Citizendia

Navajo
Navajo flag
Total population

298,215 as of 2000 census
Regions with significant populations
United States (New Mexico, Utah, Arizona)
Languages
English, Navajo
Religions
Navajo Way, Christianity, Native American Church (NAC), other
Related ethnic groups
other Southern Athabascan peoples
Map of the Navajo Nation
Map of the Navajo Nation

The Navajo Nation (Diné in the Navajo language) is a Native American homeland covering about 26,000 square miles (67,339 square kilometres, 17 million acres), occupying all of northeastern Arizona, the southeast portion of Utah, and northwestern New Mexico. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the New Mexico ( is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States of America. The State of Utah (ˈjuːtɔː or) is a western state of the United States. The State of Arizona ( is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Navajo or Navaho ( native name: Diné bizaad) is an Athabaskan language (of Na-Dené stock spoken in the southwest United States by Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Native American Church, a religious denomination which practices Peyotism or the Peyote religion originated in the U Southern Athabaskan (also Apachean) is a subfamily of Athabaskan languages spoken primarily in the North American Southwest (including Arizona Navajo or Navaho ( native name: Diné bizaad) is an Athabaskan language (of Na-Dené stock spoken in the southwest United States by Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States The State of Arizona ( is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. The State of Utah (ˈjuːtɔː or) is a western state of the United States. New Mexico ( is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States of America. It is the largest land area assigned primarily to a Native American jurisdiction within the United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the

The Nation encompasses the land, kinship, language, religion and the right of its people to govern themselves. Members of the Nation are often known as Navajo (or Navaho) but traditionally call themselves Diné (sometimes spelled in English as Dineh) which means Navajo people.

The 2000 census reported 298,215 Navajo people living throughout the United States, of which 173,987 were living within the Navajo Nation boundaries. A census is the procedure of acquiring information about every member of a given population The Navajo or Diné people (also spelled Navaho) of the Southwestern United States Of these, 131,166 lived in Arizona (17,512 in Maricopa County, which includes the city of Phoenix). Maricopa County (ˌmɛɹɨˈkoʊ̪pə is located in the central part of the U Phoenix (ˈfiːˌnɪks O'odham Skikik, Yavapai Wasinka, Western Apache Fiinigis, Navajo Hoozdo,

Because the Navajo Nation includes land in three states, its Division of Economic Development compiles census data for the Navajo Nation as a whole. Another group lives on the Colorado River Indian Tribes reservation along the Colorado River in California and Arizona. The Colorado River Indian Reservation is 189 miles (304 km west of Phoenix Arizona, on highway 95 An Indian reservation is an area of land managed by a Native American Tribe under the United States Department of the Interior's Bureau The Colorado River (' Aha Kwahwat in Mojave) is a River in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean.

Contents

Geography

Canyon de Chelly
Canyon de Chelly
Navajo sandpainting
Navajo sandpainting

The Diné's traditional boundaries are the four sacred mountains, which actually include an area much larger than the present-day reservation. The boundaries of the Nation itself are the Ute Mountain Ute Indian Reservation at the Four Corners Monument and stretch across the Colorado Plateau into Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico. The Ute Mountain Ute Indian Reservation is an Indian reservation in southwestern Colorado, northwestern New Mexico, and southeastern Utah, The Four Corners Monument marks the Quadripoint in the Navajo Nation and Ute Mountain Tribal Lands in the Southwest United States where the states The Colorado Plateau, also called the Colorado Plateaus Province, is a physiographic region of the Intermontane Plateaus, roughly centered on the

The Nation surrounds the Hopi Indian Reservation; the Hopi tribe is sometimes known as “Navajo Land Island”. The Hopi are Native American people who primarily live on the 12635 km² (2531 The Hopi are Native American people who primarily live on the 12635 km² (2531

The seat of government is in the city of Window Rock in Apache County, Arizona. Window Rock ( Tségháhoodzání) is a Census-designated place (CDP in Apache County, Arizona, United States. There are several adjacent "Navajo Indian Reservations" (such as Alamocita) in this area, but they generally function as sub-units of the "Big Rez" (Big Reservation) with considerable local autonomy).

Situated within the Navajo Nation are Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Monument Valley, Rainbow Bridge National Monument, the Hopi Indian Reservation, and the Shiprock landmark. Canyon de Chelly National Monument was established April 1, 1931, as a unit of the National Park Service and is located in northeastern Arizona Monument Valley is located on the southern border of Utah with northern Arizona (around) Rainbow Bridge National Monument is administered by Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, southern Utah, USA. The Hopi are Native American people who primarily live on the 12635 km² (2531 Shiprock, ( Tsé Bit'a'í, "rock with wings" or "winged rock" is a rock formation rising nearly above the high-desert plain on the Navajo Nation

The Navajo Nation is a complex diagram. The eastern portion of the reservation, in New Mexico is popularly called the "Checkerboard" because Navajo lands are mingled with fee lands (owned by both Navajo and non-Navajo people) and federal and state lands under various jurisdictions.

Large non-contiguous sections of the Navajo Nation in New Mexico are:

The land area of the reservation is 62,362. 062 km² (24,078. 127 sq mi), making it by far the largest Indian reservation in the United States. It is almost exactly the same size as the state of West Virginia; it is slightly larger in land area, but slightly smaller if water area is included. West Virginia ( is a state in the Appalachian Upland South, and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, bordered by

Population

The Navajo Nation is recognized as the largest tribe in the United States. Its resident population was 180,462 as of the 2000 census.

