Dakota Bailey

Period B5
Ms. Rogers
10/23/14
Native American (Navajo) Community
The Community of Native American's involved with literature is through
the language, stories and history. I will be concentrating only on one tribe. I
will be giving examples of how literature is shown in this community.
Literature has been there since the beginning of this tribe by ancestor's long
time ago. This community is still active, trying to preserve their culture.
There is literature of writing in Navajo, to communicate through stories and
history. But the three main examples are language, stories and history.

The Navajo Language is the most important thing in this community.

Literature uses language, being able to pronounce the writings right will help
improve your chances of speaking the language. Because having other
people who do speak the language, don't get confused if you're saying the
words wrong. Cause if you're trying to say something and pronounced it
different, it could mean something else. And you would not want to confuse
the other person you're communicating with. The Language is the most
important thing to explain the Navajo believes and way of life. The most

popular website online to learn the language is

http://gomyson.com/index.php, with 289526 hits since Nov 13,
2006; last updated Jan 31, 2014. There's recordings of Navajo
language speakers who pronounces the translated words for
better learning to speak the language. There are language
games and quizzes to practice your Navajo Speaking. The
website was designed by jinjeeh production. This is a very
helping site to help preserve their language and to share this
language with others. Their mission statement is "The mission of gomyson is
to make positive difference in learning the Navajo language. To preserve,
perpetuate and improve the ability to speak Navajo. Using this technology
and the electronic media, gomyson will attract the younger generation of
Navajos."

There are many stories told by the Navajo ancestors. One of the most
popular stories is "Coyote and the Lizards" the book made by Don Mose. Jr.
and Molly Trainor. The stories were told by ancestors and are grandparents,
Don and Molly just put it into a book. This book is copyright San Juan
District. The main character Navajo's talk about for life lessons is the
Coyote. The Coyote never listens to the warnings and is very foolish. For the
story the Coyote spotted some lizards. And the oldest lizard said "We are
sliding on flat rocks down the hill". The Coyote wanted to give it a try; he

said "nothing could happen." The other lizards said "It's too dangerous and
you'll get killed" warning him. The Coyote slid half down the hill until he hit a
small rock, which flipped the rock he was on and smashed him
flat. The lizards laughed and sent him on his way. "Warning
him to play his own games and he should not be trying to be
what he wasn't." The lesson was to not pretend who you're not
and always listen to the warnings of elders. Cause elders
are the most respected and wisest for the Navajo people.
This book has one side Navajo and the other is English.
The book is written for children (4th grade and up), with two or
three sentences each page with a picture. There also
literacy involved of these children reading these books.
These stories in these books are "Coyote Tales". There for
life lesson for children to better their lives and understand
the living of Navajos.

The history of Navajo is very important to not forget who they are.
Where they come from and what makes them a tribe. One of the ways of
knowing the history is the (Dine) Navajo Constellation. The history is written
down based on these ancient constellations. What makes this literacy is that
writing is literacy, there's posters that shows the constellations with written
explanation of each constellations. This is also called "The Navajo Sky",

there are seventeen constellations with each explanations of their meanings.

This poster was made in 2005, World hope foundation and the Indigenous
Education Institute. There website is www.sharing the skies.com, where they
provide Navajo Constellation Books, Posters, Audio CD's and Shirts. But one
of the examples is the Ma'ii (Coyote) tosses the stars, providing chaos. (Red
Circle) The leaders of the people (elders) were slowly putting in the stars.
Then the Coyote got inpatient, grabbed the hide with the stars on it. And said
"this is what we should do", throwing the hide up, making a huge mess
everywhere in the sky. And that's how the other stars are just scattered.
Knowing each of these stories tells the beliefs of the
Navajo people. It's a way to educated younger minds and
to remember who they are. Being wise on your choices
and being patient. Cause if you're not patient, you may
cause chaos. Literacy is used again with these posters of
the written explanations of each constellation. With this
image of the "Navajo Universe", will continue on with the Navajo people of
what they believe in.

The Navajo Community uses literacy in their community. Literacy is in

the writing of language, stories and history (Navajo Constellation). What
they all have in common is the way they are written to read and understand.
The language is written to learn and communicate. There are websites and

Navajo speaker's teachers to educate their people or others. The stories are
told now back to their ancestors to preserve their beliefs of Navajo. Then
they are written into books to read and to understand those beliefs, which
are written in Navajo to practice your pronouncing of the language. The
poster's of the "Navajo Universe" is history that are also told now back to
their ancestors. With this most well known poster is writing, explaining each
constellation. The Navajo Community wants to preserve their beliefs and
way of life to the next generations. Using literacy is the ways to teach there
people and others about Navajo. Cause it's what the community wants and
it's what I deeply feel being in the Navajo Community too.
References

http://gomyson.com/index.php
Navajo Learning Website

http://media.sjsd.org/collections/coyote-stories/prodeucts/coyote-and-thelizards
The Navajo Coyote story "Coyote and the Lizards".
San Juan District 2012

http://navajostories.blogspot.com/2006/01/coyote-and-lizards.html
Coyote and the Lizards story quotes

http://www.sharingtheskies.com/id9.html
Constellation poster website