When I was travelling in Arizona I got lost in the middle of nowhere because my GPS broke down and I took a wrong turn. I was basically stuck in the desert for two hours trying to figure out where to go. There weren't any road signs, so I just ended up getting more and more lost. I ended up driving past a farm and pulling over to ask for directions. The family that lived there was Navajo. I told them my plight and they said they'd drive me back to town, but they were in the middle of dinner. They invited me to eat with them, but also offered to take me back to town immediately if I didn't want to wait. The father was literally going to let his food get cold and drive me to town to make me feel comfortable. Instead, I accepted the invitation. It was amazing and they were so kind. Their daughter was particularly taken with me, likely because she only had brothers and I'm a girl. She was thirteen and very vivacious. The food was delicious and they kept insisting I take more. By the time we were finished, it was pitch black outside. Again they offered to take me back, but also offered to let me spend the night since it would take over an hour to get back to town. I decided to stay. We had a bonfire out back, shared stories, and played a few games. One of the brothers, who was my age, gave me his room and slept on the couch. The daughter wanted me to sleep with her in her room, but the parents said no. They seemed convinced she wouldn't let me get any sleep, lol. The next morning they fed me breakfast, put some gas in my car, and I followed the dad back to town. The daughter and oldest son also carpooled with me to keep me company. They were genuinely the nicest people I've ever met and the experience was one I'll cherish forever.
@@1946luke and i though it will be tipycall horror movie scenario 😂 you know, going to some stranger's house in the middle of nowhere, they are friendly and nice, they ask you to stay one more night, and then they kill you :)
The fact they invited you in, showed you around, and taught you how to cook is a huge sign of respect. Wonderful people. I hope their language continues to live on.
There's a documentary on the revival of the Lakota language on you tube. Also interesting. Many people don't think much about it but the last battles between Indians and Americans wasn't all too long ago.. Like 1940s or so.. According to another documentary Indians had about 800 countries.. that's insane. I'd also like to see a full revival of all aspects of their culture. Except maybe for the scalping ..lol.
Especially considering all his disrespect. "Speaking it in the wild" not eating his tortilla, thinking its funny to shock ppl whos language was genocided out of their culture. The ignorance is huge. And of course they welcomed him btw, we are kind people who treat others like family. Im not navajo but across the board natives do that.
@UCBo7UPXPUitAK1nk_INmfiQ shut the fuck up… tribes decimated each other for hundred to thousands of years. We were just the last or most recent.. plus disease did 90% of job. And in many cases they struck first out of fear and while that’s understandable the reaction by the other side is also understandable..
I guess they recognize somebody willing to learn their language as a sign of respect, and so return it. People like @EvenYvie above ^ can cry 'disrespect and ignorant' all they want, but this channel has a long and well documented history of somebody genuinely respectful of, and interested in other cultures.
ok that made me laugh. Lmao. Imagine the payycheck this guy could make as an international translator. Im sure he already makes bank off youtube but still. How many people even exist in the world that can speak this many languages....
As a fellow Navajo it’s not bad. Awesome job. I still to this day say that this 80 something year old woman that my family knew was probably the best and most fluent Caucasian woman that spoke Navajo that I have ever heard. So good that you couldn’t tell is she was Navajo or Caucasian. But she spent like 50 plus years on the reservation as a missionary so yes I consider her native.
@@Slacker4Life3 same bro, i like those videos but hes so cringe with it, trying to randomly slip in those phrases, like just ask them if they speak it and if u could practise it with them. There was a guy named lao something i think big black guy, with a braided beard. But hes dead now
Being 100% Navajo makes me so proud and I still speak Navajo and this language is very hard and my grandpa teach me how to speak it fluently and he was a Navajo code talker
But even if not knowing their language, even without knowing a word , respect all culture, respect each other.... No words need even be said. And it takes no time nor money to show that.
@@Rhythmattica absolutely! This gentleman is very humble when speaking the languages he learns to native speakers. It him it's a compliment to the language of how beautiful and complex it is. That I think is where the respect lies- humility and graciousness. Not values we see often enough any more.
As a Navajo I know we are more lucky than most other tribes, we have been given the same treatment but we have the biggest Rez and still remember most of our past, language, and culture
I was just reading through these comments, appreciating the wholesome, respectful exchanges....then I reached that last comment and was reminded that the world has a lot of jerks. Still, I'll go away from this remembering the exchange. 😊
This made me cry. My ancestors are from Arizona, my grandfather remembers his parents and grandparents speaking Navajo. He speaks to me in Navajo sometimes. He would tell me how people would try to steal our land. Even the Germans married into our family to take it from us. Eventually it was lost. His father, aunts, and uncles were sent to Chilocco Indian school in Oklahoma. After that they lost touch with our tribe. I’m working on our genealogy right now with help from the Oklahoma Historical Society and I hope I can tell my grandfather which tribe he belonged to before he goes to rest with our creator. It saddens me how we’ve lost touch with our culture. This isn’t abnormal though. Indian children were sent away to assimilate into the American culture and my family is a testament of how well that worked. You can’t fathom how much suffering Native American people have endured. Women in the 70s experienced forced sterilizations many of which were Navajo - this was the women’s health America gave us. Our cultures are dying because America wants it to. This gives me hope! I can learn about my culture and preserve it. On a side note, I now live on a reservation and serve my community as a nurse. My grandfather is very happy I’m back in Arizona. I hope after I find our tribe I can take him on a trip to see his home again ❤️
I hope this encourages more young Navajo students to learn their own language. I’m 22 and Diné and I regret not learning sooner. I’ve been learning for 2 months now and I can now keep a conversation with my nálí. It’s such a great feeling and I am so proud of myself.