Other Amerind tribes are situated in this area, including several Pueblo nations: Congress established a Hopi (Navajo, Oozéí, or Ayahkinii "underground-house-people") reservation within the Navajo Nation's reservation as an historic homeland where Hopi history predates that of Diné in the area. For indigenous peoples in the United States other than Hawaii and Alaska see also Native Americans in the United States. The Pueblo people are a Native American people in the Southwestern United States. The United States Congress is the bicameral Legislature of the federal government of the United States of America, consisting of two houses The Hopi are Native American people who primarily live on the 12635 km² (2531

Adjacent or nearby to the Navajo Reservation are the Southern Ute of Colorado, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe of Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico, both to the north; the Jicarilla Apache to the east, and other tribes to the west and south. Tribal Flag of the Southern Ute Tribe The Southern Ute Indian Reservation lies in southwestern Colorado, USA, along the northern border of New Mexico Also see Ute Tribe. The Ute Mountain Ute Tribe is one of three federally-recognized tribes of the Ute Nation mostly of the Weeminuche Band Jicarilla Apache refers to an Apache people currently living in New Mexico and speak a Southern Athabaskan language. A conflict over shared lands emerged in the 1980s, when the Department of the Interior attempted to relocate Diné living in the Navajo/Hopi Joint Use Area. The United States Department of the Interior ( DOI) is a Cabinet department of the United States government that manages and conserves most federally The conflict was resolved, or at least forestalled, by the award of a 75-year lease to Diné who refused to leave the former shared lands.

Communities


History

Navajo hunters outside Sam Day's Trading Post in 1887
Navajo hunters outside Sam Day's Trading Post in 1887

Prior to the Long Walk of the Navajo, traditional Navajo government was based upon regional communities and extended family leaders who worked together by consensus. Alamo ( T'iistoh in Navajo is a Census-designated place (CDP in Socorro County, New Mexico, United States. Aneth ( T'áá Bíích'į́į́dii in Navajo is a Census-designated place (CDP in San Juan County, Utah, United States. Beclabito ( Bitłʼááh Bitoʼ) is a Census-designated place (CDP in San Juan County, New Mexico, United States. Bitter Springs is a Census-designated place (CDP in Coconino County, Arizona, in the United States. Brimhall Nizhoni is a Census-designated place (CDP in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States. Burnside is a Census-designated place (CDP in Apache County, Arizona, United States. Cameron ( Navajo: Na'ní'á Hayázhí) is a Census-designated place (CDP in Coconino County, Arizona, United States. Chilchinbito (Tsiiłchin Biiʼ Tó is a Census-designated place (CDP in Navajo County, Arizona, United States. Chinle ( Chʼínílį́) is a Census-designated place (CDP in Apache County, Arizona, United States. Church Rock ( Kinłitsosinil) is a Census-designated place (CDP in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States. Crownpoint ( Tʼiistsʼóóz Ńdeeshgizh) is a Census-designated place (CDP in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States. Crystal ( Tóniłtsʼílí) is a Census-designated place (CDP in McKinley and San Juan counties in the U Dennehotso ( Deinihootso) is a Census-designated place (CDP in Apache County, Arizona, United States. Dilkon (Tsézhin Dilkǫǫh is a Census-designated place (CDP in Navajo County, Arizona, United States. Fort Defiance (Tséhootsooí is a Census-designated place (CDP in Apache County, Arizona, United States. Ganado (Lókʼaahnteel is a Census-designated place (CDP in Apache County, Arizona, United States. Greasewood ( Díwózhii Biiʼ Tó) is a Census-designated place (CDP in Navajo County, Arizona, United States. Halchita is a Census-designated place (CDP in San Juan County, Utah, United States. Houck (Maʼiitoʼí is a Census-designated place (CDP in Apache County, Arizona, United States. Huerfano (Hanáádlį́ is a Census-designated place (CDP in San Juan County, New Mexico, United States. Indian Wells ( Tó Hahadleeh) is an unincorporated community in Navajo County, Arizona, United States. Jeddito ( Jádító) is a Census-designated place (CDP in Navajo County, Arizona, United States. Kaibito (Kʼaiʼbiiʼtó is a Census-designated place (CDP in Coconino County, Arizona, United States. Kayenta ( Tó Dinéeshzhee) is a Census-designated place (CDP which is part of the Navajo Nation and is in Navajo County, Arizona, United Lechee (Łichíiʼii is a Census-designated place (CDP in Coconino County, Arizona, United States. Leupp (Tsiizizii is a Census-designated place (CDP in Coconino County, Arizona, United States. Lukachukai (Lókʼaaʼchʼégai is a Census-designated place (CDP in Apache County, Arizona, United States. Many Farms (Dáʼákʼeh Halání is a Census-designated place (CDP in Apache County, Arizona, United States. Montezuma Creek is a Census-designated place (CDP in San Juan County, Utah, United States. Oljato-Monument Valley (Tsé Biiʼ Ndzisgaii is a Census-designated place (CDP in San Juan County, Utah, United States. Nageezi ( Naayízí) is a Census-designated place (CDP in San Juan County, New Mexico, United States. Nakaibito ( Naakaii Bitoʼ) is a Census-designated place (CDP in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States. Naschitti ( Nahashchʼidí) is a Census-designated place (CDP in San Juan County, New Mexico, United States. Navajo ( Navajo: Ni'iijíhí) is a Census-designated place (CDP in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States. Navajo Mountain is a Census-designated place (CDP in San Juan County, Utah, United States. Nazlini (Názlíní is a Census-designated place (CDP in Apache County, Arizona, United States. Nenahnezad ( Niinahnízaad) is a Census-designated place (CDP in San Juan County, New Mexico, United States. Newcomb ( Bis Deezʼáhí) is a Census-designated place (CDP in San Juan County, New Mexico, United States. Ojo Amarillo is a Census-designated place (CDP in San Juan County, New Mexico, United States. Oljato-Monument Valley ( Ooljééʼtó) is a Census-designated place (CDP in Navajo County, Arizona, United States. Pinedale is an unincorporated community in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States. Pueblo Pintado ( Kinteel Chʼínílíní) is a Census-designated place (CDP in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States. Red Mesa is a Census-designated place (CDP in Apache County, Arizona, United States. Rock Point ( Navajo: Tsé Nitsaa Deezʼáhí) is a Census-designated place (CDP in the Dinetah, in Apache County, Arizona Rough Rock ( Navajo: Tséchʼízhí) is a Census-designated place (CDP in Apache County, Arizona, United States. Round Rock ( Navajo: Tsé Nikání) is a Census-designated place (CDP in Apache County, Arizona, United States. Sanostee ( Navajo: Tséʼałnáoztʼiʼí) is a Census-designated place (CDP in San Juan County, New Mexico, United States Sawmill (Niʼiijííhasání is a Census-designated place (CDP in Apache County, Arizona, United States. Sheep Springs ( Navajo: Dibé Bitoʼ) is a Census-designated place (CDP in San Juan County, New Mexico, United States. Shiprock ( Navajo: Naatʼáanii Nééz) is a Census-designated place (CDP in San Juan County, New Mexico, United States Shonto ( Navajo: Shą́ą́ʼtóhí) is a Census-designated place (CDP in Navajo County, Arizona, United States. St Michaels ( Navajo: Tsʼíhootso) is a Census-designated place (CDP in Apache County, Arizona, United States. Steamboat ( Navajo: Tóyééʼ) is a Census-designated place (CDP in Apache County, Arizona, United States. Teec Nos Pos (tiːsˈnɒspɒs in English Navajo: T’iis Názbąs tʼiːsnɑ́spɑ̃s is a Census-designated place (CDP in Apache County, Thoreau ( Dlóʼí Yázhí) is a Census-designated place (CDP in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States. Tohatchi ( Tó Haachʼiʼ) is a Census-designated place (CDP in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States. Tonalea (Tó Nehelį́į́h is a Census-designated place (CDP in Coconino County, Arizona, United States. Torreon is the name of some places in the US state of New Mexico: Torreon Sandoval County New Mexico Torreon Torrance County Tsaile (English pronunciation seɪˈliː (Tséhílį́ is a Census-designated place (CDP in Apache County, Arizona, United States, within Tse Bonito ( Navajo: Tsé Biniiʼ Tó) is a Census-designated place (CDP in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States. Tselakai Dezza is a Census-designated place (CDP in San Juan County, Utah, United States. Tuba City (Tó Naneesdizí is a Census-designated place (CDP in Coconino County, Arizona, United States. Twin Lakes ( Tsénáhádzoh) is a Census-designated place (CDP in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States. Upper Fruitland (Bááh Díílid is a Census-designated place (CDP in San Juan County, New Mexico, USA. Window Rock ( Tségháhoodzání) is a Census-designated place (CDP in Apache County, Arizona, United States. Yah-ta-hey ( Tʼáá Bííchʼį́įdii) is a Census-designated place (CDP in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States. The Long Walk of the Navajo, also called the Long Walk to Bosque Redondo, was a journey many Navajos made in 1863 to and from a reservation in southeastern (See Navajo people for more about Navajo traditions. The Navajo or Diné people (also spelled Navaho) of the Southwestern United States ) Europeans have tried to overlay their notions of government upon the Navajo for centuries with the Diné sometimes accepting change as necessary and needed.

