Birthday Project 2012--Navajo word of the day

[shadowydog]

Hosh
Cactus

I filmed this video when I was traveling back from Phoenix, AZ, passing through the Tonto National Forest, where saguaro cactus grow abundantly! When most people think of Arizona, the first thing that comes to mind is deserts and cactus... namely saguaro cactus. Well, the desert is probably pretty accurate where I live... BUT my part of Arizona does not have much "saguaro cactus." Regardless, I decided to make my Navajo Word of the Day "cactus," which is "hosh" in Navajo.

Saguaro is the type of cactus most people associate with Arizona. The word is the Spanish rendering of a Native American word for the plant... possibly cahilla, but it is uncertain.

Though saguaro does not grow on the Navajo reservation, there are two words for saguaro. The first is "hosh aditsahii," which kind of means "the cactus that grabs." I don't really know the reasoning behind this name. The other is "hoshtsoh," which basically means "big cactus." Either name is applicable... as is other names I'm sure but these are the only two I know!

Sorry about filming right off the freeway with loud 18-wheelers making noise & ruining the video BUT there is NO WAY I will venture off into the desert to make a video... Do you know how many rattlesnakes live out in the southern Arizona deserts? Lol, making this video so far from the freeway was gutsy enough!

- Daybreak Warrior

Interesting. From my experience in the desert with cactus, "the cactus that grabs" would more likely be a cholla cactus not the saguaro. There are many varieties of chollas; but the one that is most infamouse is the jumping cholla which has segmented stems and prickly spines "thorns" with backbarbs that grab hold of you as you brush against it.

[Theresa]

Now if we could get those cactus to grab people's wallets for the birthday project....

[Theresa]

Kéyah
Land


http://navajowotd.com/post/23753037959/keyah

Today’s word is the singular form for the word “land.”

You’ll often hear the phrase “Diné bikéyah” in public discourse which literally means “land of the People.” In this case, it refers the Navajo Reservation as a whole.

[Theresa]

The Star Spangled Banner

Today is Memorial Day in the United States, a day to honor the men and women who died while serving in the US Armed Services. To commemorate this day, here is The Star Spangled Banner, the US National Anthem, in Navaho.

[youtube]6NUj_w38FNM[/youtube]


These are the lyrics, in the Navajo language, to our nation's National Anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner." It was originally a poem by Francis Scott Key written in 1814. It was later set to music by John Stafford Smith. The song presented here is sung by Radmilla A. Cody, former Miss Navajo Nation (1997-1998) and recording artist. This song is available on her album entitled "Within the Four Directions."

The lyrics here are not only intended to teach the song, but to also help learn the meaning of the words to the song. Again, a translation of the Navajo word or words in English is written below each word. This is just but one version of translation in that one Navajo word can mean many different things when translated to English.
— Daybreak Warrior

The lyrics, in English:

Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

[SnoopyDances]

Wow! This is great. Thanks, Theresa for finding these gems.
She sounds better and has more understanding of the meaning of that anthem than most of these pop stars singing at baseball games.

[Theresa]

Na’ats’ǫǫsí
Mouse


http://navajowotd.com/post/21922156128/na-ats-oosi

Today’s word is Navajo for mouse. It’s hard to say exactly where this word comes from, because the latter part could be a reference to the act of drawing in something (to suck).

There is a story in Navajo tradition about the Twins who defeated giant monsters. It is said by some that during their journey to defeat the giants, the mice spied against them.

I can imagine the hero twins finding out about this and saying, “You suck!” thereby naming them for all eternity. (This most likely did not happen, just to be clear).

The squeaking sounds that mice make have been compared to the sound of kissing, so in a way, they are “the kissing ones.”

[Theresa]

Naaltsoos Biníí'
FaceBook

[youtube]tPJXLGohE70[/youtube]


Today's Navajo Word of the Day is "Facebook." Again, trying to show the utility of the Navajo language for everyday use. Technology is changing fast and unfortunately Navajo isn't changing fast enough for it. This word is a literal translation of the word, "facebook," as "naaltsoos biníí'." Well, it literally means, "the book's face," but it is the only way to kind of grammatically correctly say "facebook" in Navajo.

This word has no description of how it works or what it is so only people who are familiar with facebook and how it works will understand this word. To the elderly who don't know much about computers, this word won't explain much. Regardless, that's how new words usually are...