Hey another Navajo person here! 👋 could you tell me what resources you use to help you learn Navajo? I’m 19 atm and my goal is to learn basic conversation phrases and expand my vocabulary next year
Do not let the language die off. Language is powerful and the Navaho language has deep America history. I know some was not good but what the Navaho people did during WWII was honorable despite the latter history of the American government. I got In a motorcycle wreck just out of Shiprock New Mexico on the Navaho reservation and the paramedics were native American and they took good care of me. A few of the Nurses were as well and they took care of me just as good. I was very impressed with everything. It took me around three moths to heal (lucky me no broken bones) I was road rash both arms and legs. My elbow was hanging out of my arm and I did not break it. They had me stitched up and I walked out that night. It was brutal for the next three weeks as I slowly healed up. I always remembered the kindness of the people there.
Coming from a later generation Oneida, our main language is Ojibwe. Only the elders and not even all of them know the native language. It's very rare. This guy deserves a lot of respect. the willingness to learn a whole new language shows a lot of respect for that culture
Eh, I disagree. He deserves some amount of respect for showing that these languages are still alive and deserve to be learned, but otherwise he is monetizing the language for his own benefit with this “white guy speaks” gimmick. If he cared more about the cultures connected to these languages, he would be pushing people to learn more about those aspects of life rather than using them like Pokémon cards.
I lived in Winnipeg Manitoba and one of my best friends was Ojibwe. Used to go to the rez with him to visit his family. Went to my first pow wow and ate my first and only elk steak and it was incredible. The invited me into their sweat lodge and i said no. I didn't want to disrespect their religion. I am a white irishman and btw they spoke the language. I became one of the family
@@kevinm4022its definitely not disrespectful, when they invite you its actually opposite its a sign of respect for natives to invite anyone to get a look into their culture. I'm very glad they showed you the pow wow and food because there's alot of people that know nothing about natives.
Being a Native American watched him speaking another language in other countries and watching him get speak our language is unexpected, I enjoyed watching this
Learning someone's language is a sign of respect because there's not much people who would learn a language only spoken by a small population. At least, that's how I see it
If I wasn't dyslexic, I would learn Cherokee since that's the tribe from over here :( I hate the idea of these native languages dying out because no one cares enough to learn
You are so right. I have a unique Korean friend who recently gained minor but significant celebrity (260K+ IG followers growing fast) who I’m lucky enough to have become friends with, and she graciously offered to teach anyone Korean for free out of the kindness of her heart, and I thought about it bc I do have several online Korean friends who speak limited English.. But your comment made me realize it IS a really big sign of respect, and now I am going to take her up on the offer! Thanks!
The crazy thing people don't get is when you show genuine interest in someone's culture/life they're typically very willing and happy to share it with you. Love is universally recognized.
@@brokengirl8619 appreciation and appropriation are very different. Calling out offensive appropriation doesn’t diminish the importance or value of cultural appreciation
@@swand1383 even then though, there are people who will call even appreciation, appropriation. Like when a little girl wanted to have a traditional Japanese tea party for her birthday party and the mom put it together and did everything right, someone had to have a problem with it.
I love communities that are this friendly. They invited you back to teach you how to make Navajo breakfast, they respect you for taking an interest in their language and it’s so heartwarming watching them teach you how to cook Navajo breakfast! I wish more communities were like this.
This... THIS is what life is about. No yelling, no forcing to walk on eggshells. It went from "restaurant closed to public" all the way to "let me show you pictures in my kitchen", and then even further to preparing food. All simply because someone showed a small interest in language and culture. I love this exchange and interaction.
I wish people on tiktok saw it that way. If this was posted in tik Tok it'd get so much hate from whites "white knighting" accusing him of appropriation and many native creators gatekeeping saying he has no right to this knowledge. I wish tiktok community were as open and kind as you and others here
That’s a jewell of a reply. Language is so hard but it is key to every human culture. It is so much harder to talk and listen in another’s language than just belittle and categorize everything everyone does and did. I’m a ‘boomer’, and my daughter just told me that when I ‘dab’ it looks like a Nazi salute. Wha? Oh! And this is Memorial Day: posted a thanks to my Dad for saving the world from Fascism. Best of all, this language channel gives me so much hope each time I watch a new one: my gramps was fluent in 8, and me? I am struggling with Nihongo, Francais, and Bisaya.
I'm from southwest AZ. Lived in N.M. area and finally got to meet the people of Navajo Nation. They are the coolest laid back ppl. And their culture is so Awesome!!!
The Navajo people are so genuinely kind. Our car broke down on the side of the road on a Navajo reservation, and SOOO many people stopped by to offer us help, food, a place to stay for the night, etc. The owner of the Napa there actually opened his shop back up just to help us, it was amazing.
I went to a funeral on my ex husband side in new Mexico, I'm Oklahoma native but their hospitality blows ours out of the water, never met people so kind and fed us good too.
