Chief Justice Jayne

Congratulations Joann Jayne for being hired as the Chief Justice of the Navajo Nation.  We look forward to some great guidance from you.  Ya'a't'eeh.

Navajo Times CEO cited for DUI

Navajo Times CEO Tom Arviso Jr. was cited for DUI in Gallup this past weekend.  The newspaper's board placed him on administrative leave.  He says he was sorry for the incident.  He adds to the list of DUIs of Navajos.  As a company that started out as a Navajo enterprise, it makes the current enterprises look bad and he needs to be held to that higher standard. I have heard people say that as the CEO of the largest tribe's newspaper, he needs to resign. Alcohol is a very powerful force.  We need to acknowledge its power.  Until we do that, we cannot move forward.  Yadilah!

Water over territory

Lately, there have been bickering on the Navajo Times letter to editor about the purchase of land at Colorado and the need for water on the Navajo reserve.  This is a hard issue.  We need the water.  But the territory is also important.  I'm glad to hear this as the issue though.  Here is a good article of the Navajo water crisis.  It was interesting how the writing acknowledges that the Navajo reservation is a desert and arid, and much of the available water has been ruined due to energy development such as uranium, coal, and gas.  Currently, gas is booming with fracking.  Much of the water is contaminated and our young educated Navajo professionals are bringing awareness of how bad the situation is in Sanders, Crownpoint, Kayenta, and Tuba City. These are major Navajo communities.  With contaminated water comes early death by cancer, failed kidney, and breathing issues.  Dahoochxo'.  There was a good comment about how the current American administration is allowing the fracking boom to overrun the area which is a violation of the Navajo-US treaty.  This is a violation of international law.  As one judge stated, "Great Nations, like great men, keep their word."  What kind of Nation does that make the US?  A pinch of reality.

Congratulations Council Delegate Crotty

Amber Crotty made the Navajo Times Person of the Year for 2017.  Good job.  Nizhoni.   I would give it to her too for trying to raise public awareness of the sexual assault and discrimination issue in the Navajo government and reservation.  This is a very hard subject to tackle and Ms. Crotty bravely led that effort.  If only the rest of our Council would get on board it would be good.  (article)

Happy New Year 2018!

Happy New Year 2018!

Here is a Blast from the Past on the Modern Traditional Navajo.  This is a picture of the Todineeshee Singers who remind us of what our Dine Hastoi looked like.

Nabaahii Dine'e.

They were lean, mean, fighting machines with quivers, bows, and war hats.  These guys are wearing blankets over the shoulder like the traditional Hopi warriors who wore buckskins over their shoulders to cover their hearts from Dine arrows.