Dził Nááyisii

Bee’ eldiildahsinil

Sandia Mountains

Albuquerque

40 Years of Navajo at UNM

Since 1970, the Navajo language has been taught at the University of New Mexico.                     

In October 2006, the Navajo Program marked it's 35th anniversary with a week-long celebration.

From the first 40 students enrolled in beginning Navajo in 1970, the program has grown to offer a minor in Navajo and advanced language studies with a concentration in Native languages of the Southwest in the Linguistics master’s degree program.

Housed in the Department of Linguistics and supported through the years by the New Mexico state legislature and various grants, the Navajo (Diné) Program has made major contributions to the study of Navajo, bilingual teacher training and the publication of  Navajo Literacy materials.

The four decades of dedicated effort have enabled the successes of generations of students, many of whom come to the program from the historic Navajo colleges to continue work on their four-year degrees.