Almost every day Anna Tom, a Navajo who lives on McCracken Mesa, near
Blanding, Utah, sends friends (including Facebook "friends") and relatives
blessings from a sacred place.
This is something she recently wrote: "Hello good morning rush rush have a good splendid day from all direction from our creator from Mother Earth the center of the Earth and the holy people."
The photos accompanying the messages sometimes seem like Navajo versions of Hallmark greeting cards delivered digitally – an uplifting way to greet the day.
Her mother, Betty Jones, is a medicine woman. Betty and Anna use the greater Bears Ears area of southeastern San Juan County to collect herbs, perform sacred ceremonies, and gather wood from cottonwoods, oaks, and cedars.
Yá’át’ééh.
Literally: it is good (alternatively: it is well). Here's how it's pronounced.
Yá’át’ééh is the way to say hello in Navajo. It's a common Navajo greeting. Meeting people, these days, begins with the greeting, but it could also be used as a parting farewell. It’s not common to tell someone “goodbye,” but instead “see you later” or “yá’át’ééh.”
Additionally, “Yá’át’ééh abiní” is the way to say good morning in Navajo. You’re saying “it is good, the morning.”
It can also be used with ‘shił’ as in “shił yá’át’ééh” to mean “I like it.” Change it to nił or bił and you’ve got “you like it” and “he/she/it likes it” (Navajo pronouns tend to be gender neutral).
Verb
This is something she recently wrote: "Hello good morning rush rush have a good splendid day from all direction from our creator from Mother Earth the center of the Earth and the holy people."
The photos accompanying the messages sometimes seem like Navajo versions of Hallmark greeting cards delivered digitally – an uplifting way to greet the day.
Her mother, Betty Jones, is a medicine woman. Betty and Anna use the greater Bears Ears area of southeastern San Juan County to collect herbs, perform sacred ceremonies, and gather wood from cottonwoods, oaks, and cedars.
 | |
| Betty Jones and her daughter, Anna |
_____________
- Nearly 150,000 Navajos speak their native language today, making it the most-spoken Native American language in the United States.
_____________
Yá’át’ééh.
Literally: it is good (alternatively: it is well). Here's how it's pronounced.
Yá’át’ééh is the way to say hello in Navajo. It's a common Navajo greeting. Meeting people, these days, begins with the greeting, but it could also be used as a parting farewell. It’s not common to tell someone “goodbye,” but instead “see you later” or “yá’át’ééh.”
Additionally, “Yá’át’ééh abiní” is the way to say good morning in Navajo. You’re saying “it is good, the morning.”
It can also be used with ‘shił’ as in “shił yá’át’ééh” to mean “I like it.” Change it to nił or bił and you’ve got “you like it” and “he/she/it likes it” (Navajo pronouns tend to be gender neutral).
Verb
- he/she/it is fine, suitable, good
- yáʼátʼééh náshdleeł ― I’m feeling better.
- doo yáʼátʼéeh da ― he is bad, evil, not good.
- he/she/it is pretty
- he/she is well, good
- yáʼáníshtʼééh ― I am well.
- yáʼánítʼééhísh ― are you well?
- must
- like
- shił yáʼátʼééh ― I like it (reflects a personal preference).
- doo shił yáʼátʼéeh da ― I don’t like it (reflects a personal preference).
- Díí naaltsoos shił yáʼátʼééh ― I like this book.
- Éí movie nił yáʼátʼééh yaʼ ― You like that movie, right?
- Aooʼ, áh yáʼátʼééh ― Yes, it's good.