In 1863 and 1864, as the Anglo settlers' demand for land grew, the United States government forced more than 8,500 Navajo men, women and children to march in harsh winter conditions for hundreds of miles to Bosque Redondo, New Mexico (present-day Ft. Sumner) as part of President Andrew Jackson's Indian Removal Act. The Indian Removal Act, part of a United States government policy known as Indian removal, was signed into law by President Andrew Jackson on May 26 Some Navajos were able to escape and hide at Navajo Mountain, along the Little Colorado and Colorado Rivers, and in the Grand Canyon. As the march went on, the Navajo were forced to leave their elderly and young children behind to die. Five months later, the Navajos arrived at Bosque Redondo. Fort Sumner was a military fort in De Baca County in southeastern New Mexico charged with the internment of Navajo and Mescalero Apache Many Navajos died at the wretched prison camp, due to poor living conditions. The Navajos were imprisoned for about six years, and released in May 1868. Bosque Redondo had been proved as a miserable failure, because of poor planning, disease, crop infestation and generally poor conditions for agriculture.

After the Long Walk, the United States Government's Indian Policy determined the administration of the reservation. Appointed federal individuals (Indian Agents) essentially ruled the reservation, sometimes relying on the counsel of traditional Navajo methods of government. The current tribal government was established and recognized by the federal government in 1923.

The Diné have refused three times to establish a new government under the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934. The Indian Reorganization Act, 1934, also known as the Wheeler-Howard Act or informally the Indian New Deal, was a U Members twice rejected constitutional initiatives offered by the federal government in Washington, first in 1935 and again in 1953. A reservation-based initiative in 1963 failed after some members found the process to be too cumbersome and a possible potential threat to their self-determination. A constitution was drafted and adopted by the governing council but never ratified by the members. The earlier efforts were rejected primarily because members did not find enough freedom in the proposed forms of government to develop their livestock industries, in 1935, and their mineral resources, in 1953.

