Adahooniłigii. [volume], September 01, 1949, Page 2, Image 2

About Adahooniłigii. [volume] (Phoenix [Ariz.]) 1943-????

Image provided by: Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records; Phoenix, AZ

                
Jo kot’eego baa ntseskeesign bqq ’ddishm.
’Ako da’olta’ii t’aa ’aitsoj[’ bii beedahozin
dooleet. Bilagaana k’ehji doo dine k’ehji do’.
DH k’ad t'aa dine bizaad bee 'ak’e’elchi
’inda dine bizaad bee bik’i’ashchijgo naaltsoos
bee hanideeh dishninigii ’ei t'aa hazho’d ni
ha’blchini niha ba ya’at’eeh. ’Ako binaadqg’
dii dine bizaad bee ’ak’e’elchi bihoo’aahii doo
nihil ’adaaniinii haa sh(( ndandohtqd’. T’aa
doo biniiyehe da dii dine bizaad bee ’ak’e’elchi
bihoo’aahigfi dadohnii sh££ ndi doo ’akot’ee da.
’fishjqq sh££ nlei ’alah nda’adleehgoo, ’inda
Tseghahoodzdnidi ’alah na’adleehigi nldah
d§§’ Bilagaana da la’ yalti’go kodoo doo
’adoohts’a’ii soodaago, ’iishjbd sh[( nizhonigo
saad yee yalti’ii t’aa ’altso nizhonigo bik’i
di’yoohtijh. Dooda sha’shin. ’Azha t’aa ’al
ts’iisigo Bilagaana bizaad t’aa nihil beeda
hozin ndi hldahdqq’ Bilagaana la’ nihich’[’
ya+ti’go ts’ida ’aalyilniinii doo ’altso ba bik’i’-
diit££h da. Jo ’akwe’igii biniinaago dii k’ad
dine bizaad bee ’ak’e’elchi bihoo’aahigii bi
ni’dii hiinaah. Haa nizdadgod naas yit’ih doo
leet. Nihizaad 1a ’at’e ni. Doo la nihil
nantt’agoo bee yeiilti’ ni. ’Ako ndi bee ’ak’e’-
elchiigi nihee ’adin. Saad naaltsoos bikaa’gi
naahaasdzogo bee ndanideehii nihee ’adin.
Nahasdzaan bikaa’ ’adahwiis’dagoo at aq
’ana’i ’adiitqqdii t’aa ’altso bizaad yee ’ak’i
da’alchi. ’Ako naaltsoos bee ndanideeh. ’Ako
nihi do’ kodoo ’akot’eego 'adeilyaago t’aa
hazho’o ya’at’eeh dooleet. Naabeeho dine’e
bizaad ha’niigo.
Jo ’akon, ’ee’ neishoodii nit’i’ji ’akot’eego
yil dayilt’eeh t’aa dine bizaad yee ’ak’ida’at
chiigo. ’Aido’ t’aa hazho’o ya’at’eeh. Nizho
nigo t’aa dine yik’i da’diyiit[[hgo t’aadoo le’e
yee nda’nitin. Dii k’ad t’aadoo beelt’ehe da.
Ya’dt’eehgo yil naas yikah. ’Ako nihi do koji
t’aa ’akot’eego bit naas yiikahgo ya’at’eeh.
’Azha Bilagaana bizaad doo nihil beedahozin
da ndi niha ya’at’eeh. Bidahool’aah. Doosh
hah bihoo’aah da. T’aadoo hodina’i bihoo’aah
go ’at’e. Dii koji Bilagaana bizaad t’aa ’alts’ii
sigo beehojisingo ’ei t’aa ’iiyisii t’aadoo ho
dina’i bihwiizhdool’aal. Ha’dt’ii da t’aadoo
bizhnitahiish doo ya’at’eeh da jiniigo bee nizh
dilghaash dooleet. T’aadoo biyi’ hodziiltseeh
nahaliini. ’lnda bizhnitahgo ’inda ’ayoo nantl’a
Id dzinizin leh. Too jintt’ftgo la ’ei t’aa ’aanii
hdahgbo sh[[ ’ahoot’ee leh ni., Ha’at’ii da shq’
’adaat’e? Nadnaghai da shq’ ’ei ha’dt’ii ’anaa
nat’e dzinizingo bitah dzideez’[i’ leh. ’Ako
nilaahdi bihojiil’aahgo baa nizhdiidaahgo t’aa
beehozinigo ’at’e. ’Ei bqqgogo bini’dii niha
’atchini ba naas yit’ih. Bini’ yidahool’aah.
Haala t’aa ’ei binahj£’ Bilagaana bizaad t’aa
doo hodina’i bihoo’aah.