I had a very similar experience. My truck broke down outside of Tuba City Az. It was a Saturday and a local mechanic stopped to assist me. His shop was closed but he went back, got his tow truck, and open his shop to get me back on the road.
I am from New Mexico! I love that you came here to learn the Dine language. I am so impressed! It is also awesome that they allowed you into the kitchen and building. The Dine people are usually very "secretive" to outsiders. You gained their trust right away, just by learning their language. I am a little jealous. I married a Dine man. His grandmother did not speak to me until the day of my marriage to him. On that day, she said, " You are now my daughter." I felt soooo special after that, for she indeed spoke to me on a regular basis after that. I thought she did not speak to me, because she did not know English. She did!...RIP Grandmother Josephine Apache. I love you and miss you!
I learned Russian in hopes of impressing a girl who immigrated from Russia during the Soviet Union collapse. It did impress her. It impressed her mom much more.
Xiaoma is a man of the people, even though he has 3 million followers, he has never sold out and continues to support small businesses. Legit can't hate on this man for any reason.
very little do you see people giving respect to any culture in the states. this shows that we still got good in humanity. love supporting small businesses. Chinese, Japanese etc they all work hard and put up with alot of bs from us americans.
@@stickmandomination9730 I'm gonna need a citation for the less corrupt part. Sure big business is more efficient. But generally they accomplish that by sacrificing ethics.
@@elcastro5000 You really need a citation to know that nepotism is extremely prevalent in small companies? I was working at a family business and the special treatment was just insane. I had to take the shit for the mistakes made by other employees just because those employees were family. They were not at all qualified for their positions. Small companies also don't have any better ethics than large companies. At the end of the day they usually share the same practices with the only difference being big companies do it much cheaper
When he said he was donating the money to Navajo Strong I started crying. Thank you for not using the lives of these people to profit, but instead sharing your wealth with them
@@sif_2799 so, if he takes any photos, should he pay them for it? Granted, I think it's great that he is donating money but, filming your visit to a gift shop or a convenience store and people's reactions to you speaking their native language isn't making money off of people.
I'm an Aussie and met a Navajo couple who were stranded in winter. In a couple of months in the USA meeting them and spending just a few hours with them was a major highlight. Extremely nice and humble people.
He's definitely got a knack for it. He understands the root structure of language itself, and can compartmentalize what he needs to to learn a specific dialect, and it is amazing to watch. To see people light up with enthusiasm when they hear an outsider speak their tongue is so delightful.
Coolest thing I’ve ever experienced was when I was in the Marines and we had Navajo code talkers (vets) come and talk to each other on radios. It sent chills up my back.
The Japanese intelligence community was of two minds about the CodeTalkers- some thought it was a language unknown to them. Others thought it couldn't possibly be a language,
Yah’at’teeh! I’m Navajo and never in my life have I ever seen a white guy learn Navajo, that’s so fascinating. The elders would definitely enjoy your presence and all your stories. It’s so crazy to hear Navajo is rare...
I want to learn it, but I still have to look into recources on how I would even do that. Do you know how I could learn? Is there any books or websites that teach you?
@@animalkingdom2871 there are a few books, one that I find to be very helpful for those who want to learn is the Diné Bizaad Bínáhoo’aah. It’s teaches from small words and how to pronounce to bigger words and sentences. You can learn about what your month means. It’s really interesting, I think you’ll love it^^
It's so cool how language has the ability to connect people. They went from being closed to the public to giving him a private tour and teaching him how to cook in their kitchen and then having a great time with the whole staff. It goes to show it really does matter how you say something. Had he made the burrito order in English he would've just been another customer.
As a Navajo it’s so nice having people learning our language. You’re the 3rd white boy (I now know) who speaks Navajo. The first 2 are my cousins (haha). Thank you so much for making our elders smile 😀
😭 Considering what the native American elders been through throught their lives, it is so awesome to see them light up with smiles about their language! Can't hold back tears. I'm Russian/Canadian.
@@reptiliandomination1 I can’t speak for all Navajos but my family will invite/talk to African Americans than a white person. I’ll talk to anyone if they aren’t racist
We see each other as equals brother! We’ve been through the same shit and some natives around here ( Navajo, Apache, Ute, and Hopi) have children who are half black. So it’s no difference to us. We have nothing but love.
6:55 We’re still closed to the public. *Xiaoma starts ordering in Navajo* 9:20 So anyway, let me show you around the place and also show you how to make some Navajo food. Honestly, the best part of the video. 😆 Even in a pandemic, people still want to enjoy each other’s company. Especially, when a person speaks someone else’s language he or she didn’t have to learn.
@DecreaseMalePxpDefundHxllywood BanRapPurgeMxn And that’s called projection ladies and gentlemen. Just because that’s what you’d do doesn’t mean that’s what everyone will do buddy. Doubt you’re even capable of fathoming what it’s like to experience an interaction like this, even with it right in front of your eyes.
i love that you show your mistakes in these videos like mishearing or mispronouncing words, stuttering, etc. i get so caught up in sounding perfect when i speak german or spanish that it makes it hard to speak at all sometimes. it shows that mistakes arent the end of the world. another thing, would you consider putting subtitles for the entire video? maybe using diff colors for each language, idk. love the content
@@KB-ke3fiIt has an orthography, although it's mainly used as a teaching tool and by linguists studying the language. You can see it written on Navajo Wikipedia: nv.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Din%C3%A9_Bizaad
Just imagine the impact if we learn languages of other nations and showed respect 🙏 instead of sending billions of dollars of weapons, building fortresses and bombing with drones?