In 2006, a Committee for a Navajo Constitution started to advocate for a Navajo constitutional convention. The committee's goal is to have representation from every chapter on Navajo Nation represented at a constitution convention. The committee proposes that the convention be held in the traditional na'achid/ modern chapter house manner where every member of the nation wishing to participate, may do so through their home chapters. The committee was formed by three former Navajo Leaders; Kelsey Begaye, Peterson Zah, Peter MacDonald, grass roots activist Ivan Gamble, and other local political activists. Peter MacDonald (born 1928 is a former Native American Navajo leader born in Arizona USA Reform Movement redirects here For specific organizations by that name see Reform Movement (disambiguation A reform movement is a kind

Aside from politics, the Navajo Nation Government and its citizens are playing a pivotal role in filling the Economic Gaps in which Federal money is alloted to the Navajo Nation. Much of the Administrative budget within the Navajo Nation is Federal money from the United States government. Since the Navajo Nation Administrative Government is based a type of quasi-sovereign government mirroring the US Federal model, the Navajo Nation is allowed to maintain a semi-independent economic structure. Also Education is also seeing an overhaul in the Navajo Nation, in 2006 and 2007 more of the Navajo Nation's Educational infrastructure saw itself being modeled into a more efficient system like the ever organized state school districts around the country.

Navajo Post-Modernism

Wage employment opportunities, public schools, hospitals, and public utilities have brought Navajo people in larger and larger numbers to urban centers such as Shiprock, Tuba City, Ganado, and Fort Defiance. Shiprock ( Navajo: Naatʼáanii Nééz) is a Census-designated place (CDP in San Juan County, New Mexico, United States Tuba City (Tó Naneesdizí is a Census-designated place (CDP in Coconino County, Arizona, United States. Ganado (Lókʼaahnteel is a Census-designated place (CDP in Apache County, Arizona, United States. Fort Defiance (Tséhootsooí is a Census-designated place (CDP in Apache County, Arizona, United States. A strong sense of tribal identity has kept Navajo culture and social cohesiveness intact, despite the many changes of the last century.

The Navajo Nation works to provide new business opportunities and partnerships with individuals, small business owners, and large commercial/industrial and tourism establishments. In order to become more efficient and accessible, the Navajo Nation is working to upgrade and implement its programs to benefit these burgeoning business relationships.

Opportunities for starting or expanding businesses on the Navajo Nation are not limited to members of the tribe. The Navajo Nation is currently recruiting outside private commercial/industrial and tourism development.

In recent years, The Division of Economic Development (DED) completed a range of developments including the completion of Phase I, Karigan Estates. The development plan included housing for middle- to high-income Navajo families, an office building complex, a restaurant, a commercial area and a day care center.

Tribal membership - Citizenship

Each tribe establishes its own requirements for being an enrolled tribal member, which is usually based on "blood quantum. Blood Quantum Laws is an umbrella term that describes legislation enacted to define membership in Native American groups " The Navajo Nation requires a blood quantum of one-quarter for a person, the equivalent of having one of four Dine' clans, to be an enrolled tribal member and to receive a Certificate of Indian Blood (CIB). A Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood or Certificate of Degree of Alaska Native Blood (both abbreviated CDIB is an official U In comparison, some tribes require a 1/32 blood quantum for issuing a CIB. In 2004, the Navajo Tribal Council voted down a proposal to reduce the blood quantum to one-eighth, which would have effectively doubled the number of individuals qualified to be enrolled Navajo tribal members.

The Navajo Nation took lessons from other American Indigenous Tribes which implement much lower blood quantum requirements. Blood Quantum Laws is an umbrella term that describes legislation enacted to define membership in Native American groups Unfortunately as a result, many of these tribes are currently suffering from individuals who intentionally false identify themselves as Native American. the racial politics of North America, racial passing refers to a person classified by society as a member of one "racial" group choosing to identify

These reasons are usually to fraudulently attain Federal and Tribal money and/or the incentives which are provided in being a registered member of a Federally recognized tribe. In the broadest sense a fraud is a Deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual Federally recognized tribes are those Indian tribes recognized by the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs for certain federal government These crimes effectively reduce the economic capital and momentum these American Indian and Alaska Native tribes need to develop and improve their education, health, and administrative infrastructures. Indian Health Service (IHS is an Operating Division (OPDIV within the U [1]

Education

Navajo girl, Canyon de Chelly, 1941. Photo by Ansel Adams
Navajo girl, Canyon de Chelly, 1941. Canyon de Chelly National Monument was established April 1, 1931, as a unit of the National Park Service and is located in northeastern Arizona Photo by Ansel Adams

Education, and the retention of students in all school systems, is a significant priority. Ansel Easton Adams (February 20 1902 – April 22 1984 was a legendary American Photographer and Environmentalist, best known for his Black-and-white A major problem faced by the nation is a very high drop-out rate among high school students. Over 150 public, private and Bureau of Indian Affairs schools serve students from kindergarten through high school. Most schools receive funding from the Navajo Nation under the Johnson O’Malley program.

The Nation also runs a local Head Start, the only educational program operated by the Navajo Nation government. Post-secondary education and vocational training are available on and off the reservation.

Since these drop out rates are high among the Navajo Nation, programs such as the Literacy is Empowering Project help combat these problems. The Literacy is Empowering Program is a non-profit project which promotes literacy and pre-reading skills for Native children to increase standard academic language It is a non-profit project which promotes literacy and pre-reading skills for Native children to increase standard academic language.

Secondary Education

There are six types of secondary establishments, including:

Arizona Public Schools
New Mexico Public Schools
Utah Public Schools
Bureau of Indian Affairs Public Schools
Association of Navajo Controlled Schools
Navajo Preparatory School, Inc. The State of Arizona ( is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. New Mexico ( is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States of America. The State of Utah (ˈjuːtɔː or) is a western state of the United States. History Although the bureau which was called the Office of Indian Affairs was formed in 1824 similar agencies had existed in the U
[2]

Navajo Preparatory School, Inc.

