Writing About Nature

Learning Objectives

The Beauty Way and Protection Way concepts are both under a pedagogy of a learning concept called Sa’ah Naaghai Bik’eh Hozhoon Teachings.  Sa’ah Naaghai Bik’eh Hozhoon is a complex pedagogy for a non-Navajo individual; it is even difficult for Navajos that are beginning to learn about Navajo culture.  The ones who understand this pedagogy are elders, traditional healers and women, educators studying the sacred knowledge, and scholars who are persistent and want to know this concept of learning.  Introduce these concepts to students as explained by Herbert John Benally:

There are differences in how learning is perceived in Western and Native American traditions.  Western tradition separates secular and sacred knowledge.  Consequently, some learning is forgotten soon after program requirements are met.  In this way, the notion of ‘true internalization of knowledge’ does not make the same sense to the Western mind as it does to Navajos, because this true internalization is not in the Wester system of learning.  But for Navajos, knowledge, learning, and life itself are sacred and interwoven parts of a whole.  They are holistic principles that determine the quality of each other.⁵

At this time, it might be an innovative idea to ask the students some questions about this quoted statement by Herbert J. Benally on true internalization of knowledge.  Here are some questions that could be asked of the students to share and to discuss: (1) What is the definition of internalization to you?  (2) What do you think true internalization of knowledge means?  (3) What are the three areas of holistic principles?  (4) Can you provide your own definition for each of these three holistic principles? Or to give some examples?  (5) How do you think holistic principles are interconnected to each other?  (6) Can you give some examples of the three holistic principles? 

Vangee Nez shared a cultural knowledge meaning about the Sa’ah Naaghai Bik’eh Hozhoon philosophy:

Sa’ah Naaghai Bik’eh Hozhoon is:  Sa means “old age,”; ah mean “beyond;”; naa means “environment;” ghai means “movement;” bi means “to it; “k’eh means “according;” ho means “self” and that sense of an ever-presence of something greater; zhoon means “beauty;” nishloo means “I will be; “naashaa doo” means “may I walk”. “May I walk,” invokes a sense of the omnipresent beauty created by the one that moves beyond old age.⁶

This curriculum unit will include reading and writing activities of cultural materials used in a Navajo Language class at the secondary level.  This curriculum could also be adapted to the elementary and middle school levels using age-appropriate materials targeted for the appropriate age-level audience.  Check the Navajo Language and Culture Standards to help locate some of the topics that pertain to nature writing at the various grade levels.

Culturally knowledgeable students will feel a sense of understanding of how a Navajo sees the elements on earth and in the universe to the five-fingered ones (people).  Therefore, some of the reading and writing Navajo teaching materials will include history, cultural values, attitudes, beliefs and philosophy, daily life skills or chores (e.g., chopping wood, hauling water, etc.), and taboos. 

The teacher will be introducing and modeling the Culturally Relevant Teaching Approach for this curriculum, so that the students will be motivated and inspired to build new vocabulary terms in the Navajo and English languages, to appreciate the joy of the words in print that relates to their cultural background and teachings, and to write with the understanding of meaning and bringing their thoughts and ideas to life.