User:Stephen G. Brown/text11

Aląąjįʼ Hashkééjí Nahatʼá

The Navajo Supreme Court has written its plea to the people of the Navajo Nation:

Tʼahdoo díkwíił yiłkáahą́ądą́ą́ʼ (Ghąąjįʼ náhástʼéigóó yoołkálę́ędą́ą́ʼ) bee haiidzíí; Diné Bizaad bił ninhiʼtʼeelyá áádóó tʼáá háadida nihizaad nihił chʼaawóleʼlágo nihidooʼ niidneʼ haalá nihi bee hazʼáanii átʼé.

Áko, kʼad éí baa saad hólǫ́, hónáásdóó ániid naagháhágíí ání, “Shí hanii doo Diné nishłį́į da?” Akótʼéigo nihaʼáłchíní yiniinaa ákʼeʼedlįį doleełígíí éí doo biniyé áhátʼį́įda.

Ákó, tsełkę́ę́hʼ dóó chʼkę́ę́hʼ nohłínígíí tʼáá ánółtsxóʼ éí nihaʼáłchiní nohłį́įgo nihaantsáhákees. Ákó, tʼááshį́į́ aanii ashiilcíhínígíí dóó Diné bi naatʼááh bił hazʼą́ą́dę́ę́ʼ nihinaanish biʼoh ádeiilyaandi, dóó éí biniinaa ałkʼihwiitʼáahda dooleeł, éí bininaa aniid naagháhágíí dóó nááas silį́ʼígíí áadoo ałʼaago nihaantsáhákeesí. Hazhóʼóʼ nihizaad baaʼáhółyą́, baantsókees, áádóó ááhaniʼnígeʼ átʼéigo bikʼiʼ doohtįįh dóó baaʼákonohsin, díí baa nanhiikąąh.

Naatʼáanii dajilį́nígííshį́į́ baa txį́į́sh dookahgo, nihaʼáłchíní ínáhwiidoołʼááł dóó bizaad yaaʼákónízin, yidiitsʼaʼ dóó yee nihishjizh, nihił hahodiilaago biniinaa nihizaad nihił chʼaa silį́į́ʼdóó nihił nantłʼá silį́į́ʼ; éí biniinaa nihi beehazʼáanii, nihizaad dóó niheeʼóʼoolʼįį éí akʼi hahiiláago ándoolniił hwiindzin. Azháshį́į́ ákótʼéígo tʼahdii anaʼá kʼehgo nihił hazʼáandi nihizaad éí doo nihił chʼaa dooleeł da. Neeʼnijįʼ tʼááʼáníit'é nihizaad bee Diné náániidłį́į dooleeł. Hózhǫ́ náhodoodlééł.

English

Long ago, it was said: The Navajo language was given to you. “Do not lose it,” we were told. “It is your everything.”

But there is argument over it now, that the young have started asking, “am I not Navajo?” Our children, we are not doing this to break our family.

So, young men, young women, and all of our children, we have you in mind. It is probably true that we as parents did not pass on our teachings, but this does not mean that our young ones and our elderly should blame one another for it, nor should they think they are not one and the same. Take care of our language, think about it, and that way you will understand and know it. This is our plea.

Perhaps our leaders will start working on this issue, so that our children will learn our language, hear and speak our language again. But, because we were colonized through assimilation, we have started to lose our language and it has become difficult to speak; we want to keep our Navajo way of life, our language, our prayers and songs, alive. Even though it seems we have made enemies of one another, we will not lose our ways. Through our language, we will always be Diné. Everything will be beautiful again.

Extra

haʼííʼą́ — sunrise; bee náʼiilgáhí — Clorox/bleach; ayaadi ééʼ — underwear; dláád — mold; tsitłʼéłí — matches; dikwos nitsaaí — pneumonia; néʼéshtxił — snot; azis — a bag; dinilkan — sweet; díkʼǫ́ǫ́zh — salty/sour; índída — just now; shidéʼéyóní — my non-related acquaintance; shaadaané — my son in-law; shizhááʼáád — my daughter in-law; shiyé — my brother/sister in-law. nizhónígo nihee adaʼdooʼááł.

Son-in-law referring to mother-in-law: baadaané nishłíní. Mother-in-law referring to Son-in-law: shaadaané; mother-in-law to daughter-in-law: shizááʼáád; daughter-in-law to mother-in-law: bizááʼáád nishłíní. Today these words seem derogatory or offensive to some, but they are the original terms. However, these terms are never used to address them personally, only used for 3rd person reference. For direct address, you could use shimá, shiyáázh, etc.