Care for Nahasdzáán, or Care for Mother Earth, is a class offered by the Center of International Education in conjunction with the Department of Sociology that offers students an opportunity to learn about Diné culture and traditions.
Melanie Hildebrandt, associate teaching professor at the Department of Sociology, and Stefanie Kunze, sociology graduate coordinator and assistant professor, are bringing partnerships with Diné educators and community members to the classroom.
“This started as a private volunteer opportunity for groups of students, faculty and community members to help out on family farms,” Hildebrandt said. “We would help for a day and maybe camp out overnight to assist with different tasks like removing invasive plants or digging watering canals. This sparked inspiration to see if we could develop these visits into a class so students could learn about Diné culture directly through Diné people.”
Hildebrandt and Kunze said the idea was driven by their partners’ interest in having NAU students visit the reservation and learn about their way of life. After the conversation started, the pair reached out to CIE to run the class as a hybrid international program, since the Navajo Nation is a sovereign nation within the United States. Now, students can apply to the 8-week program that includes time in the classroom and three weekend visits with Diné neighbors where they can learn about Diné life while helping with farm projects.
“Students are engaged with reading, understanding sovereignty, understanding environmental issues and history,” Hildebrandt said. “We bring in guest speakers whenever possible, including Indigenous faculty members who are willing to share their expertise with the students in the classroom, as well as other people in the community who may not live on the reservation but have knowledge that we think is important that the students are exposed to.”
Kunze said the program only admits 10 students at a time. To apply, students must write a letter of interest, submit a letter of recommendation and go through an interview process.
“We do this to make sure everyone is coming to learn and be part of this experience, not just because it is something cool to study,” she said.
From helping with sheep corrals, planting, repairing fences and irrigation systems to visiting cultural sites and sitting around the campfire at night, everything the students do on the reservation is an opportunity to understand culture, traditions, belief systems and everyday challenges of their hosts. Diné partners have expressed they are thankful to provide students with the opportunity to participate and learn from their perspective in a welcoming place where their questions will not be judged.
“Our visits to the reservation are by invitation only,” Kunze said. “Our partners like what the group is doing, and they invite us to come to their place. Melanie and I always visit the site first to see what the location is like and meet the people. We always try to volunteer first and establish that relationship. We take time to create these relationships before we actually bring students there. There is always a lot of work to do, and our students have been well received because they are prepared and ready to help out. The students also are prepared to have meaningful conversations, and most importantly, ask good questions.”
What makes this program unique is that it is Indigenous-driven and Indigenous-led. In Flagstaff, Hildebrandt and Kunze are the educators, but when they leave town, their Diné partners take over, immersing the students into their world.
“This is the first NAU class that has gone through Tribal consultation,” Hildebrandt said. “We obtained permission from the Navajo Nation to conduct this program. We respect that process.”
The Care for Nahasdzáán course aligns with NAU’s Commitment to Indigenous Peoples and emphasizes the building of mutually beneficial, reciprocal relationships with Indigenous nations and community partners. Currently, students only visit the Navajo Nation, but the program coordinators are working to establish relationships with other nations in hopes of incorporating them into the class.
For more information visit nau.edu/nahasdzaan.
Mariana Laas | NAU Communications
(928) 523-5050 | mariana.laas@nau.edu