‘Make Navajo cool again’: Diné Bizaad adopted as Navajo Nation’s official language

Flagstaff: The Navajo Nation is kicking off 2025 with a fresh push to keep its native language alive and thriving. President Buu Nygren made a big move by signing a law on Christmas Eve that officially recognizes Diné Bizaad as the nation’s official language.

Nygren shared that making Navajo cool again has always been a priority for him. He’s excited about the progress being made and gave a shout-out to the Navajo Nation Council for their efforts.

Diné Bizaad is the most spoken Native American language in the U.S. It’s been part of Navajo culture for generations. The new law highlights how deeply connected the language is to Navajo identity and values.

Along with recognizing Diné Bizaad, the legislation also aims to boost language learning opportunities. It encourages the tribal government to enhance the role of the language in everyday life.

Recent data shows that more folks are speaking Diné Bizaad at home. The 2019 census revealed over 170,000 speakers, a nice jump from about 132,000 in 2000.

Nygren emphasized the need for more investment in language education. He’s pushing for a solid budget to support these initiatives and wants to partner with the Diné Language Teachers Association to offer classes for Navajo judges too.

At Salina Bookshelf, an independent publisher in Flagstaff that focuses on Navajo/English dual language books, the news was met with enthusiasm. Louise Lockard, who works there, believes this change could shine a light on the thriving use of the language in many homes.

Lockard, who has a background in teaching on the Navajo Nation, compared this move to Hawaii’s official recognition of the Hawaiian language back in 1978. She feels it could bring more respect and visibility to Indigenous languages and cultures.

“Celebrating tribal sovereignty also means celebrating language sovereignty,” Lockard said, highlighting the importance of this change.