BIE Navajo Schools Focus Curriculum on Diné Culture

Navajo Nation Family Day, observed on the Friday after Thanksgiving, is a time for gathering with family and friends, enjoying food and sports, and reflecting on life’s blessings. While Navajo Nation offices and schools are closed on Navajo Nation Family Day, Bureau of Indian Education schools on Diné Bikéyah (Navajoland) celebrate Diné culture and language throughout the school year with language classes, special activities and cultural presentations from Diné citizens. 

Baca/Dlo'ay azhi Community School  

Baca/Dlo'ay azhi Community School celebrated Royalty Day and welcomed royalty from the community and the Navajo Nation to speak about what it means to represent the community and Nation as leaders. The event included a color and honor guard with presentations from Mr. Baca/Dlo'ay azhi Brave Ryder Allen, Eastern Navajo Baby Princess Hazell Hornell, Miss Junior Baca/Dlo'ay azhi Sophia Yetter, Miss Inter-tribal Ceremonial Queen Natiana King and Miss Navajo Nation Queen Ranisha Begay.

Wingate Elementary School 

Students and their families joined Wingate Elementary School staff for a Parent Involvement Committee Family Culture Night. Throughout the evening, participants rotated between student presentations and activities, from making fry bread to hearing from a powwow princess.

Tse'ii'ahi' Community School 

Tse'ii'ahi' Community School students, staff and community members participated in the 46th Annual Navajo Nation Eastern Fair Parade this summer. The parade's theme was "Honoring Our Diné Legacy of Service," the school won second place in the "Youth Float" category. The parade was a fun way to increase community outreach and encourage community members to enroll their students at Tse'ii'ahi' Community School.

Nenahnezad Community School 

The students at Nenahnezad Community School in Fruitland, New Mexico, had a special experience hearing from Thomas Begay, who served as a Navajo Code Talker during World War II for the United States Marine Corps, including the Battle of Iwo Jima – now one of two Code Talkers still alive. He fought with two service branches in two wars and two of the most hard-fought battles. The students loved hearing him tell his stories during a presentation in the Nenahnezad gym. He continues to travel to tell his story of service to his country and community.

Many Farms High School 

Students and community members at Many Farms High School learned a variety of cultural arts and crafts to contribute to their regalia, including making moccasins and ribbon skirts bake bread in the horno  and weaving on a loom. Cooking was also a key focus of the cultural classes, and students learned how to make Navajo cake, fry bread and blue corn mush.