jim Noelker/Image Works
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More facts about Navajos
Reservations/Communities: one large reservation in Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah; three small reservations in New Mexico
Total population: 298,197
Some people to learn about:
Lori Arviso Alvord [1958– ], surgeon
Notah Begay III [1972– ], championship golfer
Annie Dodge Wauneka [1910–1997], health educator
Neighbors: Apaches, Havasupais, Hopis, Pimas, Tohono O’odhams
Weblinks:
FAQ's About Life on the Navajo Nation
Navajo Nation
Navajo Arts
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Children of Native America Today copyright 2003 Shakti for Children, Inc.
Used with permission by Charlesbridge Publishing, Inc.
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