As a Navajo myself it really warms my heart to see this, Thank you for the effort and time you put into learning our language and a bit of our culture, I wish you a very good blessing, Thank You
This one made me cry I'm Mi'kmaq from the east coast and our language is dyeing too my mother went to.residental schools and they beat her when she spoke Mi'kmaq language... my 2 uncles died in that hell... 😔 😢
@@bryano1476 so sorry for your loss. My grandmother and grandfather went to boarding schools when they were young and they did the same to them. They kept their language and would talk about the mean teachers when they were not around lol. My mother knows a little but I never learned any... which is so sad. I hope that perhaps you can learn your native language before it is lost.
@@bryano1476 I am so sorry for your lost.. I really do pray and hope your language will be saved and learned by your people and possibly others. Lots of love 🤍
I am a Navajo teenager who has been around the Navajo language all my life, and I only know as much as you do. I am curremtly taking Navajo language classes to learn more. Thank you! You inspired me so much.
Being captured by the Japanese during World War II was bad enough but if you are Native American they always assumed you knew Navajo and could help. Words if you said you were Navajo then it really thought you could help but the code talkers were speaking a code on top of the already difficult Navajo language.
I love that he still seems genuinely nervous when trying out a new language, despite his competency to pick them up quickly. It shows a humility whilst being so adept.
imma be honest, i have NEVER seen a polyglot being rude. At most i have seen one being snob, but thats it. Especially if they learned the languages later in life.
This guy needs to be our American ambassador to ALL nations. Including extraterrestrials. Alien: "You know Martian?" Xiaoman: "A little. I've been studying for an hour. Please show me around your spacecraft."
I'm 17 and I'm navajo, every little mispronunciation he makes in navajo I want to be there to correct him😭its exciting to see him learn our language! Keep it up man, it is one of the hardest languages to learn but I bet you'll learn it, just know theres different versions of this language too, not just one pronunciation for every word! HAVE FUN AND A GOOD DAY
Hi! I absolutely love Native American culture and I was wondering if there was anything I could do to help bring awareness to Native American struggles? I just really want to help
@@M0ldyBubbles Your heart is in a good place. A starting point would be to learn about different Native nations and tribes that you are interested in (for example- Navajo, Cherokee, Osage, or one that is closest to you to). The culture, history, food, language, traditions, are different between the different Native nations and tribes, as opposed to a singular "Native American culture" :)
@@M0ldyBubbles This is just a general point rather than about struggles, but accurate representation of a culture is really important. A lot of people in the US, at best, only know a caricature of native cultures (and often one that's a mishmash of several cultures). But misrepresentation of cultures also plays into the struggles. I've heard too many people defend the colonizers' actions when they treated the Americas as just unclaimed land based on cultural misconceptions that have been propagated, often through education systems
I wish I could see that lady talking so much shit to her son in law about how some random guy she met studied Navajo for a month and speaks it so well without even having Navajo family.
Xiamoa, you made me tear up with this video. I am Navajo and my people never get the recognition they deserve. We have been through a lot, especially our ancestors. But our language and culture is so beautiful. So I just wanna say thank you for shedding some light on our beautiful culture and language. Ahxéhee. 💖
I wish it was mandatory to do at least a semester of Native American people, culture, art and history. I am Mexican and took a semester of Native American Art History (which I only chose because I couldn’t get into any other art classes to complete that section) and I absolutely loved it!! They are an advanced people with so many differences and similarities within different tribes and locations, culture-rich, and amazing things done that there are things we still don’t know how it was done- kind of like the Egyptian pyramids. You’re absolutely right, Navajo do not get anywhere near the recognition they deserve.
Also, the point of me commenting I was Mexican was for context and to focus on the subject of the video- not to debate information I didn’t offer and you assumed. Let’s keep it positive and focus on the message I replied under.
Im heartbroken many of the younger generation hasn't learned their native language. Please don't let your language and culture die! Natives have such rich history and heritage and we should be fighting to keep it relevant!
@@SeddieBear I understand, but I know more people who embrace native culture than vilify it. It may be because I live in an area where Cherokee and Lumbee still reside, but don't ever give up pride in who you are. Black, White, Asian, or Native...we should all have pride in where we come from and lift our fellow humans up.
Same with Italian Americans, Polish Americans, Vietnamese Americans, etc. People need to keep their culture alive in the United States or it will die out, we can't let that happen.
I wish I could my Navajo a whole side of my family don’t care for me ever since my dad died or my dad‘s drum group my dad used to sing for Powwow and stuff I remember always going but then my dad got sick and died and my family just stop caring so now all I got is mom And my brother and sister
I’m not even Native American and this video made me tear up. My favorite parts were some of them quizzing him and trying to make him better. This is probably my favorite video you’ve made!
Bro, see this is the shit. Hopefully he realises how he honours other cultures by speaking their language. I love this. Taking the time to learn is so respectful. It opens doors culturally and you get to learn stuff with a culture. This was awesome. Made me tear up.
