Possessions – Navajo Language Lesson

March 25, 2013 by
Possessions - Navajo Language Lesson
POSSESSIONS
We have many things.
My mother has many sheep,  and goats, and her hogan, and the things, of the hogan, and me.

My father has many horses.
On his land he has many horses.
He has a wagon near the horse corral.

Inside my mother’s hogan my father keeps his gun, and outside he hangs hissheepskin and his saddle and his blanket.

And I have my mother and my father, three baby lambs and a cat with a long tail.
Behind my mother’s hogan is Beautiful Mountain.

It is mine, I know, because always it is looking at me to make me happy.
We have many things. All of us have many things.

We have many things. My mother has many sheep and goats and her hogan and the things of the hogan and me.

 Source : “Little Herder ” by Ann Clark 1940

Illustrated by:
Hoke Denetsosie
Linguistics by:
John P. Harrington
Robert W. Young

More Navajo Language Lessons

Filed Under: Navajo Language Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The Sing – Navajo Language Lesson

March 4, 2013 by

The Sing - Navajo Language Lesson

 

THE SING

There is a new hogan built just for the Sing.

There are some shelters built just for the Sing, and at one side is the Cook Shade where all kinds of foods are cooking.

 

The Sing

There is a new hogan built just for the Sing.

There are some shelters built just for the Sing, and at one side is the Cook Shade where all kinds of foods are cooking.

It will be’a long time before the night sky bends down and the stars hang low and the supper fires of the camping people of the night.
Our wagon comes within the circles of supper, comes within the circle of fire 1ight, and I see all the People who have come to the Sing.

There are many People here. There are many horses here. There are many wagons here. There is one truck. It makes me happy to see all of the People walking around.

It makes me happy to see all the colors that there are in the skirts of the women, in the shirts of the men, and in the blankets, that all the People wear.

I can see the horses, all the horses. I can see a race horse that belongs to a man my uncle knows.

After the Sing is over, the men will race their horses.

My father will bet which horse will win.

And then perhaps he will win a a better concho belt than, the one he has in pawn to the Trader.

There is a new hogan built just for the Sing. There are some shelters built just for the Sing, and at one side is the Cook Shade where all kinds of foods are cooking.

The smell of food makes me happy,.

I think it is good to be happy when food is near.

 

 

Source : “Little Herder in the Winter” by Ann Clark 1940
Illustrated by:
Hoke Denetsosie
Linguistics by:
John P. Harrington
Robert W. Young

More Navajo Language Lessons

Navajo People Website Links:
Navajo Culture – Navajo History – Navajo Art – Navajo Clothing Navajo Pictures – Navajo Rugs – Navajo Language– Navajo Jewelry – Navajo Code Talker – Navajo Pottery – Navajo Legends – Hogan’s – Sand Painting – Navajo Food – Navajo News – Navajo Nation

Filed Under: Navajo Language Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Sleep – Navajo Language Lesson

February 14, 2013 by

Sleep - Navajo Language Lesson

 

SLEEP
Lying on my blanket bed on the floor of the hogan,I say to myself
over and over, “If the sun shines tomorrow we will go to the Sing.”

 

Source : “Little Herder in the Winter” by Ann Clark 1940
Illustrated by:
Hoke Denetsosie
Linguistics by:
John P. Harrington
Robert W. Young

More Navajo Language Lessons

Navajo People Website Links:
Navajo Culture – Navajo History – Navajo Art – Navajo Clothing Navajo Pictures – Navajo Rugs – Navajo Language– Navajo Jewelry – Navajo Code Talker – Navajo Pottery – Navajo Legends – Hogan’s – Sand Painting – Navajo Food – Navajo News – Navajo Nation

Filed Under: Navajo Language Tagged With: , , , ,

Story Telling – Navajo Language Lesson

January 26, 2013 by

 

Story Telling - Navajo Language Lesson

1-NAHANI'

STORY TELLING
Then my father tell us stories.
Long stories made up of many words.
His words have power.
They have strength.
They seem to hold me.
They seem to warm me.
They seem to feed me.
My father’s words, they comfort me.
His words have power.