The only Navajo-sanctioned, college-preparatory school for Native Americans, Navajo Preparatory School recruits some of the best and brightest students of the Navajo Nation. Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States Looking to the future, the school offers students a challenging, innovative curriculum in science, math, computers, and other traditional academic subjects. In harmony with the past, it steeps the youth in a deep appreciation of the Navajo Language, culture, and history. Navajo or Navaho ( native name: Diné bizaad) is an Athabaskan language (of Na-Dené stock spoken in the southwest United States by Armed with this impressive, balanced education, students graduate with the skills to succeed in college and an understanding of the world around them. Many will become leaders of their people and role models for future generations.

Located in Farmington, New Mexico, a few miles outside the Navajo reservation, Navajo Preparatory School's mission is: "To educate talented and motivated college-bound Navajo and other Native American youth who have the potential to succeed in higher education and become leaders in their respective communities. Farmington ( Tótah) is a city in San Juan County, New Mexico, United States. Navajo (sometimes spelled Navaho) or Diné, (means The People in Navajo) refers or relates to the Navajo people, currently The school provides a rigorous academic program based on a strong foundation of Navajo Philosophy, supported by a residential environment that enhances individuality and independence.

Diné College

The Navajo Nation operates Diné College, a two-year community college which has its main campus in Tsaile in Apache County, as well as seven other campuses on the reservation. Diné College is a two-year tribally controlled Community college, serving the people of the 27000 square-mile (about 70000 km² Navajo Indian Reservation, which A community college is a type of Educational institution. The term has different meanings in different countries Tsaile (English pronunciation seɪˈliː (Tséhílį́ is a Census-designated place (CDP in Apache County, Arizona, United States, within Current enrollment is 1,830 students, of which 210 are degree-seeking transfer students for four-year institutions. The college includes the Center for Diné Studies, whose goal is to apply Navajo Sa'ah Naagháí Bik'eh Hózhóón principles to advance quality student learning through Nitsáhákees (thinking), Nahatá (planning), Iiná (living), and Sihasin (assurance) in study of the Diné language, history, and culture in preparation for further studies and employment in a multi-cultural and technological world.

Navajo Nation Department of Diné Education

The Navajo Nation Board of Education is an 11 member board instructed to oversee the operations of schools on the Navajo Nation and exercise regulatory functions and duties over education programs on the Navajo Nation. It was established by the Navajo Nation education code, Title 10 which was enacted in July 2005 by Navajo Nation Council.

The board acts to promote the goals of the Navajo Sovereignty in Education Act of 2005 which include the establishment and management of a Navajo Nation Department of Diné Education, to confirm the commitment of the Navajo Nation to the education of the Navajo People, to repeal obsolete language and to update and reorganize the existing language of Titles 10 and 2 of the Navajo Nation Code.

It is the educational mission of the Navajo Nation to promote and foster lifelong learning for the Navajo people, and to protect the culture integrity and sovereignty of the Navajo Nation. A Navajo Nation Board of Education meeting is scheduled the first Friday of every month.

Through a ballot election process, the Board realigned their officers in 2006. The new officers are:
Jimmie C. Begay - President
Rebecca M. Benally - Vice President
Vee F. Rebecca M Benally (born May 16, 1962) is an American school Principal for Montezuma Creek Elementary School and the current Navajo Nation Board Brown - Secretary
Marjorie Dodge-Teacher representative.

Other members include elected representatives from Eastern Navajo Agency, Dolly C. Begay: Western Agency, Dr. Dolly Manson; Ft. Defiance Agency, Katherine Arviso; and Shiprock Agency, Virgil Kirk, Jr. Presidential-appointed members are Juanita Benally-Navajo Culture Representative, .

Tommy Lewis Incident

Unfortunately as much as the Navajo Board of Education tried to the stay away from the astonishingly polarizing political life of the Navajo Nation, when an at-will employee is terminated by the board for substantially being unresponsive and unproductive; the result was a very explosive political crisis. At-will employment is a doctrine of American law that defines an Employment relationship in which either party can break the relationship with no liability provided

Navajo Nation Board of Education voted to release Superintendent of Schools Dr. Tommy Lewis from his job, effective immediately.

Most of the Board agreed and voted 5-2, with one absent, to release Lewis because of lack of performance. Eddie Biakeddy, who is second in command, was appointed acting superintendent. The board then began advertising the job position immediately. [3]

I believe as we move forward for Navajo Nation education systems, as leaders we have to take a stand, Benally (Vice-President) said. And I believe that as the Navajo Nation Board of Education we have, because we observed stagnation in a position that should have had a vision to provide a better quality education for our children. That wasn't happening.

Government

Diné government is unique in several ways. The Navajo Nation is divided into five Agencies. These are similar to counties and match the five Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) agencies which support the Nation. History Although the bureau which was called the Office of Indian Affairs was formed in 1824 similar agencies had existed in the U The smallest political units are the Chapters, similar to towns. The Navajo Nation Council presently consists of 88 delegates representing the 110 Chapters, elected every four years by registered Navajo voters. As reorganized in 1991, the Nation's government at the capital in Window Rock has a three branch system: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial.

The United States still asserts plenary power to require the Navajo Nation to submit all proposed laws to the United States Secretary of the Interior for Secretarial Review, through the Bureau of Indian Affairs. A plenary power or plenary authority is the complete power of a governing body The United States Secretary of the Interior is the head of the United States Department of the Interior. Secretarial Review is a part of the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 (IRA Most conflicts and controversies between the federal government and the Nation are settled by negotiation and by political agreements. Laws of the Navajo Nation are currently codified in the Navajo Nation Code. The Bureau of Indian Affairs maintains five Indian Agencies within the Navajo Indian Reservation: Chinle, Eastern, Western, Fort Defiance, and Shiprock. The Agencies provide various technical services under direction of the BIA's Navajo Area Office in Gallup, New Mexico. Gallup (Naʼnízhoozhí is a city in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States.

