Honors: Navajo Students and Western Education

According to the Navajo belief mentioned in the text, what did the Holy People take form as in Dinétah?

• Mountains, rivers, and animals

• Clouds, sun, moon, trees, bodies of water, rain, and other physical aspects of this world

• Stars, planets, and celestial bodies

• Deserts, storms, and natural disasters

Answer explanation

The Holy People took form as clouds, sun, moon, trees, bodies of water, rain, and other physical aspects of this world according to Navajo belief.

What is the significance of the umbilical cord for a Diné (Navajo) baby according to the text?

• It is used in a ceremony to name the baby.

• It is buried near the family home to connect the child to its mother and the earth.

• It is kept as a keepsake by the parents.

• It is given to the Holy People as an offering.

Answer explanation

The umbilical cord is buried near the family home to connect the child to its mother and the earth, as per Diné (Navajo) tradition.

What event in 1868 significantly impacted the Diné people, as mentioned in the text?

• The signing of a treaty that created reservations in New Mexico and Utah

• The establishment of a new government in Arizona

• The discovery of valuable minerals on their ancestral lands

• The construction of a railroad through their ancestral lands

Answer explanation

The signing of a treaty that created reservations in New Mexico and Utah significantly impacted the Diné people in 1868.

What was one of the compulsory measures taken against Diné children as a result of the treaty?

• They were required to learn agricultural skills

• They were sent to faraway government and missionary schools

• They were given new names and identities

• They were made to serve in the military

Answer explanation

The correct choice is that Diné children were sent to faraway government and missionary schools as a compulsory measure taken as a result of the treaty.

What was the main subject that the author was forced to learn at a mission boarding school in the 1960s?

• Navajo history

• Mathematics

• English

• Science

Answer explanation

The author was forced to learn English at a mission boarding school in the 1960s, making it the main subject studied during that time.

According to the text, what was the effect of the 1975 Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act?

• It immediately changed the school system for native students

• It led to the closure of all boarding schools

• It was several years before widespread changes took effect

• It mandated the teaching of Navajo history in all schools

Answer explanation

The correct choice states that it was several years before widespread changes took effect, indicating a delayed impact of the 1975 Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act.

What is now included in the curriculum alongside English, as a result of changes in the education system for the Diné?

• Spanish language

• Navajo history and culture

• European history

• Computer science

Answer explanation

The Diné curriculum now includes Navajo history and culture alongside English, as a result of changes in the education system.

Who was the first poet laureate of the Navajo Nation?

• Luci Tapahonso

• A Radiant Curve

• Norton Anthology of Literature by Women

• Rhino Records

Answer explanation

Luci Tapahonso was the first poet laureate of the Navajo Nation, making her the correct choice.

How many books of poetry has Luci Tapahonso published?

• Four

• Five

• Six

• Seven

Answer explanation

Luci Tapahonso has published six books of poetry, making the correct answer choice 'Six'.

Which of the following is NOT a title of Luci Tapahonso's books of poetry?

• A Radiant Curve

• A Breeze Swept Through

• In Their Own Voices: A Century of Recorded Poetry

• The Beauty of the Spirit

Answer explanation

The title 'The Beauty of the Spirit' is NOT a book of poetry by Luci Tapahonso, making it the correct choice.