Riding the waves: Navajo listeners, broadcasters use radio to preserve language

I know this story took a lot of time to research and write.
Good job, Alysa.

hello and good morning to everyone i like this story but wish the navajo nation could do more to help keep our language from dying im in my 30s and can hardly speak it but i can barely also understand it my parents didnt really teach us also but they are very fluent in speaking my grandparents have passed on and they were the ones to help me try to speak and understand but now we got to go to school to learn some of the language and some of us dont have the means to pay for school to even try to learn our language so if you really want to teach our language teachers should go to chapter houses and have a class maybe 2x a week to start teaching i dont think that my grandparents or any other elders would charge if we could be there with even to listen that way they could teach us

Leonard M Begaii wrote:

hello and good morning to everyone i like this story but wish the navajo nation could do more to help keep our language from dying im in my 30s and can hardly speak it but i can barely also understand it my parents didnt really teach us also but they are very fluent in speaking my grandparents have passed on and they were the ones to help me try to speak and understand but now we got to go to school to learn some of the language and some of us dont have the means to pay for school to even try to learn our language so if you really want to teach our language teachers should go to chapter houses and have a class maybe 2x a week to start teaching i dont think that my grandparents or any other elders would charge if we could be there with even to listen that way they could teach us

Some good ideas, but.... you don't think your grandparents and elders would charge???? You don't know Navajos very well!

Good information. A key information you did not report is how these Radio Stations are crammed with commercials 75% to 80% of the time.
Another thing is the early morning (about 5-6am)KTNN broadcaster is a self-proclaimed Navajo Christian and chooses to only play gospel music and his church songs and no other church songs affiliated with other denominations, just his own church songs. He also refuses to play the Native American Church songs and musics, which a lot of young Navajos like to hear and learn. I think the Navajo DJ is discriminating against other Churchs. KTNN should set a policy to not even play gospels or his church songs, if he is not going to allow other church songs on the air.

I thank the people at the radio stations for all the great work you do. I remember listening to KGAK as a youngster; it brings back good memories of home. Nowadays, I listen to KTNN online; it is so nice to hear Navajo language and the Navajo humor. Again, thanks to KTNN, it was great to bring in the new year at the shoe game in Window Rock...I enjoyed it!

i listen to the 7:30 revival updates and to the 1:30 updates.

there is a disparity between the two announcers for these reports.1
1- mr werito gives time to do these reports AND always plays a gospel song after the report.
whereas tommy yazzie is a little inclined to do a 5 minute update and does not play anything resembling a gospel song!! i think he is biased against it.

Thank you to all the radio broadcasting stations catering to the Navajo people. You provide immediate world, national, local news which develop conversations. The variety of songs played brings thoughtful memories of the past and place a smile on someone's face. Emergency news of the death of a love one brings people together for love, support and condolence. The radio stations cannot provide these services without the monetary assistance of numerous businesses who pay for their advertisements to be broadcast. Sometimes we may feel the advertisements are annoying however, many of the Navajo people rely on these radio stations for information. Kudos! to the radio stations you are all the best and continue to serve the people.

Ahe'ee laan Adzaan Ligai a doo Daiy Times. Da'dee Dine' bizaaad boo'hoosh'aah, ei ei ya nizhoni'eh.
Muchos gracias tambien...

wish we could get a clear signal. i get so tired of regular radio, would be nice to hear Navajo songs and stuff.
There is another radio station on FM, 89.9, Native America Calling (monday-friday/11am)and the Singing Wire (sunday/12-4pm) radio shows are available too.

Interesting article.

Wish KNDN would just get online like KTNN

Great article. Enjoy listening to George Werito every morning especially when it comes to events about our children. They are our future. By the way we get great signals from all three stations in Torreon,NM.

Lol2 wrote:

Wish KNDN would just get online like KTNN

I agree with you...So I don't have to carry around the radio at work..

Kudos kingsly!

Thanks for writing this article, a nice insight for us Navajo's and the struggle to keep our language alive. Appreciate the time and thought you put into this article.

It still a long way off before we totally lose our language. The boarding schools tried it, churches tried it, etc. The internet will help us preserve it.

Great article!! George Werito is a great guy and I believe he truly cares about the Navajo people. I recently heard that Onstar is in the process of offering its services in Navajo.

congradulation brother for doing a good job serving your people..keep you in prayer... your sis. Bessie

Chief wrote:

Good information. A key information you did not report is how these Radio Stations are crammed with commercials 75% to 80% of the time.
Another thing is the early morning (about 5-6am)KTNN broadcaster is a self-proclaimed Navajo Christian and chooses to only play gospel music and his church songs and no other church songs affiliated with other denominations, just his own church songs. He also refuses to play the Native American Church songs and musics, which a lot of young Navajos like to hear and learn. I think the Navajo DJ is discriminating against other Churchs. KTNN should set a policy to not even play gospels or his church songs, if he is not going to allow other church songs on the air.

I wish they could play more Gospel Musics I feel good after hearing it.