Had the same exact reaction. It really is such a wonderful thing to see and you can instantly tell by everyone’s reaction how much they appreciate someone actually taking the time to learn the language. Love seeing it
Same here. As a white guy in Massachusetts my exposure to certain cultures is somewhat limited. A video like this has value because it expands awareness that there are good people everywhere, with their own traditions and ways of life that should be honored and respected. A grain of sand is still a grain of sand.
Navajo is a dying language, Being native American, Its so nice to see there's people out there still actively learning my native language. Not too many people speak it nowadays and the ones who are able to teach it are slowly dying out. Please keep this up. The more we have people learning it the more we'll be able to pass it on to future generations.
As a native American its up to you. Just learn it amd speak it at home if you have children. Dead or dying languages can be revived like this, like hebrew in israel
This is great man, Native American culture CAN NOT survive without more attention being brought to them, They have to be the most neglected culture in the US. I really hope this video series helps.
@@contestsvu4538 For sure I followed Russell means for years and listened to a lot of his lectures he breaks it down clear as day the plight of the modern Native American in this country and it's pretty bleak. It is very sad that their languages probably won't last another generation or two.
@@KLAYCO47 definitely crazy seeing you here, a man of culture I see. Its definitely a shame a lot of Native Americans Languages amd cultural practices are starting to die out. Hopefully theres a way for their traditions to be preserved
I’m not Navajo, but one of my best friends and his family are Navajo. I just want to thank you for doing this for the Navajo people, keeping the language alive and donating to help them, as they were hit really hard by the pandemic.
@Revertz 1ups some people worse than others... I’ve been lucky and havnt had any issues in the pandemic I just keep working and pay my bills like before hand
@Revertz 1ups yes, but the Navajo reservation is hours away from the nearest cities. I believe it’s about half or 1/3 people that don’t have running water, which means they had to go travel to get water, putting them at risk for catching COVID and making it so they can’t wash their hands. They are more susceptible to obesity and heart disease than the average person, making them vulnerable. They had the highest infection rate per capita out of any city in the US for a long time.
I loved seeing this I’m half Navajo and half Mayan I loved seeing both videos and it’s so amazing you brought light to the language a lot of the language is dying but this is the greatest thing cause you’re an inspiration to learn it
as a Native this is really really fuckin cool to see, most of our languages are slowly being lost, but i’m learning mine at the moment, but it’s really awesome to see you learn it and use it as well! Much love from Laguna Pueblo!
Ok but what's with the trump sticker at that second shop. Do natives like trump or something? He didn't really help with that whole oil pipeline up north. I wouldve thought natives hate trump?
@@so-calcultivation5269 us natives also have a split between people who like and dislike him. I'd say there's alot more who hate him, but some of my relatives like him for some reason, I cant really say why.
@@so-calcultivation5269 also, those signs that are put up are not really done by the shop. Other places like on random fences or random shops had both Trump and Biden posters up before the election. Hope this helps answer your question.
There is a reason people call your native/mother language your “heart language”. The women who invited him into the store...when you can connect with someone in their heart language it can mean a lot
I agree, I know some Spanish and some German. I was in Germany for four years (Army) and knew enough to get myself in trouble. Now that I’m back home I forgot most of them as there isn’t anyone who speaks ether one. You have an ear for language me not so much. You are right, if you at least try to speak to someone in their own language the will open up to you.
As someone who grew up in NM, I can confirm that Native people are some of the most loving, generous, and kind that you will ever have the pleasure of meeting.
I love it; these ladies are sharp! They didn't waste one second after checking his channel subs to invite him in and even record him doing bread on the grill. Wish them ladies all the best and hope they sell out of food!
As a Navajo, born and raised on the reservation, I would say you did an amazing job with the language - especially since you’ve only been learning for about a month. Good job!!
he learns simply phrases such as how to ask certain questions and statements. his mentality is that at some point you'll simply replace certain words (such as changing "i like the color red" to "i like the color blue". you're brain will remember how to properly say "i like the color..." but the actual color is the "new" word you're learning. it's an interesting way to learn a language but i haven't tried it this way yet also, it seems to only help regarding the spoken language and not the written language
@@idxrider, it is definitely a hard language to learn and very complex. It is also a highly developed and written language as well with dialects conforming to certain regions of the reservation. I personally have a large collection of Navajo language books that I occasionally reference.
I just wanna say in agreement with all the other natives that watching this was very emotional. Nobody recognizes the hardship our people went through and it was just very beautiful and tear jerking to see you, someone we all love and respect, taking time out of your life to learn one of our languages and shining some light on us. Thank you for this bro.
You are awesome man.. I'm cherokee Indian and can't speak the language. Haven't spoken it since I was 7 years old when we moved off the rez.. I'm 43 now ,your videos have pushed me to relearn and speak it. Thank you so much for what you do..
Lonzy: Many Native American reservations have Traditional Tribal Community Colleges! Many teach their students the language of the tribe! Hope you can find a place to learn your language! 🤗🪶🦅🪶🦅🪶🦅🪶🦅🪔🪔🪔🪔🇩🇪🇨🇭🇺🇲💙
This by far, is my favorite of your language endeavors and videos. The warmth and welcoming of the Navajo people should be better shown and understood and you showed it beautifully. Not to mention the fact that you are donating all of your ad proceeds to Navajo Strong, much respect brother. Much Respect.
