CHURCH ROCK, N.M. — Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren congratulated five students for their endeavors to learn the Diné language.
The president joined the five students at an awards ceremony that was held at Fire Rock Casino on Thursday.
“I really am very grateful that you’ve taken the challenge to really learn Navajo,” he said at the ceremony. “That’s one of the things that is very important to me. It’s very critical. I’m very honored to know that you guys really care about it.”
The students included Kabibe Yellowhair from Pinon High School, Howlingwater Yellowhair from Many Farms High School, MacKalee Williams and Sara Billy, from Holbrook High School, and Elxcia Smith from Ganado High School. The five were awarded the 2023 Navajo Nation Bilingual Seal Award.
The students are all proficient in speaking Navajo. They are the only students who took a test to demonstrate their knowledge of the Navajo language.
President Nygren encouraged them to continue to learn Navajo because thinking in Navajo presents the world differently compared to just thinking in one language.
“Thinking in Navajo paints an entirely different picture of the world you live in,” he said.
Nygren said that when they see him in public, they should speak Navajo to him.
“These days we speak English to one another,” he said. “I’m committed to signing any legislation that is about saving our language. I’m happy to know that you have really excelled and that you’ve taken it upon yourselves to really make us proud.”
Information provided by Navajo Nation Office of the President and Vice President
CHURCH ROCK, N.M. — Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren congratulated five students for their endeavors to learn the Diné language.
The president joined the five students at an awards ceremony that was held at Fire Rock Casino on Thursday.
“I really am very grateful that you’ve taken the challenge to really learn Navajo,” he said at the ceremony. “That’s one of the things that is very important to me. It’s very critical. I’m very honored to know that you guys really care about it.”
The students included Kabibe Yellowhair from Pinon High School, Howlingwater Yellowhair from Many Farms High School, MacKalee Williams and Sara Billy, from Holbrook High School, and Elxcia Smith from Ganado High School. The five were awarded the 2023 Navajo Nation Bilingual Seal Award.
The students are all proficient in speaking Navajo. They are the only students who took a test to demonstrate their knowledge of the Navajo language.
President Nygren encouraged them to continue to learn Navajo because thinking in Navajo presents the world differently compared to just thinking in one language.
“Thinking in Navajo paints an entirely different picture of the world you live in,” he said.
Nygren said that when they see him in public, they should speak Navajo to him.
“These days we speak English to one another,” he said. “I’m committed to signing any legislation that is about saving our language. I’m happy to know that you have really excelled and that you’ve taken it upon yourselves to really make us proud.”
Information provided by Navajo Nation Office of the President and Vice President