 

More Navajo Language Lessons

Navajo People Website Links:
Navajo Culture – Navajo History – Navajo Art – Navajo Clothing Navajo Pictures – Navajo Rugs – Navajo Language– Navajo Jewelry – Navajo Code Talker – Navajo Pottery – Navajo Legends – Hogan’s – Sand Painting – Navajo Food – Navajo News – Navajo Nation

 

Filed Under: Navajo Language Tagged With: , ,

Build a Fire – Navajo Language Lesson

January 24, 2013 by

They will build a fire to melt snow into water to give to the sheep
My father blows on his hands to warm them

Build a Fire - Navajo Language Lesson

They will build a fire to melt snow into water to give to the sheep.
It takes much wood to make a fire to melt snow into water,
but if the sheep have water to drink they do not hunger so much.

My father blows on his hands to warm them.
His breath looks like smoke.
My father shreds juniper bark to start the outdoor fire.
He takes a lighted stick from our fire. ‘
He takes it outside..
He puts it under the bark and the dry wood, and kneeling down he blows on it.
Soon a small flame comes

Source : “Little Herder in the Winter” by Ann Clark 1940
Illustrated by:
Hoke Denetsosie
Linguistics by:
John P. Harrington
Robert W. Young

Navajo People Website Links:
Navajo Culture – Navajo History – Navajo Art – Navajo Clothing Navajo Pictures – Navajo Rugs – Navajo Language– Navajo Jewelry – Navajo Code Talker – Navajo Pottery – Navajo Legends – Hogan’s – Sand Painting – Navajo Food – Navajo News – Navajo Nation

Filed Under: Navajo Language Tagged With: , , , ,

The Dogs are Hungry – Navajo Language Lesson

January 22, 2013 by

The Dogs are Hungry - Navajo Language Lesson

THE DOGS ARE HUNGRY
The dogs are hungry, too.
They crowd in the hogan.
The black one is not sleeping now.
He lies with his head t on his paws and looks at nothing.
The yellow one whimpers.
He has worked hard, but there is no food.

Source : “Little Herder in the Winter” by Ann Clark 1940

Illustrated by:
Hoke Denetsosie

Linguistics by:
John P. Harrington
Robert W. Young

The Four Navajo Sacred Mountains

Mount Blanca (Tsisnaasjini’ – Dawn or White Shell Mountain – East
Mount Taylor (Tsoodzil – Blue Bead or Turquoise Mountain) – South
San Francisco Peaks (Doko’oosliid – Abalone Shell Mountain) – West
Mount Hesperus Dibé Nitsaa (Big Mountain Sheep) – Obsidian Mountain – North

Navajo People Website Links:

Navajo Culture – Navajo History – Navajo Art – Navajo Clothing Navajo Pictures – Navajo Rugs – Navajo Language– Navajo Jewelry – Navajo Code Talker – Navajo Pottery – Navajo Legends – Hogan’s – Sand Painting – Navajo Food – Navajo News – Navajo Nation

Filed Under: Navajo Language Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Learn How To Make A Snowman – Navajo Language

January 7, 2013 by

This tutorial shows how to build a snow man (yas hastiin).

by: Daybreak Warrior

Though it is a simple thing to build a snowman, the purpose of this video is to explain how to build one in the Navajo language. Hearing instructions is another way to learn a language.

The footage was shot in northeastern Arizona, on the Navajo reservation. Yes, parts of Arizona do get snow! Enjoy! 🙂

 

Navajo People Website Links:
Navajo Culture – Navajo History – Navajo Art – Navajo Clothing Navajo Pictures – Navajo Rugs – Navajo Language– Navajo Jewelry – Navajo Code Talker – Navajo Pottery – Navajo Legends – Hogan’s – Sand Painting – Navajo Food – Navajo News – Navajo Nation

 

Filed Under: Navajo Culture Tagged With: , ,

“Anasazi Ruins” The Navajo Word of the Day (Video)

July 25, 2012 by

Today’s Navajo Word of the Day is the word for “Indian Ruins.” The word is, “Kits’iilí,” which literally means, “shattered homes.” This video was filmed at Mesa Verde National Park. The Navajo name for this area is called “Gad Deelzhah,” which means “Jagged Junipers.” Ruins such as these are typically called “kits’iilí.”

