It was an auspicious moment March 16 when an older Navajo chairman arrived at his old office to meet with the younger Navajo president to discuss an issue that is time sensitive to them both.
This was not the first time Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren met with Navajo Tribal Chairman Peter MacDonald. However, it was the first time the two discussed getting the long-awaited Navajo Code Talkers Museum back on the rails and moving down the tracks to groundbreaking, concrete pouring and ultimately completion in a short time frame.
“Our remaining Code Talkers are here for only so many more years,” Nygren said. “It would be nice if next year you were to cruise through the museum. That’s the goal, to really push that while we’re here.”
Though using a wheelchair as the 94-year-old MacDonald arrived at the president’s office with his wife Wanda, his voice was strong, his eyes twinkled, his message was clear and his mood was joyful.
He came with his daughter Charity, Vern Lee, co-commander of the Northern Navajo Veterans Organization, former Navajo Nation Council Speaker Seth Damon and Malula Sandoval, widow of the late Navajo Code Talker Samuel Sandoval who died last July at age 98.
Chairman MacDonald also greeted Navajo Nation Vice President Richelle Montoya. He complimented her and Nygren for choosing a woman running mate, saying women represent the strength of Navajo culture and have an important role to play in government.
As they got down to business, Chairman MacDonald told the president, “This is a Navajo project. It’s not a MacDonald project. It’s not so much a Navajo Code Talker project. It’s the people’s project. It’s for all people honoring those who served as Code Talkers. It’s to serve all veterans.”
Speaker Damon said he would sponsor legislation in the spring session in April to get funding to build the Code Talkers Museum where the Code Talkers want it built, on land north of the Navajo Department of Transportation in Tse Bonito, N.M.
“Thank you Mr. President,” he said. “You have no idea how much this group has been trying to get its voice heard by the administration.”
The estimated cost is between $40 million and $60 million. Chairman MacDonald said the organization will need up to $400,000 to fund administrative costs for an executive director, staff, travel and associated expenses and organization of the many Code Talker records now housed in different locations.
President Nygren recommended moving immediately on a “design-build” approach so that ground can be broken, concrete can be poured and the museum and veterans center construction can start by August of this year.
He recommended that a Navajo designer be hired “so that Navajo thoughts, understanding and heart is built into the design.”
Design-Build is currently the fastest growing, most popular concept used to deliver construction projects in the country. It allows an owner to manage a project through one contract and a single point of responsibility.
A designer and contractor work together from the beginning to provide project recommendations to fit an owner’s schedule and budget. Design-build employs a culture of collaboration, problem-solving, innovation and avoids blame-shifting.
The president said he wanted to get a cost estimate for a design-build of the museum within a month so that ground can be broken and concrete can begin pouring by late summer.
Chairman MacDonald said it is no longer only Navajos who want a Navajo Code Talkers Museum but people everywhere.
“Nationally, people across the country now know that there were Navajo Code Talkers,” he said. “We get letters from different states saying they cannot thank Navajo enough for the language they donated to help win the war and save thousands of lives in the Pacific. Even from Japan, we got letters saying thank you for shortening the war.”
Malula Sandoval told the president it was her husband’s 30-year dream to see a Code Talker Museum built “but he didn’t make it.”
“He fell short,” she said, holding back tears. “He just wanted a chance to walk through it and he fell short.”
President Nygren updated Navajo Veterans Administration Director Bobbie Ann Baldwin and asked her to assist the association to create its plan of operation.
He also asked her to look for office space within the executive branch for the Code Talkers Association so it has a place to meet and doesn’t need to hold meetings in Gallup or elsewhere as it has been doing.
Pleased with the enthusiastic reception he received from his younger counterpart, Chairman MacDonald said a Navajo Code Talkers Museum is a project all Navajos can be proud of for years to come.
“It’s something we all need to come together on,” he said. “No more, ‘You belong there across the street.’ This is all for one.”
Information provided by the Navajo Nation President’s Office.