Local and federal law enforcement agencies that routinely work within the Navajo Nation include the Navajo Division of Public Safety, with the Navajo Nation Police (formerly the "Navajo Tribal Police"), the BIA Police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation

Navajos making a sandpainting
Navajos making a sandpainting

The Navajo governing council continues a historical practice of prohibiting alcohol sales within reservation boundaries. History The Treaty of 1868 that released the Navajos from their captivity at Fort Sumner established law enforcement as the responsibility of the Federal Government For some visitors of the area — often attracted by the Indian jewelry trade, by tourist attractions or by Interstate Highway 40 that passes through the area. The Dwight D Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly called the Interstate Highway System (or simply the Interstate System) Leaders and some member groups actively oppose the sale of alcohol, and have taken several measures to find and offer treatment for those members who are suffering from alcoholism. Alcoholism is a term with multiple and sometimes conflicting definitions

There is no private land ownership within the Navajo Nation - all land is owned in common and administered by the Nation's government. Leases are made both to customary land users (for homesites, grazing, and other uses) and to organizations, including the BIA and other federal agencies, churches and other religious organizations, and businesses.

Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley, Jr. addressed the Navajo Nation Council in the annual State of the Navajo Nation Address on January 24, 2005 and presented his conviction to develop a new governing document for the Navajo Nation. Dr Joe Shirley Jr (born December 1947 is a Native American politician who is the current President of the Navajo Nation. Navajo Tribal Council is the Legislative branch of the Navajo Nation government President Shirley, who campaigned to return government to the Diné by government reform, stated that the document must establish the structure and authority of a central government.

Political leadership

Office of President and Vice-President

2006 Elections

Eleven (11) candidates ran in the 2006 Primary Elections:

The Primary winners faced off in the General Elections in November 2006:

In 2006, Lynda Lovejoy was the first woman to ever make it to the General elections in modern Navajo Nation History, squaring off against Joe Shirley. Dr Joe Shirley Jr (born December 1947 is a Native American politician who is the current President of the Navajo Nation. Crownpoint ( Tʼiistsʼóóz Ńdeeshgizh) is a Census-designated place (CDP in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States. Three days after the primaries Lynda Lovejoy selected Walter Phelps Jr. of Leupp, Arizona as her running mate. Although both candidates were Navajo members, Phelps did live off the reservation prior to running for the Vice-Presidential nomination which in retrospect ultimately lead to the downfall of her campaign.

The following day Joe Shirley selected respected veteran-Navajo Tribal Councilman Bennie Shelly of Thoreau, New Mexico as his running mate. Navajo Tribal Council is the Legislative branch of the Navajo Nation government Thoreau ( Dlóʼí Yázhí) is a Census-designated place (CDP in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States. Both sides of the campaign teams ran strong platforms winning the minds of the Navajo people, the Shirley/Shelly campaign over all prevailing in their message of economic prosperity.

21st Navajo Nation Council

The 21st Navajo Nation Council convene immediately after the inauguration of the 6th President of the Navajo Nation, the Honorable Joe Shirley Jr. was once again sworn in as President for a 2nd term, with Vice-President elect Councilmen Ben Shelly.

Two term Speaker of the Navajo Nation Council, Lawrence T. Morgan ran for a 3rd term as Speaker of the Council, while running against Fort Defiance Council Delegate Harold Waneka in a run-off. Lawrence T Morgan is the current Speaker of the Navajo Nation Tribal Council. Speaker Morgan captured a 3rd consecutive win, as Speaker of the 21st Navajo Nation Council.

In April 2006, Navajo Nation Council Speaker Lawrence Morgan faced a charge of criminal battery when he struck Council Delegate Mark Maryboy. Mark Maryboy (born December 10, 1955) was an American Politician for San Juan County Utah and a former Navajo Nation Council Aneth Chapter members had demanded Morgan issue a public apology, following the bathroom scuffle. Aneth ( T'áá Bíích'į́į́dii in Navajo is a Census-designated place (CDP in San Juan County, Utah, United States. Speaker Morgan ignored the Aneth meeting, overall never presenting himself. [4]

Investigators attempted to contact Morgan the following days after the incident. Public safety officials said that they believe Morgan stayed off the reservation to avoid possible arrest. [5]

Notable Council Delegates

Past Speakers of the Navajo Nation Council

Government issues

Navajo flocks
Navajo flocks

Economy

The Navajo Nation economy includes traditional endeavors such as sheep and cattle herding, fiber production, weaving, jewelry making, and art trading. Kaibito (Kʼaiʼbiiʼtó is a Census-designated place (CDP in Coconino County, Arizona, United States. Navajo-Churro sheep are a Breed of Domestic sheep originating with Churra sheep obtained by the Navajo Native American tribe Animal husbandry, also called Animal science, stockbreeding or simple husbandry, is the agricultural practice of breeding This article describes textile weaving For other senses of this word see Weaving (disambiguation. Jewellery (also spelled jewelry, see spelling differences) is a personal Ornament, such as a necklace ring or bracelet made from Gemstones Art refers to a diverse range of Human activities creations and expressions that are appealing to the Senses or Emotions of a human individual Newer industries that employ members include coal and uranium mining, though the uranium market slowed near the end of the 20th century. Uranium (jʊˈreɪniəm is a silvery-gray Metallic Chemical element in the The nuclear fuel cycle, also called nuclear fuel chain, is the progression of Nuclear fuel through a series of differing stages The Navajo Nation's extensive mineral resources are among the most valuable held by Native American nations within the United States. The Navajo government employs hundreds in civil service and administrative jobs. One important business within the reservation is the operation of arts and crafts shops, selling handmade crafts. Other Navajo members work at retail stores and other businesses within the Nation's reservation or in nearby towns. Until 2004, the Navajo Nation had declined to join other Native American (indigenous) nations within the United States who have opened casinos. That year, the nation signed a compact with the state of New Mexico to operate a casino at To'hajiilee, near Albuquerque. Navajo leaders also negotiated with Arizona state officials in talks that could lead to casinos near Flagstaff, Lake Powell, Winslow, Sanders (Nahata Dziil Chapter), and Cameron (Grand Canyon entrance). Flagstaff (Kinłání is a city located in northern Arizona, in the southwestern United States Lake Powell is a man-made reservoir on the Colorado River, straddling the border between Utah and Arizona.