The ruins are made by the ancient peoples currently known as the Cliff Dwellers. They were formerly known as the Anasazi. Anasazi is a Navajo word, which means “Enemy’s Ancestor.” It comes from the words “anaa’í” for enemy and “bizází” for their ancestors. Since the Pueblo and Hopi tribes of today are considered to be the descendants of the Anasazi, they thought it was inappropriate for their ancestos to be named by Navajos so Cliff Dwellers is the current PC name.

I used this video to introduce other new terms as well, such as “haaz’éí” for ladder, “tsé daashjéé’ ” for corn-grinding stones or a metate, and “jeelid” for the sticky smoke soot that formed on the rock ceiling of the ruins from historic campfires.

I hope these terms help you if you decide to visit ancient ruins in the southwest such as these. Enjoy!

Source: Terry Teller (daybreakwarrior)
http://www.youtube.com/user/daybreakwarrior/featured

 

Filed Under: Navajo Art Tagged With: , , , , ,

Rodeo Terminology in the Navajo Language – Video

July 2, 2012 by

Rodeo, or known as Ahóóhai in the Navajo language, is a very popular sport on the Navajo reservation. Since many Navajos have cattle, it’s not suprising that Navajos undertaken this competitive sports event. This video basically covers the names of the events in Navajo, both timed and rough stock events. This video also covers the names of key individuals involved in a rodeo, for example:

Akalii: Cowboy:
Dóola Bil Naalgeedígíí: Bull Rider
Hastiin Lá At’ínígíí: Rodeo Clown
Bil Nída’algeedgo Nídayiiláhígíí: Pick-Up Man

 

The term “rodeo” in Navajo comes from the word “Naa’ahóóhai,” which means “chicken” in Navajo. Rodeos on the reservation initiated around a “chicken-pull.” Over time, this word got shortened to “ahóóhai,” and rather than being named after chicken pulls it became the term for “rodeos” as rodeos got popular on the reservation. Also, some people will use the term “Naa’ahóóhai” or “Ahóóhai” for agricultural shows; tribal, county, or state fairs.

The names of the rodeo events in Navajo:

Líí’ T’áá Dilkoohgo Naalgeedígíí: Bare Back

The breakdown:

Líí’: horse
T’áá Dilkoohgo: in a smooth manner (i.e. without a saddle)
Naalgeedígíí: the one that is bucking

Líí’ Bik’ídahaznilgo Naalgeedígíí: Saddle Bronc

The breakdown:

Líí’: horse
Bik’ídahaznilgo: things are set on it (i.e. it is saddled)
Naalgeedígíí: the one that is bucking

Béégashii Alts’áá’ Wódleehígíí: Team Roping

The breakdown:

Béégashii: cow
Alts’áá’: on each side
Wódleehígíí: the one where it is roped

Tóshjeeh BinaagoL?íí’ Náádadiilwo’ígíí: Barrel Racing

The breakdown:

Tóshjeeh: barrel/water container
Binaago: around it
Líí’: horse(s)
Náádadiilwo’ígíí: the one where they run around

Béégashii Yáázh Wódleehígíí: Calf Roping

The breakdown:

Béégashii: cow
Yáázh: the little one (i.e.calf)
Wódleehígíí: the one that is roped

Béégashii Bik’os Náágisgo Nehe’nílígíí: Steer Wrestling

The breakdown:

Béégashii: cow
Bik’os: it’s neck
Náágisgo: it is turned
Nehe’ní?ígíí: the one that is taken down

Dóola Naalgeedígíí: Bull Riding

The breakdown:

Dóola: bull
Naalgeedígíí: the one that is bucking

Béégashii Yáázh T’óó Yisdlohígíí: Ladies’ Break-Away

The breakdown:

Béégashii: cow
Yáázh: the little one (i.e. calf)
T’óó: merely
Yisdlohígíí: it is roped

Since rodeos have become a key fixture in Navajo culture, I had to include this video in my series of Navajo language terminology! Enjoy, and hopefully if you hear these terms at a rodeo on the reservation, you won’t be too confused anymore! 🙂

This video was filmed at Double “R” Ranch, in Round Rock, AZ

Source: Daybreak Warrior (Terry Teller)
http://www.youtube.com/user/daybreakwarrior/featured

Filed Under: Navajo Language Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,
« Previous Page