The Urban Indian Guide to Navajo Language

By Millicent Pepion

A critical challenge for Urban Indians learning any Indigenous language is the amalgamation of language and culture. The Urban Indian's Guide to Navajo Language seeks to bridge this gap for Urban Indians by incorporating music into Navajo literacy, providing an in-depth look at traditional Navajo introductions, and utilizing a medicine wheel (Indigenous Language Shield) to identify common words and phrases the individual language learner or family use daily. The first part of the book, "Diné Musicology," compares reading music to reading Navajo language. Most people may or may not know that the Navajo language is difficult to read because it requires speakers to combine various tones (high tones, low tones, nasals, and glottal stops) with rhythm variances (long and short vowels). Whereas most Navajo language books would focus on mastering sounds, this book creates "scales" for students to study. The Complete Tonal Chart exercises, also referred to as scales, seek to lessen those anxieties and familiarize the readers with the understanding of more difficult sounds before they are exposed to them later on in their readings. As with the learning of all musical instruments, the author encourages students to practice these scales often to perfect their various sounds and gain speed. The second part of the book focuses on something all Navajo language speakers do first and that is to present themselves in their traditional Navajo culture. These introductions include an introduction to the person's name, clans, family members, places of interest, and other important details that give listeners an idea of who they are talking to. Most Navajo language learning books provide students only the opportunity to share their clans. This book provides an in-depth look at why and how to include those other identifying factors that are equally as important. Finally, the last part of the book is a medicine wheel exercise that can be done using any blank sheet of poster board or paper. Readers are asked to draw a circle with four equal quadrants. Within each quadrant the reader is asked to identify a domain or environment they are familiar with. The author chose the home, school, garden, and ceremony for her four domains. Within each domain is a set of people, objects, and verbs commonly used. Once filled in completely, the Indigenous Language Shield can be hung on the wall for the student to reference often. Overall, this book was written as not only a manual for Navajo language but also a glimpse into Navajo culture.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0CFDB2KMQ
• ISBN13: 9798857337110
• Release Date: August 2023
• Publisher: Independently published
• Length: 143 Pages
• Dimensions: 11.0" x 0.3" x 8.5"