PHOTO: Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren was joined at the Navajo Nation Washington Office Tribal Nations Banquet by Navajo Nation Council Speaker Crystalyne Curley, Council Delegates Shawna Claw, Germaine Simonson, U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Lujan and U.S. Rep. Harriett Hageman. It was an evening to remember many tribes’ shared heritage.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – At a banquet to close the White House Tribal Nations Summit here Wednesday, Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren invoked the memory of past tribal leaders, Navajo ancestors and the hardships they endured.
The President said because of their sacrifices, the current generation of Navajo leaders can meet with the President of the United States and top federal officials with equal respect and validation.
“Let’s remember that our shared heritage is a tapestry woven from the threads of tenacity, strength, and unity,” President Nygren told 150 guests at the Navajo Nation Washington Office’s Tribal Nations Banquet.
“Each thread tells a story of our ancestors’ struggles, their victories, and their indomitable will to survive.”
Among those attending was Navajo Nation Council Speaker Crystalyne Curley, Council Delegates Shawna Claw, Germaine Simonson and Carl Slater.
Also there was Assistant Secretary of the Interior Bryan Newland, U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, U.S. Reps. Harriett Hageman, Eli Crane, and Assistant Secretary for Tribal Affairs Arlando Teller.
“We carry with us the voices of our ancestors, the dreams of our children, and the sovereignty of our nations,” the President said.
“This gathering serves as a platform to ensure that our unique perspectives continue to echo across the federal government, from the offices of the White House to the chambers of Congress,” he said.
The President thanked the federal leaders who were there and who always help the Navajo Nation through their support.
“Your advocacy for tribal interests, your commitment to promote self-determination, and your respect for tribal sovereignty is invaluable to our collective cause,” he said.
The President spoke of the Navajo people’s suffering from the Long Walk in the 1860s to the restoration and rebuilding after their return home, saying Navajo history “is a testament to our will to never give up.”
“Our ancestors faced unimaginable hardships, yet they never hope,” he said. “They taught us that even in the face of adversity, we must strive to walk in beauty to maintain harmony and balance with all of creation.”
That, he said, is the legacy to leave to Navajo children today.
“Our ancestors knew that we could not stand alone, that we are stronger together,” he said. “We believe in the power of k’é, kinship.”
He said the duty before Navajo leaders today is not only to advocate on behalf of the Navajo people but to ensure the Navajo Nation’s sovereignty and lands are protected and respected.
Navajo leaders renewed their pledge to promote cultural education and to empower Navajo youth to persevere with their language, culture, way of life and to remember the legacy of their ancestors.
“We are diverse yet unified, unique yet connected,” President Nygren said. “Together, we are united.”
PHOTO: Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren was joined at the Navajo Nation Washington Office Tribal Nations Banquet by Navajo Nation Council Speaker Crystalyne Curley, Council Delegates Shawna Claw, Germaine Simonson, U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Lujan and U.S. Rep. Harriett Hageman. It was an evening to remember many tribes’ shared heritage.
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