The Black Mesa and Lake Powell railroad serves one of the coal mines in the Diné region, carrying coal to the Navajo Generating Station at Page, Arizona. Navajo Generating Station is a coal-fired powerplant with a power of 2280 Megawatts at Page, Arizona, USA. Page is a town in Coconino County, Arizona, United States, near the Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell. Another mine in the area, Peabody Energy's Black Mesa coal mine near Kayenta, a controversial strip mine, was shut down on December 31, 2005 for its emission credits. Kayenta ( Tó Dinéeshzhee) is a Census-designated place (CDP which is part of the Navajo Nation and is in Navajo County, Arizona, United The Black Mesa plateau lies in the arid Four Corners region of the United States, overlapping the reservations of the Navajo and Hopi tribes Surface mining is a type of Mining in which soil and rock overlying the mineral deposit are removed Events 406 – Vandals, Alans and Suebians cross the Rhine, beginning an invasion of Gallia. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Emissions trading (or emission trading) is an administrative approach used to control Pollution by providing economic Incentives for This mine fed the Mojave Generating Station at Laughlin, NV, via a slurry pipeline that used water from the Black Mesa aquifer. Laughlin is a Census-designated place (CDP in Clark County, Nevada, United States. A slurry pipeline is used in mining to Transport Mineral concentrate from a mineral processing plant near a mine In early 2008, the Navajo nation and Boston-based Citizens Energy Corp. reached a deal to build a 500 megawatt wind farm approximately 50 miles north of Flagstaff. The watt (symbol W) is the SI derived unit of power, equal to one Joule of energy per Second. Known as the Diné Wind Project, it will be the first commercial wind farm in Arizona. [1]

Navajo weaver at loom
Navajo weaver at loom

Lower Taxes

Navajo Nation Tax Incentives At this time, the Navajo Nation does not tax corporate income, inventories, and personal income. Additionally, the Nation does not have property or unemployment tax (although this is subject to change).

In general, taxation on the Navajo Nation is lower in comparison to other places in the United States. This is particularly true for businesses which are newly established or which have expanded their operation onto the Navajo Nation. There are a number of federal and state tax incentives currently in place.

Daylight saving time

The Nation is the only part of the state of Arizona that observes daylight saving time, in view of the fact that parts of the Nation are located within two other states. Daylight saving time ( DST The remainder of Arizona is the only part of the continental United States that does not change its clocks.

Housing and transportation

Currently, Navajo Housing Authority, the tribally designated housing entity for the Navajo Nation, has begun construction of new homes on the Navajo Nation with new materials which are more cost-effective and less prone to fire damage. Among the six agencies of the Navajo Nation, NHA housing developments exist. There is also the option for many families to build scattered-site homes on their traditional homesite lease.

"Hooghan," means the home for Navajos and it is the center of learning, and the traditional style of home of the Navajo is the hogan. A hogan (hoʊˈgɑːn from Navajo hooghan, hoːɣan is the primary traditional home of the Navajo people. Most modern housing in the Navajo Nation is detached single-family homes and mobile homes. Most homes in the Navajo Nation were built in the 1960s, 1970s, or 1980s, although older built homes do exist. Single-family homes are mostly rural-styled homes constructed of wood. Because many homes do not have access to natural gas and electricity, most homes use wood or propane for heat and cooking. Natural gas is a Gaseous Fossil fuel consisting primarily of Methane but including significant quantities of Ethane, Propane,

Navajo children
Navajo children

Due to the reservation's remote geographic location, many structures do not have telephone or public utility services and lack complete kitchen or plumbing facilities. However, infrastructure development has grown significantly through the years, affording Navajo families the modern conveniences of DSL, satellite television and even wireless access in some communities. The government subsidized phone program has brought even the most remote locations of the reservation in contact with the rest of the Navajo Nation.

Roads within the reservation vary in condition. Most federally operated U. S. highways are in excellent condition year-round and are suitable for vehicles of any size. Roads are generally unpaved in many rural areas and small villages. In the central parts of the Navajo Nation, near the Black Mesa (Arizona), roads are often only poorly maintained, and are sometimes in nearly unusable condition after very heavy rains. In general, except for the most remote regions, road conditions in the Navajo Nation are usually acceptable for routine use.

Health

Several types of cancer are in evidence at rates higher than the national average on the Four Corners Navajo Reservation. Cancer (medical term Malignant Neoplasm) is a class of Diseases in which a group of cells display uncontrolled (Raloff, 2004) Especially high are the rates of reproductive-organ cancers in teenage Navajo girls, averaging seventeen times higher than the average of girls in the United States. A sex organ, or primary sexual characteristic, as narrowly defined is any of the anatomical parts of the body which are involved in sexual reproduction and constitute

Navajo woman & child
Navajo woman & child

It has been suspected that uranium mines, both active and abandoned, have released dust into the surrounding air and the water supply. Studies done on mice, exposing them to a soluble form of uranium similar to what might enter groundwater from the mines, showed heavy increases in estrogen levels which might explain the increased cancer levels among Navajo girls. Estrogens (US otherwise oestrogens or œstrogens) are a group of Steroid compounds named for their importance in the Estrous cycle, The amount of uranium given to the mice was half the level permitted by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and one-tenth the level found in some wells on the Navajo reservation.

