Letters: Happy 4th from Miss Navajo

Yá’át’ééh ałtaał’áásiiłgóó, shik’éí dóó shidiné’é, shihastóí, shizáanii.

Mckeon K. Dempsey dashijiní. Ádoone’é ígíí éí Kiiya’áanii Dine’é nishłí dóó Tsédeeshgiizhnii Dine’é bashíshchíín. Áádóó Tódích’íi’nii Dine’é éí dashicheii dóó Biih Bitoodnii Dine’é éí dahshinálí. Ákwót’áo Diné asdzání nishłi. Shí éí Naabeehó Bich’eeke’ nishłi.

Ya’iishjááshtsoh yiziłígíí biyi’ díí’góó yoołkááłgóó éí Wááshindoon t’áá bí hoo’áałgo hahoolzhiizh yéedáá’ béé hániih k’adée haleeh. Shik’éí dóó shidine’é t’áá shoodí baa’ ádahołyá dóó naaltsoos dildoní hazhó’ógo chodayooł’í. Éí kǫ’ bee chǫǫ’í áko ha’joosííd dóó nahasdzą́ą́n nihimá baa’ ádahwiilyą́a dooleeł. Łahdah naaltsoos dildoní bee nidajinée łeh éí hanahchį’ kǫ’ haideiyiłyeed áko ba’áhółchįįh shik’éí dóó shidiné’é dóó sha’áłchíní. Shíídą́ą́’ Diné bikéyah bikáá’ ákwódzaa tsintahgi diiłtłah dóó ayóo báhádzid nít’éé’. T’áá háadi haz’ą́ągi naaltsoos dildoní t’áá áko hólóogo éí shį́ į́ áadi chodayooł’ į́ dooleeł. Nizhónígo hooghangóó deínóókááh dóó ádaa’ ádahołyą́ dóó nihimá Nahasdzą́ą́n baa daazhnooba’.

I would like to wish everyone a Happy 4th of July this year. May you and your loved ones travel safely and enjoy the summer season that brings warmth, rain showers and family time. I hope everyone celebrates the 4th of July responsibly and maintain safety when using fireworks. Please make sure fireworks are only used in designated areas to avoid any forest fires or wild fires. Let us take care of our home, land and families this holiday. T’áá shoodí ádaa’ádahołyá. Ahéhee’.

McKeon K. Dempsey
Miss Navajo Nation

Time to repeal the Diné Marriage Act

Last Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a historic decision in favor of marriage equality, making it so that same-sex couples will soon have the freedom to marry and be treated with respect for their marriages across all 50 states. This has little to no impact towards how we treat same-sex couples living on the Navajo Nation because of the discriminatory Diné Marriage Act.

Our nation has a long march towards equality but we can only move forward. Although the Coalition for Navajo Equality is pleased with the court decision reaffirming our fundamental right to marry who we love, the Diné Marriage Act is still the law of the land. Yet, we believe this victory provides us a foundation to also seek action to its direct repeal. Let me be clear — gay and lesbian Navajo couples only want to be treated with fairness and respect by their nation.

President Russell Begaye and the Navajo Nation Council now have a real opportunity to take a stand and be champions for our equality. Their support will end 10 years of discrimination towards our gay and lesbian couples and their families. Discrimination that does not allow my partner and me to jointly file for a homesite lease so we could build a home alongside our grandparents. Discrimination that does not allow us to jointly share the same health insurance or seek Medicare assistance when we’re both elderly men. The same discrimination that denies us the right to jointly adopt children so that we may raise a family.

It is this discrimination from the Navajo government that tells couples like us that everything we represent is “foreign” and that our marriage together is somehow not “Navajo enough.” All that my partner and I are fighting for is your acceptance and for complete fairness under Navajo law.

The impact of the Supreme Court ruling has yet to be seen for our nation and for the other 566 tribes across the country. What is clear is that around 90 percent of the Navajo Nation’s annual budget derives from federal funding with specific policies and conditions on how they are spent. It would be hard for Navajo leaders to argue for the Diné Marriage Act when such an outdated law would be null and void in the surrounding 50 states. Federal funding impacts tribal policies and its laws.

We have to have a meaningful conversation about our future. In the meantime, gay and lesbian Navajo couples will continue to influence the discussion over Navajo sovereignty and federal jurisdiction. It is my strong opinion that we need a Navajo solution for our Navajo problem – the Diné Marriage Act. This law was created by tribal leaders and it can change. So let’s work together my relatives and friends, from Christians to traditional people, and demonstrate to the rest of Indian Country that the Navajo Nation is a safe, inclusive home for our gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender family members.

Alray Nelson
Tohatchi, N.M.

You can’t find God with the left brain

Comments on Navajo Times article dated June 25, 2015 “Beyond Faith.”

The rapporteur’s need for evidence on San Francisco Mountain’s sacredness is typical left-brain Western response. Western culture is dominantly left-brain. They process their worldview from the left brain, which includes linear thinking, logic, reading, and writing.

Logic affects their view of God. You have to prove with evidence that there is a God. One cannot find God with the left brain. It is a right-brain process to find God. The right brain processes spirituality, love, intuition, holistic, music, dance, and art. One can have a sense of the spiritual through intuition and holistic thinking. Indigenous people process their worldview through their right brain. All the ceremonies are a right-brain process and view.