Anyway, the sentence used is, "Naaltsoos biníí' bitádísh'íí'," which means, "I'm browsing through facebook!" To give some example of the word, you can say, "Naaltsoos biníí' "facebook" deiłnínígíí bitádísh'íí'," which you can follow with the breakdown below:

Naaltsoos (book) biníí' (it's face): facebook
"facebook" deiłnínígíí: What they call "facebook"
Bitádísh'íí': I'm browsing through it

[Theresa]

Ajéídíshjool
Heart


http://navajowotd.com/post/24077023891/ajeidishjool

Here’s a body part word which means heart.

In this form, you can attach the shi-, ni-, and bi- particles to imply either my, your, or his/her/its heart, respectively. These words are as follows: shijéídíshjool, njéídíshjool, bijéídíshjool.

It is common in some medical settings for the word ajéí to also be used.

[Theresa]

Okay, it's not Valentine's Day, but it never hurts to learn how to say "I love you" in more than one language. (It especially works for being able to tell your kids "I love you," when saying it in your native language would embarrass the heck out of them!)

Ayóó'ánííníshní
I love you

[youtube]47-LRscTKNc[/youtube]


Since today is Valentine's Day, I decided to make today's Navajo Word of the Day "Ayóó'ánííníshní," which means, "I Love You!"

As a bonus, I also include how you would say Valentine's Day in Navajo. So, there are two ways to say it. Some people say "Hajéí Béédahaniih," which means, "Remembering the Heart." Other people say "Ayóó'ádajó'nínígíí Béédahaniih," which means "Rememberinng the Loved Ones!" Enjoy & Happy Valentine's Day!

-Daybreak Warrior

[Theresa]

Naat’áanii
Leader


http://navajowotd.com/post/21840085266/naat-aanii

Naat’áanii is the Navajo word for leader. It can also refer to someone who holds a position of leadership, like a boss, superintendent, or chief.

In the Navajo sense, Naat’áanii have been observed to follow 4 basic tenets of leadership (remember that 4 is a recurring number in Navajo tradition). It is roughly described as follows: 1) Thought process and planning; 2) implementation and actualization of planning; 3) the period of change that follows action; 4) the reiteration of the planning for improvement.

In the old days, this leadership structure was taught to certain children who were expected to become leaders later in life. It was common that the thought process was carried out by women, and then executed by the men. This is why Navajo culture is, at its core, matrilineal.

[Theresa]

Something a little different today...a Navajo children's song.

Navajo Puppy Song

[youtube]LS2F1qz7BSA[/youtube]


Here are the lyrics to that song that we were taught in Pre-School or Kindergarten, in the Navajo language. You would know this song if you went to school on the Navajo Rez in the 70's or 80's. I don't know if this song is still being taught.

Hopefully, this will provide some warm or fond memories. I've provided lyrics to the song along with a literal translation into English of what the words are saying.

For those of you teachers or child-care workers who live & work off the reservation and want to teach your students a Native American song, this is one song you can teach your students without offending anyone. Enjoy!

This is a pic of my real dog Kii (pronounced like key as in key chain), which means "Boy" in Navajo. Some people when they sing this song substitute the name Kiizh, which is short for Łikizh or "Spotty." My pup can go by either name!
-Daybreak Warrior

[Theresa]

Tónteel
Ocean


http://navajowotd.com/post/18182447435/tonteel

Tónteel translates approximately to ‘water that is wide.’

It is the Navajo name for an ocean.

I’ll break the word down further. ‘Tó’ means ‘water’ and ‘nteel’ (pronounced “ntyehhl” with the “nt” part sounding like the end of “don’t”) means ‘it is wide.’ Both parts of the word are used widely across the Navajo language in conjunction with other words and descriptors to name similar things.

[Theresa]

Something a little different today...the Navajo version of SpongeBob Squarepants!

Talibah Begay Sings the Sponge Bob Song at the 62 Annual Navajo Nation Fair

[youtube]9Sc_yGBJRBg[/youtube]


My grandma says old Navajo songs had no words. Instead they were chants that gave emotion. Though this song has words, I think this song would fall in this category because everytime I hear this song, it makes me feel really happy & always makes me laugh. My grandma also really likes this song. This song really shows the versatility of current Navajo songs. Congrats & thanks Talibah wherever you are!
--Daybreak Warrior

[b.p. olive]

Theresa, will this thread remain available permenantly? I am several days behind and it doesn't look like I'm going to be able to catch up any time soon.

Just wondering.

[Theresa]

Theresa, will this thread remain available permenantly? I am several days behind and it doesn't look like I'm going to be able to catch up any time soon.

Just wondering.

Unless the links go away because of the 'word of the day' account closure or site closure, this thread will be here permanently. Hopefully the links will remain active permanently, too.