My dad and uncles come from a tiny indigenous town in Mexico. They are called Otomi. The language is dying out. My grandma only speaks that language, she doesn't even know Spanish. My dad and his brothers speak a mix of that and Spanish. Everyone there said that the language is dying out, that the young there are only speaking Spanish now. I want to learn it and speak to the natives and my family there when I go back.
I'm not gonna lie I teared up a little bit watching this video, knowing that there's still a appreciation for my people's culture & language still gives me hope my children can be embraced by the new generation & be proud of their culture. Keep it up buddy & love the video. The Navajo people really need more exposure & to let the world know that they're just regular people trying to live with what they have & make the best of it.
I was wondering if you knew of any websites or resources that could teach me the language? I am interested in learning but have had trouble finding a resource where I can learn it from
@@Rose-vl9qe there's no official website sadly but there are UA-cam channels to check out that teach Navajo but personally I'm cree, chipywan & souix, so the dialect is different in my family but what everything the Navajo went through the past two years they really need exposure to get the help they need. So please if you can donate to their respective charity's would be much appreciated because the American government certainly wouldn't help them even if they asked multiple times.
@@markehlpetersen1040 that's a big problem for modern native Americans because even myself fall victim to not knowing my ancestors native language I'm still Learning so I can teach my children but there's so much to learn & it's gonna take a life time of sacrifice to relearning our heritage. But it's worth it because our ancestors sacrificed everything so we can exist today.
@@ireallycant4416 the leading theory is our ancestors traveled from the north and scattered throughout the world. As nomadic people different tribes settled elsewhere across the world. Don’t know if my ancestors are directly related but from what I’ve learned that is the believed idea from researchers
@CHIEF TAHCHAWWICKAH it's funny how you have to reply to EVERY SINGLE COMMENT 🤣🤣 yes I am also looking through every comment just to see if you replied, stop speaking English if you're so bothered, why speak the colonizer's language? And don't say "because I have no choice" speak your language with pride even if it means that most won't understand you and if you don't speak it, LEARN IT. I'm tired of seeing you shame the Navajo people in the comments that have nothing but nice things to say to xiaomanyc, they seem ok with it, so stop trying to belittle them or question if they're actually Navajo just because they don't have the same hateful mentality you have.
@CHIEF TAHCHAWWICKAH : You a not Diné. You have no say in what they feel is right for them. Fake person !! Claimed member of the proud Comanche ....Do you speak Comanche or Shoshoni ?!! @CHIEF TAHCHAWWICKAH is an agitating, malcontented, malicious Troll-bot, trying to sow division. Not even a real human.
I love that she asked him to say the numbers!!! The funnest part of learning a language is quizing yourself so it’s fun when other people ask little quiz questions too
I worked in a medical office in Flagstaff for a couple of years. We had a young, white as milk toast Mormon kid who did his mission on the Rez. He spoke Navajo fluently to our many NA patients. Many of the old ladies spoke absolutely no English so he was vital in the office. The elders would be blown away by this kid every time. So fun to watch.
@@brianharder7714 you know what a bigger buzz kill is? Racists. Kinda like how you’re sounding now. It’s a big problem in the church. Do you want to be part of the solution or no?
Mad respect. My friend who is Navajo taught me a little of the language. It’s more difficult than both of my languages, Seneca and Mvskoke. I know greetings, some to practice manners, and I can count to 10 but my mumble causes me too much trouble with other pronunciations. But I’m still learning my own languages as well.
Loving how when you just ordered breakfast in Navajo and it turns into a tour and a how-to-make-a-breakfast tour, too. Simply, when you speak their language, they open their hearts and home to you...
Haŋ! I love it when non natives try to learn the language. The color of your skin cannot stop you from preserving a beautiful culture and with it, it’s peoples language.
This video brought a smile to my face! As a full-blooded Navajo, I respect your time & effort you put toward and explored the Navajo nation area. You’re man of the people! Definitely needs to go viral ASAP
Playing country music for years, a lot of indigenous people would show up at gigs, were fans of old-school outlaw type country in particular, which is what my band played. Nicest, kindest, most welcoming people you can imagine. One gig near Yosemite National Forest, some long-haired indigenous guys were wooping it up for hours, then came to hang out with us. They invited us to their home, we had a day to kill so next morning we went over there. Spent the day riding quads, horses, helping them with ranch stuff, drinking beer and trading stories, one of the most happy days I can remember. One of them gave me a vodka mini that was left over from a work gig party, it has been years but I still have that up on a book shelf so I can remember them and I feel that happiness every time I see that little bottle.
I'm 70% and don't even know one lick of Navajo pretty sad and embarrassed to say the least, thing is my grandparents always talked to us grandchildren in english?
As a Native, I’m only 21 and the biggest fear for my culture is losing all the traditions and language. But people like you give me faith that there’s so many people out there in the world that takes interest in our culture and language.
I'm Apache and their (Navajo) language is similar to ours. I learned a lot when living in the Four Corners area and caught on to it. Beautiful language, and beautiful people. Nice video 👍
@ImaCoward124; Growing up in Tucson, many years ago, many of my friends were Hispanic. Having a rudimentary understanding of Italian, I was able to pick up Sonoran Mexican. Now after so long, it's deteriorated to "Spanglish"! I was teaching myself a native tongue, but there aren't any Native speakers that I know of.