Do the research about this. The research is your evidence; do the research about Native American culture and worldview. Much of their culture involves moving in synchrony with the world. Faith involves using the intuition. You have this knowing about God through your intuition and senses. Native Americans did not rely on a book to know God; they relied on their intuitive spirit and view of the Earth. Humans cannot exist without the Earth so the Earth is called the Mother. The Mother Earth provides all that we humans need to live. We are dependent on the Earth. So we give the Earth the honor and respect. The worldview of Native Americans is the Earth is a living being. Greed is seen as sickness. Native Americans are said to have responsibility to take care of the Earth and they do this by giving appreciation to the Earth every morning with their offerings. Nothing is for free. It is their responsibility to protect the Earth from threats that are destructive.

If you are a rapporteur you have to know and understand this worldview. One could say the move to destroy the San Francisco Peaks is motivated by greed. Money is to be made. There are some things that need to be held as sacred, not just for Native Americans, but for all people because all people depend on the Earth to live. Native Americans are said to be the teacher of this worldview.

Sharon Manuelito
Window Rock, Ariz.

 Missing Diné language materials of yesteryear

Curious, I went to the Shiprock Branch of the Diné College Library looking for Navajo language classroom materials. I was interested in materials produced by the Native American Materials Development Center sponsored by the Ramah Navajo School Board and the USDOE in the 1970s. I found a few NAMDC materials in the rare books collection. I searched for materials produced by Rough Rock Demonstration School, Blanding Public Schools, Utah, and Chinle School District. The holdings of Navajo language teaching materials are rare at this point. I thought how wonderful it would be if the materials were readily and easily available to any Navajo.

The irony is that we are facing a crisis in the loss of the Dine language despite the fervent teachings of grandparents, parents and teachers. They need every available resource to supplement their efforts.

In these grim times, a monthly magazine is a beacon of light as it shines on aspects of our culture and history – “Leading the Way.” I am glad to see that it continues; it is the result of one woman’s efforts. Kathleen Manolesco is a trained researcher-scholar. Dr. Manolescu plows her own financial resources and energy into the monthly magazine from Yatahey, N.M. Dr. Manolescu ensures the authenticity and quality of the contents of the magazine. “Leading the Way” is ordered by Navajo educational institutions, which support our traditional knowledge and history. Unfortunately, there are reservation schools, which do not order the magazine, indicating their indifference to our rich culture and history. I wonder which school districts fail to utilize this teaching resource in their schools.

An old timer I am, and I confess I do miss the creative energies that produced the wonderful classroom materials of our language, history and culture, created at the school districts of Blanding, Utah; Chinle, Rough Rock and Rock Point, Ariz. I worked at the Native American Materials Development Center in the 70s with the support of the Ramah Navajo School Board, in Pine Hill, N.M. I especially remember the leadership of the RNSB Board member, Bertha Lorenzo, who was delighted with the products. I thought the products authored by our educators were excellent. I want to see their works readily available to every school where there are Navajo students.

Additionally, I would love to see them in the homes of every Navajo family. The materials of which I speak are rare and unavailable. The younger generation is unaware that there was a monthly children’s magazine, “Alchini Bi Naaltsos.” The editor of that magazine was Louise Casias of Mentmore, N.M. She galvanized the NAMDC staff around her. She was fresh out of high school when she offered to get the magazine out on time. I was her supervisor, and she told me, “I think I can do this magazine better than you (and other staff) because I am young and I understand what young people like. And Ms. Emerson, I know I can get the magazine out by deadline!” Wow, I thought. And sure enough Louise Casias produced a terrific magazine. The format was in color and in cartoon fashion.

So now I ask again, where are those materials? Please, don’t tell me the books and classroom materials are still packed in boxes, in storage, etc., and at your schools. They are greatly needed in classrooms, in homes, and available to the public.

Years ago, I briefly owned a coffeehouse in Shiprock, and tried to re-sell some of the products. I wasn’t allowed to purchase the materials at wholesale by the schools, so I bought some materials at retail and resold them to customers who were willing to pay extra. Some customers, I remember, were shocked to see them and were unaware that such “classy materials in Navajo” were available. A clan wheel chart from Blanding School District comes to mind, as well as the posters of our flora and fauna from the Chinle School District. Unfortunately, my business didn’t last long and I only sold these products for a short while. But I remember how excited Dine customers were to see them.

I am curious as to what Navajo language and culture teachers use in their classrooms today? Where are the wonderful child-oriented materials written in Diné?

So many teachers and language writers were involved in the efforts of the 70s. I remember a book of stories of our clans by Ethel Lou Yazzie, of Rough Rock, and works edited by eminent Diné language scholars, Dr. William Morgan and Dr. Paul Platero. Articles were authored by Lydia Fasthorse Begay, Rose F. Nofschissy, Sally Kruis, Helen Rosier, Jay deGroat, Johnson Dennison, etc. And whimsical graphics were created by Billy Whitethorne, Rudy Begay, Ed Singer, Alice Yazzie, Olsen Nez, and many others. I remember star lore, animals and bird posters created by the Chinle School District, and the whimsy and beautiful film of our cultural heroes produced by the Blanding School District. Works were written and edited by Irene Silentman, Laura Wallace, Anita Tsinnajinnie, Dr. Paul Rosier, Louise Benally, Marlene Begay, Shonii Allen, Laura Tohe, and so many other energized educators. The rare times when Navajo writers, artists, curriculum specialists, teamed up to produce magnificent works seem to have vanished and their “tracks” have disappeared. It is sad. And I hope this is not the case.

 Gloria Emerson
Tse Daa Kaan, N.M.

 

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