It was an auspicious moment March 16 when an older Navajo chairman arrived at his old office to meet with the younger Navajo president to discuss an issue that is time sensitive to them both.
This was not the first time Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren met with Navajo Tribal Chairman Peter MacDonald. However, it was the first time the two discussed getting the long-awaited Navajo Code Talkers Museum back on the rails and moving down the tracks to groundbreaking, concrete pouring and ultimately completion in a short time frame.
“Our remaining Code Talkers are here for only so many more years,” Nygren said. “It would be nice if next year you were to cruise through the museum. That’s the goal, to really push that while we’re here.”
Though using a wheelchair as the 94-year-old MacDonald arrived at the president’s office with his wife Wanda, his voice was strong, his eyes twinkled, his message was clear and his mood was joyful.
He came with his daughter Charity, Vern Lee, co-commander of the Northern Navajo Veterans Organization, former Navajo Nation Council Speaker Seth Damon and Malula Sandoval, widow of the late Navajo Code Talker Samuel Sandoval who died last July at age 98.
Chairman MacDonald also greeted Navajo Nation Vice President Richelle Montoya. He complimented her and Nygren for choosing a woman running mate, saying women represent the strength of Navajo culture and have an important role to play in government.
As they got down to business, Chairman MacDonald told the president, “This is a Navajo project. It’s not a MacDonald project. It’s not so much a Navajo Code Talker project. It’s the people’s project. It’s for all people honoring those who served as Code Talkers. It’s to serve all veterans.”
Speaker Damon said he would sponsor legislation in the spring session in April to get funding to build the Code Talkers Museum where the Code Talkers want it built, on land north of the Navajo Department of Transportation in Tse Bonito, N.M.
“Thank you Mr. President,” he said. “You have no idea how much this group has been trying to get its voice heard by the administration.”
The estimated cost is between $40 million and $60 million. Chairman MacDonald said the organization will need up to $400,000 to fund administrative costs for an executive director, staff, travel and associated expenses and organization of the many Code Talker records now housed in different locations.
President Nygren recommended moving immediately on a “design-build” approach so that ground can be broken, concrete can be poured and the museum and veterans center construction can start by August of this year.
He recommended that a Navajo designer be hired “so that Navajo thoughts, understanding and heart is built into the design.”
Design-Build is currently the fastest growing, most popular concept used to deliver construction projects in the country. It allows an owner to manage a project through one contract and a single point of responsibility.
A designer and contractor work together from the beginning to provide project recommendations to fit an owner’s schedule and budget. Design-build employs a culture of collaboration, problem-solving, innovation and avoids blame-shifting.
The president said he wanted to get a cost estimate for a design-build of the museum within a month so that ground can be broken and concrete can begin pouring by late summer.
Chairman MacDonald said it is no longer only Navajos who want a Navajo Code Talkers Museum but people everywhere.
“Nationally, people across the country now know that there were Navajo Code Talkers,” he said. “We get letters from different states saying they cannot thank Navajo enough for the language they donated to help win the war and save thousands of lives in the Pacific. Even from Japan, we got letters saying thank you for shortening the war.”
Malula Sandoval told the president it was her husband’s 30-year dream to see a Code Talker Museum built “but he didn’t make it.”
“He fell short,” she said, holding back tears. “He just wanted a chance to walk through it and he fell short.”
President Nygren updated Navajo Veterans Administration Director Bobbie Ann Baldwin and asked her to assist the association to create its plan of operation.
He also asked her to look for office space within the executive branch for the Code Talkers Association so it has a place to meet and doesn’t need to hold meetings in Gallup or elsewhere as it has been doing.
Pleased with the enthusiastic reception he received from his younger counterpart, Chairman MacDonald said a Navajo Code Talkers Museum is a project all Navajos can be proud of for years to come.
“It’s something we all need to come together on,” he said. “No more, ‘You belong there across the street.’ This is all for one.”
Information provided by the Navajo Nation President’s Office.