Our Mission
Our mission is to provide quality instruction of the Navajo Language and to pursue Navajo Linguistics.
Our Vision
The Navajo Language Program is devoted to providing instruction that focuses on sustaining and promoting the use of Diné Bizaad. We promote the incorporation of culture into our language instruction, as culture contains a knowledge system and values unique to the Diné identity and is necessary for understanding language usage. We nurture the diversity of knowledge dissemination at the University of New Mexico.
Our Goals
The goals of our program are strongly related to the Diné culture and community, language revitalization, and language study. They can all be defined using the following Navajo terms.
Yáti’
Produce conversational speakers of Diné Bizaad
’É’ool’įįł
Infuse the Diné way of knowing and being into the classroom, overall academic life, and into the system of Navajo linguistic knowledge
Na’alkaah
Study the structure of Diné Bizaad through data-driven research that highlights the knowledge Diné Bizaad contains about itself
Nihá
Produce Diné Bizaad materials, resources, and research that will benefit the Navajo Language Program, our classrooms at UNM, our students, our faculty, and the overall Diné community
Náásgóó
Sustain Diné Bizaad to ensure its continued vitality, especially among the youngest community members; young speakers are crucial to the lasting longevity of Diné Bizaad
Si’ą́ Naaghéí Bik’eh Hózhóón
Instill joy and love for learning Diné Bizaad. Also, to foster life-long learning of Diné Bizaad and provide a space to be and know Diné