’Aadoo ’aldo’ la’ ’adajiniigo \{
’dlta’gdo yaadi sh[[ baq na’aldeeh, doo ’ahaya
t’eiya yil keehat’i dajiniigo kot’eego ha diis
ts’a’. ’Azhq ’akodajinii ndi kodi daniil’qgo,
nihi ’akwe’e ndeiikaii, \[ ’olta’gi ndeilnishii, ’ei
doo ’akot’ee da. T’aa ya’at’eehgo ’idahoot’aah
go ’at’e ’alchini. Shi kot’eego bee baa ntses
kees. Shi dii kwii Lok’ai’jigai hoolyeegi j[ ’6l
- naashnishgo ’adishni. T’aa shi shinaa
bee nish’qgo nizhonigo ’alchini ’idahool’aah.
T’aa ’aanii doo ’akwii nijighaagoo la ’ei t’aa
’aanii doo beehozin da ni. ’Ei t’oo sha’shingo
ha’at’ii da dizhdooniil.
Dii k’ad naghai Tonaneesdizi
dikwii sh£[ ’aad§§’ bizaad naaltsoos bikaa’ dah
naazhjaa’go ba daniil’££’. ’Ako t’aa hazho’o
ya’at’eeh ’aad§§’ dine ko’oolyeenii ’ei konii la,
kot’eego haadzii’ la daniidzin leh'kodi naal
tsoos dayiniilta’go. ’lnda binida’nitin daniliinii
2
ba dadiits’a’ kodi. ’inda ha’at’ii da yaa ndaa
t'll shj( naaltsoos dabikaa’ leh. ’Ako bina’nitin
daniliinii jo t’aa ’ei ’adeit’[. ’Ako t’aa hazho’o
ya'at’eeh ’akot’eego, t’aa kodgg’ hach’[’ dziz
daago hach’[’ yajitti’ nahaiin. K’ad ’akot’eego
hastoi dikwilt’e shj£ naaltsoos bikaa’ bizaad
shijaa’go yiiltsq. Bits’qdddo lahgdo t’aa sha
’ada’deezdlaad nahaiin si l££’. Dii k’ad kodaa
t’ehigii bqqgogo t’aa ’awoli bee bidahoot’aah
go ya’at’eeh. Haala k’ad ’aniid ndaahkaii
nihizaanii, ’inda nihadahastoi lei’ naas ho
deeshzhiizhgoo bee naas dayindh’eesh dooleet.
Naana naghai Naakaii Bito’ hoolyeeddo
’aldo’ ’akot’eego bizaad naaltsoos bikaa
naazhjaa’go yish’j. ’Aldo’ t’aa dikwii sh££ ’ako
t’ee shq’shin. ’Atdo’ ko’oolyeenii kot’eego
haadzii la, kodiiniid la, dii yee haadzii’ Id
daniidzingo kodi naaltsoos daniil’£[ leh. ’Ako
t’aa hazho’o ya’at’eeh ’aldo’ ’add£§’ dine bi
zaad ndahii’nihigii. ’Aadoo nddnalahgdo ’ada
hwiis’dad§§’ ’ei ’akot’ehigii t’ah doo la’ ba
deiiltseeh da. ’Ako dii k’ad dine k’ehji bi
k’eda’ashch[jgo naaltsoos nihaa ninadahajeeh
igii Bilagaana bizaad bee naaltsoos bike’esh
chj[go haa nalwo’go ’ei doo beehozin da ’adl
yitniinii. Haala saad dabidziilii, saad doo bee
hojis*nii haa sh[[ bitah leh. ’Ei bee doo
beehozin da.
’Aadoo k’ad la’ ’adeiniidzingo doo t’aadoo
biniiyehe da daniidzin dii dine bizaad wolta’
doo bee na’adzogo bihoo’aahigii. Bini’ t’aa
naas yit’ih dooleet daniidzin. Haala ’ei t’eiyd
binahjj’ k’ad t’aa dikwiigoo sh£[ nihil ’eedahoo
zin nahaiin si l££. Dii k’ad ’aaji Tonaneesdizi*
hoolyeeji hinoolaii, ’inda Naakaii Bito’ji, dii
k’ad t’od kodoo bee baa ntseskeesgo kot’eeji
beedahojisinii bee ’ahiih jokaahgo bee naal
tsoos yah ’adajo’dad. Dine Binant’a’i nahast’ei
sinil wolyeii biyaa ndajoltsdos. ’Ako bini’ naas
yit’ih dooleet. T’aadoo baa saad ’aghani. Jo
kot’eego ’ei ya’at’eeh dooleet do’ ’dshli nisingo
’anihidishni, ’altah ’das[[l6o. *.
LET LEARNING OF THE NAVAHO LANGUAGE
ADVANCE
This Navaho language newspaper is received by
a number of us here at Lukachukai. Those of us who know
now to read really enjoy written Navaho, even though
there are some who do not .approve of it. I personally fell
that it is really a good thing. It is a good thing for those
of us who cannot otherwise understand. What has brought
me to that point of view is that, the past winter, there
was a Navaho here at Lukachukai teaching it. The school
children here learned a lot more by means of written
Navaho than they would have learned without it, and they
like it.. Through Navaho they learned the meanings of
English words. As I think about it from this point of view,
I think that it is a very good thing if they use it for these
purposes in all the schools. I wish it were that way in all
Me dayschools.