Diabetes mellitus is a major health problem among the Navajo, Hopi and Pima tribes, about four times higher than the age-standardized U. Diabetes mellitus (ˌdaɪəˈbiːtiːz or /ˌdaɪəˈbiːtəs/ /məˈlaɪtəs/ or /ˈmɛlətəs/ often referred to simply as diabetes ( Ancient Greek: grc The Hopi are Native American people who primarily live on the 12635 km² (2531 The Akimel O'odham or Pima are a group of American Indians living in an area consisting of what is now central and Southern Arizona ( USA S. estimate. Medical researchers believe increased consumption of carbohydrates, coupled with genetic factors, play significant roles in the emergence of this chronic disease.

One in every 2,500 children in the Navajo population inherits Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), a condition that endows the children with virtually no immune system. Severe combined immunodeficiency ( SCID) or Boy in the Bubble Syndrome is a genetic disorder in which both "arms" ( B cells and T cells In the general population the genetic disorder is much more rare, affecting one in 100,000 children. The disorder is sometimes known as "bubble boy disease. " This condition is a significant cause of illness and death among Navajo children. Research reveals a similar genetic pattern among the related Apache people. In a December 2007 Associated Press article, Mortan Cowan, M. D. , director of the Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant Program at the University of California-San Fransciso, noted that although researchers have identified about a dozen genes that cause SCID, the Navajo/Apache population has the most severe form of the disorder. The University of California ( UC) is a Public university system in the state of California. This is due to the lack of a gene designated "Artemis. " Without the gene, children's bodies are unable to repair DNA or develop disease-fighting cells. Deoxyribonucleic acid ( DNA) is a Nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known (Fonseca, Salt Lake Tribune, B10)

Uranium

From 1944 to 1986, 3. 9 million tons of uranium ore were chiseled and blasted from the mountains and plains. Uranium (jʊˈreɪniəm is a silvery-gray Metallic Chemical element in the The mines provided uranium for the Manhattan Project, the top-secret effort to develop an atomic bomb, and for the weapons stockpile built up during the arms race with the Soviet Union. The World War II Manhattan Project developed the first Nuclear weapon (atomic bomb A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from Nuclear reactions either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 [6]

Private companies operated the mines with the U. S. government as the sole customer. The boom lasted through the early 1960s. As the threat of the Cold War gradually diminished over the next two decades, four processing mills and more than 1,000 mines on tribal land shut down, leaving behind radioactive waste piles, open tunnels and pits. Few bothered to fence the properties or post warning signs. Federal inspectors seldom intervened. [7]

Over the decades, Navajos residing in the area inhaled radioactive dust from the waste piles, borne aloft by desert winds. They drank water contaminated from rain filled abandoned pit mines. They watered their herds, then butchered the animals and ate the meat. [8]

Clean-up Efforts

Despite efforts made in cleaning up uranium sites, significant problems stemming from the legacy of uranium development still exist today on the Navajo Nation in the states of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona. The State of Utah (ˈjuːtɔː or) is a western state of the United States. The State of Colorado ( or chiefly by nonresidents) is a state located in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States of America. New Mexico ( is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States of America. The State of Arizona ( is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. Hundreds of abandoned mines have not been cleaned up and present environmental and health risks in many Navajo communities. [9]

In addition, Navajo communities now have to face proposed new uranium solution mining that threatens the only source of drinking water for 10,000 to 15,000 people living in the Eastern Navajo Agency in northwestern New Mexico. The Southwest Research and Information Center (SRIC) aims to provide the public with information on resource exploitation on the people and their cultures, lands, water, and air of the American Southwest. The Southwestern area of the United States could be defined as the states west of the Mississippi River, with the qualification of a certain northern limit such as the 37 [10]

Notable Navajo People

Notable Navajo Politicians

Modern Music and Art - Artists/Actors/Soloists/Writers

See also

References

External links

v • d • e
Navajo Nation

dine bikeyah bahoozho'

The Navajo or Diné people (also spelled Navaho) of the Southwestern United States Navajo or Navaho ( native name: Diné bizaad) is an Athabaskan language (of Na-Dené stock spoken in the southwest United States by Navajo music is the Music of the Navajo people and nation, currently in Arizona, Utah and New Mexico. Navajo Mythology is a system of beliefs that is enormously rich and expressive as well as complex with many tales Diné College is a two-year tribally controlled Community college, serving the people of the 27000 square-mile (about 70000 km² Navajo Indian Reservation, which The Supreme Court of the Navajo Nation is the highest judicial Native American authority of the Navajo Nation, the largest American Indian nation in the United Navajo rugs and blankets are Textiles produced by Navajo people ( Diné) of the Four Corners area of the United States. Navajo-Churro sheep are a Breed of Domestic sheep originating with Churra sheep obtained by the Navajo Native American tribe The Navajo Wars were a series of battles often separated with treaties that involved raids by different Navajo bands on the rancheras along the Rio Grande The Long Walk of the Navajo, also called the Long Walk to Bosque Redondo, was a journey many Navajos made in 1863 to and from a reservation in southeastern The US Army officially employed Navajos as US Army Indian Scouts between 1873 and 1895 which included the Apache Wars. The term Navajo Pueblitos, also known as Dinetah Pueblitos, refers to a class of Archaeological sites that are found in the northwestern corner of Dinetah, or Dinétah, is the traditional homeland of the Navajo tribe of Native Americans. Barboncit (1820-1871 was a famous [[Navajo people|Navajo] political and spiritual leader Manuelito (1818–1893 was one of the principal war chiefs of the Navajo people before during and after the Long Walk Period Narbona (1766– August 31, 1849) was a Navajo chief He was killed in a confrontation with U
© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org