He has finally did it, I’ve asked for him to learn a native language before, and he actually did it. One of my favourite UA-camrs, love how much this man will dedicate himself to learn a language, keep up the good work man.
This is so fucking impressive. I'm a linguistics major and many native American languages will just knock you on your ass. You'll see a lot of weird grammatical concepts you might not have been introduced to even as a polyglot when learning other languages-- and it is not uncommon to have some variation of tone, pitch, and length that are considered both contrastive and vital. These things already make language learning hard-- but language resource scarcity can double the difficulty (meaning finding learning materials as a non-native speaker and finding practice partners). TLDR: I'm really impressed. I think he's understating what a challenge this was.
As a white European I can’t really explain why, but there is something incredibly touching in you donating the profits to the Navajo foundation. I’ve seen many youtubers donate to charities, but this one hits different. Good on you man.
Navajo people got hit hard by COVID. It wasn’t until March I believe that they finally had 2 days in a row without any positive cases. They lost about 20% of their overall population. So maybe you saw that somewhere and that info is resonating. Definitely a good thing to donate to
@@basilgaizka4672 leftists say it does though. Me being white automatically prevents me from understanding hardship and prevents me from empathizing with people outside my racial identity. Sounds like OP here is a leftist kiss @ss
@@KA-vs7nl You gotta realize that not everyone on the left thinks the same. Same thing on the right. Because none of my "left" friends believe that, pop culture zombies do. Same thing with Cancel culture. The more YOU repeat it, the more it comes true.
Hi! I actually speak Navajo, as a third language. I learned it as a result of myself living in Farmington, about 6 minutes from the reservation itself. Im proud of you, mój kolego!
As a Navajo, I’m incredibly impressed by how quickly you picked it up and how well too. This is the first time I’ve seen a UA-camr/Influencer rlly educate themselves on Native American Culture and Language. Please come again to New Mexico, there’s so much cultural richness and great food lol! Maybe I could practice some of my Navajo with you hahaha but In all seriousness this video may have been like any other to you but it has a left a deep impression on me. This video encouraged me to pick up Navajo again, Ahéheeʼ Brother!!!
@Bryan Gipe Yes I'm indigenous but what does that have to do with this. Your reply to the comment has nothing to do with what this Navajo person was talking about.
Who the heck dislikes this. Amazing work of respect. Once a group has allowed you to be blessed by learning their language, it is a true honour to use it. Haicha ka, o Siem! I am a student of three First Nation languages on the West Coast of Canada and respect all who make this effort.
I tried to learn a little bit of Gaelic years ago from a book. I think you really need to hear a language to learn it though. And have some native speakers to practice with.
“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.” -Nelson Mandela I always admire you! I'm Japanese and study Arabic language so it is also considered extremely rare here😂 I think learning languages leads to respect people, and their culture where they live...so I love to learn them from the bottom of my heart🙏
@@kbenally8918 as a Cherokee/Tsalagi, assuming anyone who says they're Cherokee has a blood quantum myth going on is very harmful. this is just like the 1900's when we were oppressed, you're stopping people from celebrating their culture and shaming them.
This is so cool!! My grandpa was a full blood Navajo and he was a first language speaker! Another indigenous language you should give a go that is definitely easier than Navajo is the Choctaw Language! My grandma was full blood Choctaw with Choctaw being her first language! I am currently a Choctaw Language Apprentice. Myself, along with 14 others are intensely learning the Choctaw language. Eight hours daily, 40 hours a week! Hearing you speak a language that my late grandfather spoke brings me so much joy!
This is probably the most necessary one yet. Nobody, and i mean *nobody* ever takes the time to honor natives. Edit: if you have a problem with anything I said you can insert finger into rear and GFYS 😁 Edit#2: you guys must not be able to read the second line. You keep commenting antagonistic shit, its not a debate here people. Part of being an ADULT is just moving on when things happen you don't like. Who raised some of you?
@ActSmart BeSmart seriously? Why are you saying this? It doesn’t matter if your Christian or not. No one, and I mean NO ONE; should ever do this to any type of people. I don’t care if you don’t agree with the religion, culture, or race but no one should be treated like this
I'm Asian, living in Asia, never been to America, but since I was a child, I love Native Americans culture. I used to daydreaming that I come to US and visit them then meet some elders and listen to their stories. The love native Americans have for nature always give me goosebumps and I can feel it in my blood.
You must be a native in the past. I am an African and when I see any ancient structure or ruins I feel a deep emotional connections to it. I can’t explain. I like simple traditional connected family style. Keep the love and respect alive. I hope you meet them and have memorable conversations and learn.