Last summer we held a meeting over at Fort Defiance.
All of us dayschool workers were brought together. At this
meeting I asked several other dayschool workers if they
have a similar program in their schools, and they said
that they did not.
If we had a program like this back in the days when
we went to school, we would really have learned a lot more
I think. But they have just recently begun that. And
people really learn things by means of it. This is some
thing that is not going to stop suddenly. You who belittle
it, you who do not approve of it, you are just wasting
your breath talking I think. A long time ago people went
far away to school, and when they came back they would
say that they could no longer understand Navaho. When
their people wanted to use them for a purpose, wanted
them to interpret for them, they would say that they did
not know how to interpret. They would say that they
couldn't talk in Navaho. I took notice of'them and found
it to be that way, although I myself do not know very
much English. They always hesitate on on side or another
—either in Navaho or in English. So as I now think about
it, I feel that this matter of learining through both
languages is of great advantage.
When you people in different areas put your articles
in the paper, we who read this paper know what you are
tryingTo convey to us. A certain person from such and
such a place speaks in a certain way about a certain
subject—we know this when we see the paper. And
probably you people out there read the articles, from this
part of the country. With this written Navaho it is just as
though one were sitting and chatting with somebody.
That's how it is, my friends.
So let all our children have this bilingual program with
which they can learn more. And not only just here in
reservation dayschools, but also in the large schools. That
way children will learn all kinds of things, in English
and in Navaho.
Writing in Navaho, along with these Navaho language
books, are really good things for our children. There is a
number of you people around who do not approve of this
program. You maintain that there is no purpose in
writing Navaho, but you are wrong. For instance, at the
meetings at Window Rock—you who have never gone to
school —do you understand every word the white man is
saying? I think not. Even those of us who speak a little
English do not really know what a white man is talking
about when he speaks to us. So therefore, let this
learning through written Navaho really bloom. Let it
run its course. It's our own language, and we do not have
any difficulty talking it. But we do not know how to
write it. We do not have a written language. All over the
world the different peoples have their written languages.
They have books. And if we follow their example it will
be a good thing. People will look at our books and say
that this is the Navaho language.
The missionaries have a written Navaho, and they get
along with it. That's a good thing too. People get a full
understanding of things as they are taught to them in
Navaho. So it is a wonderful thing. They are progressing ,
with it (i.e the missionaries). And we likewise are pro
gressing by it. It is good for us even though we do not
know English. Learn it. It doesn't take long to learn. It's
something that can be learned quickly. And you people
who know a little English can really learn it in a hurry.
There is no point in howling about it if you have never
even given it a try, or never have looked into it. Only if
you give it a try can you say whether it is hard or not. At
first glance it looks very complicated. And one wonders
what this is and what that is. And one looks among the
written symbols and wonders what this one is, and what
that one is. But when one starts learning it he finds that
it isn't so hard after all. So therefore, lets keep it for our
children. Let them learn it. Through it they will quickly
learn English.
And also I hear people around the country saying that
dayschools are no good, that they are just places where
the children learn nonsense. Even though they say these
things, we who live and work at the schools know that
what they say is not true. The children are really learning.
That is my opinion. I say this because I work here at the
Lukachukai school. I see with my own eyes that the
children are learning nicely. Anyone who is not around
the schools quite naturally doesn't know about them, and
such a person merely talks through his hat.
We have seen a number of articles in the paper by
people from over at Tuba City. We enjoy reading these
articles. We learn things from them. They discuss things
in the paper. They give us the teachings they give their
own people .It is very good this way—it is just as though
one were sittting and chdtting with the person. I have
seen articles in the paper by some of the leaders. I've
learned quite a lot from their articles. So for these reasons,
work hard and learn it. You younger people can use it
in the future to lead the older folks on to progress.
I have also seen' articles by people from Mexican
Springs. Perhaps there are others. We see in the paper
what different people say and think. W enjoy reading their
articles. There are other areas from which we do not find
articles. So we get a paper in Navaho. When a person
gets a paper in English he doesn't know what it says.
There are hard words, and there are great numbers of
words in the text that he does not know, so he can't
understand it.
So some of us now feel that this written Navaho and
the things we learn from it are really worth while. We
want to see it advance, because through it we have found
out many new things. You over at Tuba City and you
around Mexican Springs, why don't we get together and
draw up a petition to be presented to the Advisory
Committee, recommending that this program be allowed
to advance. No more argument. No more belittling. That's
' my suggestion, my friends.
ALL ILLUSTRATIONS BY COURTESY OF
THE GALLUP INDEPENDENT,
WITH SPECIAL PERMISSION FROM NEA.