Council bypasses Nygren’s State of the Navajo Nation address during fall session

WINDOW ROCK

In 80-degree weather among community members, the president addressed the Navajo Nation, not the Council’s fall session.

During a gathering of people who walked to the Navajo Nation Council Chamber from the Navajo Nation Museum, President Buu Nygren hastily made his way from his office to the Chamber doors.

While different people spoke, Nygren waited patiently by the doors to deliver the State of the Navajo Nation address.

Sixteen votes were needed to revise the agenda to allow Nygren to speak. But only 14 delegates voted in favor of Nygren.

The Council had adopted a new agenda and began calling Nygren’s name while he was in his office.

“By the time I was at the door, (Speaker Crystalyne Curley) is already sitting down there giving presentation,” said Nygren after being called three times.

“Even if I sprinted, I couldn’t have made it over there,” said Nygren.

Nygren recently fell with his horse during the 110th Northern Navajo Fair parade and has a bad ankle, which he can’t apply much pressure.

Nygren said he felt disrespected and insulted for being skipped over.

“I represent the entire Navajo Nation, all 400,000 people. The least you could do is give me courtesy to give the State of the Nation,” said Nygren.

Part of community

With a limp, Nygren walked up to the microphone outside the Chamber and became a part of the community again.

“For some reason, it was meant to be because I was outside with some grassroots people who were fighting for water land and making sure that there’s representation and people (aren’t) taking advantage of us,” said Nygren.

During Nygren’s State of the Nation, Nygren spoke loudly and said he knew the Council heard him outside addressing the community.

“Technically, I gave the speech, and you could hear the echo on the mesas and the rocks and all the Navajo. And I gave the speech in Navajo just out of respect because that’s who I am, Diné bi naat’áanii, speaker of the people,” said Nygren.

Right before the Council session began, a ceremony took place where Nygren was present and limping.

Nygren supported Curley and the Council delegates at that time, and that was the only time Nygren said he was in the Chamber.

“People come to me as if I have the power of what a chairman was in the ’80s and ’70s, but I don’t,” said Nygren. “The powers of the president are very limited, and there’s only certain things I can do and execute, and I’m really trying to.”

Requests to president

Every week, Nygren sees a couple hundred people in his office with different requests, and he wants to be able to walk across the street to make sure those requests are heard, but he’s pushed out.

“That’s (Diné Bi Beenahaz’áanii – Fundamental Rights of the Diné) the essence, is the leader of the people should at least have a voice. And if you’re gonna shut the door on them, then I don’t know what kind of government we have,” said Nygren.

Moving forward, Nygren will send a letter to the Council addressing the problem of being left out and hopes there’s an apology respecting his position as president.

“I would never do that to them. Give them one minute to get over there or come to my meeting and then close the door on them and say, ‘Nope,’” said Nygren.

‘Out of k’é’

Nygren is understanding of his staff members. If they’re late or can’t make a meeting, he works with them.

“That’s out of k’é and out of respect. You do that because you don’t know what’s going on,” said Nygren.

Nygren appreciates the 14 delegates who voted to allow him to speak during the session.

Despite the disappointment Nygren felt, Nygren was revived with passion.

Being among the community that wanted to be heard, Nygren was reminded of why he ran for president in the first place.

Community members spoke to the president. Nygren said, moving forward, he will do what he can to move away from the status quo and return to why he is in office, advocating and fighting for the people.

Read more in the Oct. 19 edition of the Navajo Times.

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