"The Navajo language played an important role in the creation of the world. At the dawn of creation, four Navajo words were spoken. I knew the words by heart: 'adinidiin (Light), nahasdzaan (earth), tó (water), and nitch'l (air)."

~Chester Nez

Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.

While the boarding schools taught English, the families at home in the Navajo Nation continued to speak and teach Navajo. A part of the oral tradition was the elders telling the creation stories; this was how the young Navajo learned their language, wisdom and culture. The Navajo children would memorize these stories word for word. It was this type of communication that helped the Code Talkers easily master the code.

Excerpt from an interveiw with Peter MacDonald, Video by Mark Henle, The Republic.

“Stories impart values, language, memories, ethics and philosophy, passing them to the next generation. A lot of people think of storytelling as just entertainment for kids, but for the Diné [Navajo] it helps maintain tradition and language.”

~ Laura Tohe, daughter of Navajo Code Talker, Benson Tohe

The stories told how sacred the Navajo land was. This is why the Navajo Code Talkers fought in World War II. The most sacred sites to the Navajo are the four sacred mountains, which mark the boundaries of the Navajo Nation and are located in Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah.

Four Sacred Mountains, Crow Canyon Archaeological Center.