A 'Wisdom Keeper' Draws From A Deep Well Of Navajo Culture [NPR.org]

Samantha Sangenito 1/12/1612:00 PM

In the Navajo culture, teachers are revered as "wisdom keepers," entrusted with the young to help them grow and learn. This is how Tia Tsosie Begay approaches her work as a fourth-grade teacher at a small public school on the outskirts of Tucson, Ariz.

For Navajos, says Begay, your identity is not just a name; it ties you to your ancestors, which in turn defines you as a person.

"My maternal clan is 'water's edge'; my paternal clan is 'water flows together,' " she explains. "Our healing power is through humor and laughter, and I try to bring that to my classroom."

[For more of this story, written by Claudio Sanchez, go to http://www.npr.org/sections/ed...ll-of-navajo-culture]

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