I now remember hearing this word, Yah ah teh, with the emphasis on the first syllable. Where on the reservation did you live? I was south of you in 1961 - 1963, in Zuni.

Not that I really know the language of the Navajo, I have heard and believe that the sounds are so difficult that one has to be born into the culture to get the language correct.

@dalefvictor
I remember a scene in my mother's craft store in the 70s.

An older Navajo woman asked her nearby daughter in Navajo some question about a product.
It so happened that the guy I knew was also standing there so he answered the question -- in Navajo.

The lady was immediately shocked and frightened. She had no idea that strangers might be able to understand what she was talking about.
Ha,ha, I guess.

@dalefvictor Teensy place called Rough Rock between Kayenta and Chinle.

@dalefvictor And, yeah, emphasis on Yah and it's all slurred together

My kids were in the school and I taught business in one of the boarding schools. SAD as hell, 30% attendance was a good day and the rest of living there was just extremely depressing.

@Larimar
It's not native American of course, but I got to know a lady who ran a migrant worker grade school in Florida. She said they considered it a good day if they got the kids to eat a lunch.
That's just not a world I've ever been a part of.

My father taught and coached and he always kept a fridge full of protein drinks to try and hand out -- to try and distribute nutrition -- there again, the priorities shift a little in the circumstances.

Migrant workers children are often pressed into taking work with the parents or watching the other children in the family. If your priorities are to either eat or go to school, you would choose food.

Hence the wisdom of the United States military in World War II using the Navajo language for secret communications. Teams of German scientists struggled in vain to break the “code” while allied forces enjoyed the “enigma” messages that the British broke using the first Turing machine.
We called those Navajo communication translators “Code Talkers” and I for one am still grateful for their service.

@Willow_Wisp I think I heard that the last of the "Wind Talkers" passed several years ago. I also thought there was another tribe whose language was used, I do not know which.

@dalefvictor They were “Code Talkers” I had a slight memory issue that I corrected after reading it. I don’t have detailed knowledge about them and the last time I heard anything about them was 1969, no wonder I thought they were “Wind Talkers” I think my Dad called them that and his Navajo friend corrected him.

@Willow_Wisp I actually met a couple code talkers when I lived there, that was '93. It was sad, I learned from the medicine man there and was curious. Gave him some of the herbs I grew up with and taught him what I knew, but Frank said the youth of his tribe weren't even interested in learning what he knew. I grew up using herbs instead of meds most of the time, so I will reach for tea bags, etc before I call the doc.

@Larimar I went to school in the local public school in Zuni, New Mexico. It was a great experience. I remember having a great experience with all the other kids, we got to keep a horse in our back yard for about six months. The three years I was there was the best of my childhood, the culture was together and the people worked together. One also could hitch hie anywhere without concern. My mother was a nurse at the Hospital, we befriended several people and were invited to ceremonies. They were great and the bread was fabulous.

@dalefvictor One thing I took with me was how to make Fry Bread to make Navajo tacos. They're so good. But they came about by US Army rationing and it's killing them with diabetes.

@Larimar If you got to talk to the Medicine Man then you had a real experience. One of the Medicine Men for the Zuni was a Maintenance worker at the Hospital, he was a great source of knowledge. I had many experiences that just do not make sense anywhere else, when I tell the stories of these I am told I am lying, so I do not repeat them.

@Larimar Yes, the food was good tasting, though much fat was used. The frybread was particularly great. Have to come and visit so you can make some. Don't worry, I do not go past Portland without a very good reason. Of course,!

@dalefvictor I understand what you mean. One of these days, I still plan to make a loom and make another "rug" The only one I ever made before wasn't the best but I do know how to make one....it got stolen from a house break in. Lots of bad stories from living out there...that was one. They take things that they know mean something to you to try to get you to leave. I lost a photo button of my grandmother as an infant that way. They didn't have to convince me further, when the contract ended, I left.

@Larimar I had exactly the opposite experience. We used to drive down roads on the Reservation just to see what they went. If our car had problems it was never more than about ten minutes before someone in a pickup would drive by and ask if we needed help. They always helped and would not take anything for the effort. Hugh, the Medicine Man I mentioned told my mother that for her taking money would be to insult her. We got to hike to and climb their Sacred Mesa, as long as we left everything alone all was good. Quite a climb and lots of stuff that was left from when Cortez went through there on top. One could still see the footholds carved into the side of the Mesa. I used to hike around and always felt like I was being followed. Not a creepy feeling but a safe feeling, like if something happened I would be found and helped. Sadly, just when we were leaving, religion came to the area and I think this had a bad effect. I wished these idiots would just go away. The religion of the Zuni worked for them.