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- Navajos voted Tuesday to loosen language requirements for their top leaders, eliminating the need for them to be fluent in Navajo and giving voters more discretion in who can hold elected office.
What's particularly interesting to me is the tension between a) promoting a more open democratic process, especially among young people and b) preserving Navajo language and culture. Both are generally good ideas, but here we see them come into conflict. Ultimately, as an outsider I see this as a good thing, based largely on the following quote:
- Terry Teller, of Lukachukai, grew up speaking Navajo but said it's not easy to learn and the fluency requirement kept younger Navajos out of the upper level of politics.
"It discourages Navajos who are educated and live off the reservation to return and help their people," said Teller, 36.
But even though Dine is the native American language with the most speakers, I do very much sympathize with people who feel this might adversely affect its long-term survival.