THE NAVAJOS
DEMOGRAPHICS
DEMOGRAPHICS
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Official Name: “Navajo Nation”
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Native name is Din`e (da-nay) meaning ‘The People’
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Includes parts of four states: AZ, CO, NM, UT with largest piece in AZ
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Larger than 10 of the 50 states of the US
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Population: 250,000+
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States with largest Navajo populations: AZ (140,263) and NM (108,306)
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Navajo language spoken but most Navajos also speak English
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Size: 27,425 square miles, 16 million acres (about size of West Virginia)
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5% sales tax
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Daylight Savings Time observed
GOVERNMENT
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The Navajo Nation has largest land area of any Native American jurisdiction.
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Capital: Window Rock located near AZ & NM state line.
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Observe laws of the US, but are self-governing.
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Governed by the Navajo Tribal Council since 1923.
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3 branches of government (Executive, Legislative, Judicial) since 1991.
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The nation is broken into five agencies.
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Each agency contains chapters (currently there are a total of 110 local chapters), each with its own chapter house.
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A chapter is the most local form of government.
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Chapters are semi-self autonomous, being able to decide most matters which concern their own chapter.
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Each chapter has its own chapter house.
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The population varies for each chapter.
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Local leadership is organized around ‘clans’.
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Matriarchal: family names follow the woman’s lineage.
ECONOMY
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Under the Bureau of Indian Affairs of the US Department of the Interior, Navajos receive US federal funding for housing, social services, education, job training, law enforcement, land management.
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US federal grants are managed by the Navajo Council, who distributes monies among the people.
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Sources of income:
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Herders of sheep and cattle with 2,600+ grazing permits
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Crafters of rugs, blankets, jewelry, art
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Mining of coal and uranium
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Lumbering
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Casinos
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Tourism
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HOUSING
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The traditional Navajo home is called a "hogan", which is a sacred dwelling for those practicing traditional Navajo religion.
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Hogans are typically built of wooden poles, tree bark, and mud.
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The doorway faces east to get morning sun and welcome good blessings.
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More recently, trailers and modern houses have replaced hogans.
LIVING CONDITIONS
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Highest covid infection rate per capita in the US.
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300% higher covid-related deaths than US average.
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2015 median income $25827, less than half US average.
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Unemployment rate: 48.5%, which is 600% higher than US average.
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2020 high school dropout rate 31% compared to US average of 19%.
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Diabetes rate is 5 times higher than US average.
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2019 homicide rate is 400% higher than US average.
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Violent crimes 23% higher than US average.
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Living conditions qualify the Navajos as a third world nation.
