Indigenous
Mable Martin, a teacher at Blanding Elementary School, teaches Navajo to students on October 1, 2018 in Blanding, Utah.
Elementary students learn Navajo at Blanding Elementary School on October 1, 2018 in Blanding, Utah.
Syiera Tsosie, 14, works on a painting as she takes a break from working on the development of Duolingo's Navajo language course at San Juan High School on October 1, 2018 in Blanding, Utah.
Charlotta Lacy, a teacher at San Juan High School, points to a book as she helps her student, Talia Sampson, 16, as she works on the development of Duolingo's Navajo language course on October 1, 2018 in Blanding, Utah.
A student works on writing numbers in the Navajo language at San Juan High School on October 1, 2018 in Blanding, Utah.
Claramae Armajo, 14, works on the development of Duolingo's Navajo language course at San Juan High School on October 3, 2018 in Blanding, Utah.
Clayton Long, left, and Charlotta Lacy, right, watch the crowning of Miss Northern Navajo is crowned at the Shiprock Northern Navajo Nation Fair on October 5, 2018 in Shiprock, New Mexico. The fair is the the oldest and most traditional of the Navajo fairs. It's held each fall to celebrate the year’s harvest with a community celebration. The Navajo traditional healing ceremony Yeibicheii is held throughout the fair.
People watch the Miss Northern Navajo coronation at the Shiprock Northern Navajo Nation Fair on October 5, 2018 in Shiprock, New Mexico.
Miss Northern Navajo is crowned at the Shiprock Northern Navajo Nation Fair on October 5, 2018 in Shiprock, New Mexico.
Russell Begaye, the president of the Navajo Nation, thanks Tiana Sam, 16, Miss Blue Mountain Unity Princess, for her work on the Duolingo Navajo language course as he meets her at the Shiprock Northern Navajo Nation Fair on October 5, 2018 in Shiprock, New Mexico. The president expressed the importance of preserving their native language and shared with her his pride for her efforts to help with the Navajo course.
Children participate in a Pow Wow at the Shiprock Northern Navajo Nation Fair on October 5, 2018 in Shiprock, New Mexico.
Children participate in a Pow Wow at the Shiprock Northern Navajo Nation Fair on October 5, 2018 in Shiprock, New Mexico.
People participate in a Pow Wow at the Shiprock Northern Navajo Nation Fair on October 5, 2018 in Shiprock, New Mexico.
Rylee Begay, 11, of Red Mesa, Utah sits in a drum circle at a Pow Wow at the Shiprock Northern Navajo Nation Fair on October 5, 2018 in Shiprock, New Mexico.
Educators and students at the San Juan High School in Blanding, Utah worked with Duolingo, the language-learning app, to build their newest course in the Navajo language. Duolingo launched the course on Oct. 8, Indigenous Peoples Day, as part of an effort to preserve endangered indigenous languages. You can read more about this in Time, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, ABC News, and the New York Post.
1.) Clayton Long, 65, at San Juan High School on October 2, 2018 in Blanding, Utah. 2.) Tiana Sam, 16, Miss Blue Mountain Unity Princess 2017-18, photographed at San Juan High School on October 3, 2018 in Blanding, Utah. "It's important to me to save our culture and language because I'm full Navajo. Its important to pass it on to the next generation," says Sam. 3.) Marion Sequaptewa, 16, holds her great grandfather's ceremonial basket, as she is photographed at San Juan High School on October 2, 2018 in Blanding, Utah. "My Grandpa always tells me I'm not a true Navajo if I don't speak the language," she says. "It's important to me because other tribes are forgetting their language. I don't want my tribe to forget ours." 4.) Demarian Benally, 14, photographed at San Juan High School on October 2, 2018 in Blanding, Utah. Banally says, "It is important to me to save Navajo language and protect our tradition. Our culture will be stronger and others will be able to learn it." 5.) Syiera Tsosie, 14, at San Juan High School on October 2, 2018 in Blanding, Utah. "I grew up with Navajo. My mom taught me like her mother did. Navajo is passed down. Today many families are losing their traditional ways." 6.) Charlotta Lacy, a teacher at San Juan High School is photographed on October 2, 2018 in Blanding, Utah. 7.) Claramae Armajo, 14, photographed at San Juan High School on October 2, 2018 in Blanding, Utah. "My great grandmother used to speak to me in Navajo. I'm very thankful that she and my grandma taught me." 8.) Esperanzo Lee, 16, holds her Navajo flute, as she is photographed at San Juan High School on October 2, 2018 in Blanding, Utah. "It's a good thing to keep our culture and language alive. It's something we need to keep going for our youth. It brings happiness to our elders that we can share and show our culture is still here," says Lee.
