The Navajo Nation mourns the passing of Dr. Louva Dahozy, a beloved grandmother, community leader, and lifelong advocate for the well-being of the Diné people.
Dr. Dahozy dedicated decades of service as a health educator, cultural teacher, and voting rights activist. In the late 1960s, while serving with the Office of Navajo Economic Opportunity, she helped secure federal funding for radio programs in the Diné language that focused on healthy foods, nutrition, and the importance of home economics.
She went on to establish the first Navajo homemakers’ radio program, which aired for ten years and emphasized how food brings healing and good health.
In 2015, Dr. Dahozy worked with Diné College and Winona State University to record hours of oral history so her story could be preserved and shared with future generations. This invaluable footage is now archived at the Navajo Nation Museum.
Her passion for education extended into agriculture and community development. On the Navajo Nation, she organized 4-H clubs and taught hundreds of youth about livestock and traditional practices. She and her family also carried forward the tradition of raising sheep in their local area—a legacy her family continues with pride.
Dr. Dahozy was a founder of the National Indian Council on Aging and helped organize the Navajo Nation Council on Aging. She developed the first Navajo Illustrated Cookbook, using both commodity and native foods, and was the motivating force behind a native foods analysis that proved their high nutritional value.
She also helped establish the North American Indian Women’s Association and was elected its first national chairwoman. Through this organization, she directly sought funding from Congress to address local community needs and strengthen Indigenous advocacy.
A true matriarch of the Diné people—often known affectionately as the “Mother of the Navajo People”—Dr. Dahozy remained a driving force for activism, education, and cultural preservation until her passing.
We extend our deepest condolences to the Dahozy family and to all those whose lives she touched through her tireless work. Dr. Louva Dahozy leaves behind a powerful legacy of service, wisdom, and compassion. She is an enduring inspiration to future generations, and her teachings will continue to live on in the hearts of our people.
