Interpreting and Securing Navajo Access to Safe Drinking Water

Abstract

The purpose in teaching this unit is to get the students to analyze sources of water and its cleanliness, and what the Clean Water Act provides for Native Americans (and all Americans). The topic of Access to Safe Water will be taught to 9 th grade high school students at Window Rock High School(WRHS) in Fort Defiance, which also serves the surrounding communities of Window Rock, St. Michaels, Hunter’s Point, Oak Springs, Sawmill, and Red Lake on the Navajo
Nation.

The Window Rock Unified School District has about 2,000 students and is 98% Navajo. There are five schools within WRUSD: Tséhootsooí Diné Bi’Ólta’ (Navajo immersion school for grades K-6),Tséhootsooí Primary School (K-3), Tsehootsooi Intermediate School (4-6),Tséhootsooí Middle School (7-8) and WRHS (9-12). The selected class to teach this unit is Diné Studies at WRHS, over the course of two weeks in a semester-long class, since it follows the piece on water access of the Navajo Nation. Many students do not give a second thought as to the source(s) of Navajo water. By giving the students the means to comprehend water sources, it can strengthen factors such as access to clean water for the community as a whole. Its importance also follows the traditional outlook of how we as Navajo people see water as a source of sustenance of life.