Navajo Declaration
 

Cultural Integration

The Navajo Declaration declares that we are the image of our ancestors among the Indigenous Peoples and that we are created in connection with all creation. Mike Mitchell, Wilson Aronilth, Peggy Scott, Laura Wallace, late Andrew Natonabah, and late Dr. Dean Jackson developed the following declaration, with guidance from the Navajo Medicine-Men Association and Navajo Community College. The revision of the declaration interpretation was made by: Laura Wallace, Division of Diné Education; Roger Begay, Diné Language and Cultural Development-Division of Diné Education; and Henry Barber, Office of the Speaker. The following declaration is depicted by Figure 2:

Diné Bi Beehaz'áanii Bitsé Siléį

Diyin Dine'é

Sin dóó sodizin

Bee

Nahasdzáán dóó yádiłhił nitsáhákees yił hadeidiilaa,

Tó dóó dził diyinii nahat'áh yił hadediilaa,

Niłch'i dóó nanse' ałtaas'éį iiná yił hadediilaa,

Ko', adinįdįįn dóó ntł'iz náádahaniihjį' sihasin yił hadeidiilaa.

Dįį ts'įdá aláajį'  nihi beehaz'áanii bitsé siléį nihá' ályaa.

Nitsáhákees éį nahat'á bitsé silá.

Iiná éį sihasin bitsé silá.

Hanihi' diilyaadi dįį nihiihdaahya' dóó bee hadįnįit'é.

Binahji' nihéého'dįlzinii éį:

Nihįzhi',

Ádóone'é niidlįinii,

Nihiinéé,

Nihe'á'ál'į',

Nihi chaha'oh,

Nihi kék'e hashchįįn.

Dįį bik'ehgo Diyin Nohookáá Dine'é nihi'doo'niid.

Kodóó dah'adįnįisá dóó dah'adiidéél.

Áko dįįshjįįgi éį nitsáhákees, nahat'á, iiná, saad, oodla',

Dóó beehaz'áanii ał'ąą ádaat'éego nihitah nihwiileeh,

Ndi nihi beehaz'áanii bitsé siléį nihánidaahya'áą  t'ahdii doo łahgo ánéehda.

Éį biniinaa t'áá nanihi't'eelyáháą doo nįłch'i diyin hinááh nihiihdaahya'áą geátéigo,

T'áá Diné niidlįįgo náásgóó ahool'á.

The Foundation of Diné Laws (revised English version)

The Holy People ordained,

Through songs and prayers,

That

Earth and universe embody thinking,

Water and the sacred mountains embody planning,

Air and variegated vegetation embody life,

Fire, light, and offering sites of variegated sacred stones embody wisdom.

These are the fundamental tenets established.

Thinking is the foundation of planning.

Life is the foundation of wisdom.

Upon our creation, these were instituted within us and we embody them.

Accordingly, we are identified by:

Our Diné name,

Our clan,

Our language,

Our life way,

Our shadow,

Our footprints.

Therefore, we were called the Holy Earth-Surface-People.

From here growth began and the journey proceeds.

Different thinking, planning, life ways, languages, beliefs, and laws appear among us,

But the fundamental laws placed for us remain unchanged.

Hence, as we were created and with living soul, we remain Diné forever.