Osyo! I'm a Cherokee living on the reservation in Oklahoma (in the USA). Come on over! Our capitol city is Tahlequah in Oklahoma and there is so much to explore there. Oklahoma is the place where many of the American tribes were forced to relocate to in the early 1800s so we have many tribes living here. We love to share our culture with others wanting to learn. The Cherokee National Holiday begins September 1st and you MUST come to the pow wow. It is a huge festival with native games, food, art, dancing, and other fun stuff. They have a Facebook page and last years was virtual so you might be able to attend that way if you are across the world this year :)
When I was travelling in Arizona I got lost in the middle of nowhere because my GPS broke down and I took a wrong turn. I was basically stuck in the desert for two hours trying to figure out where to go. There weren't any road signs, so I just ended up getting more and more lost. I ended up driving past a farm and pulling over to ask for directions. The family that lived there was Navajo. I told them my plight and they said they'd drive me back to town, but they were in the middle of dinner. They invited me to eat with them, but also offered to take me back to town immediately if I didn't want to wait. The father was literally going to let his food get cold and drive me to town to make me feel comfortable. Instead, I accepted the invitation. It was amazing and they were so kind. Their daughter was particularly taken with me, likely because she only had brothers and I'm a girl. She was thirteen and very vivacious. The food was delicious and they kept insisting I take more. By the time we were finished, it was pitch black outside. Again they offered to take me back, but also offered to let me spend the night since it would take over an hour to get back to town. I decided to stay. We had a bonfire out back, shared stories, and played a few games. One of the brothers, who was my age, gave me his room and slept on the couch. The daughter wanted me to sleep with her in her room, but the parents said no. They seemed convinced she wouldn't let me get any sleep, lol. The next morning they fed me breakfast, put some gas in my car, and I followed the dad back to town. The daughter and oldest son also carpooled with me to keep me company. They were genuinely the nicest people I've ever met and the experience was one I'll cherish forever.
Right on man!! right on!
Love this💯💕
Amazing♥️ native people are always willing to help, its in our culture to give and care for others. Thanks for sharing.
LOL, I thought this was going to end up being a farmer's daughter story. 😂
@@1946luke and i though it will be tipycall horror movie scenario 😂 you know, going to some stranger's house in the middle of nowhere, they are friendly and nice, they ask you to stay one more night, and then they kill you :)
The fact they invited you in, showed you around, and taught you how to cook is a huge sign of respect. Wonderful people. I hope their language continues to live on.
@@ts8404 what abt it?
There's a documentary on the revival of the Lakota language on you tube. Also interesting. Many people don't think much about it but the last battles between Indians and Americans wasn't all too long ago.. Like 1940s or so.. According to another documentary Indians had about 800 countries.. that's insane. I'd also like to see a full revival of all aspects of their culture. Except maybe for the scalping ..lol.
Especially considering all his disrespect. "Speaking it in the wild" not eating his tortilla, thinking its funny to shock ppl whos language was genocided out of their culture. The ignorance is huge. And of course they welcomed him btw, we are kind people who treat others like family. Im not navajo but across the board natives do that.
@UCBo7UPXPUitAK1nk_INmfiQ shut the fuck up… tribes decimated each other for hundred to thousands of years. We were just the last or most recent.. plus disease did 90% of job. And in many cases they struck first out of fear and while that’s understandable the reaction by the other side is also understandable..
I guess they recognize somebody willing to learn their language as a sign of respect, and so return it. People like @EvenYvie above ^ can cry 'disrespect and ignorant' all they want, but this channel has a long and well documented history of somebody genuinely respectful of, and interested in other cultures.
If they ever need someone to translate Navajo to Mandarin this guy's got that job.
LOL
Talk about an untapped market! haha
ok that made me laugh. Lmao. Imagine the payycheck this guy could make as an international translator. Im sure he already makes bank off youtube but still. How many people even exist in the world that can speak this many languages....
Dude woulda been a nightmare in the Pacific theater
could be the middleman of some big drug I mean business operations ya feel.
As a fellow Navajo it’s not bad. Awesome job. I still to this day say that this 80 something year old woman that my family knew was probably the best and most fluent Caucasian woman that spoke Navajo that I have ever heard. So good that you couldn’t tell is she was Navajo or Caucasian. But she spent like 50 plus years on the reservation as a missionary so yes I consider her native.
There you go. Thank you.
this dude is so corny. he wants a cookie or something for speaking a language.
@@Slacker4Life3 a rare language...
@@Slacker4Life3 look inward.. and you will find what is truely angering you, my young sun..
@@Slacker4Life3 same bro, i like those videos but hes so cringe with it, trying to randomly slip in those phrases, like just ask them if they speak it and if u could practise it with them.
There was a guy named lao something i think big black guy, with a braided beard.
But hes dead now
Being 100% Navajo makes me so proud and I still speak Navajo and this language is very hard and my grandpa teach me how to speak it fluently and he was a Navajo code talker
wow this is so awesome!
we indigenous peoples must show pride to our cultures🧡🧡
You should be very proud of him. Amazing man.
You must be so proud of your grandpa that is awesome
Wow!! Did he tell you stories about the times he code talked
code talkers are so awesome
When you show genuine respect in honoring a language, you get respect back.
But even if not knowing their language, even without knowing a word , respect all culture, respect each other.... No words need even be said. And it takes no time nor money to show that.
Exactement. And there is nothing compared to a smile, worldwide. One can say : "je ne comprends rien" but as long as one smiles...
@@Rhythmattica no one said not to lol
@@Furiouspenguin27 Righty Oh. Sending Beers and Cheers!
@@Rhythmattica absolutely! This gentleman is very humble when speaking the languages he learns to native speakers. It him it's a compliment to the language of how beautiful and complex it is. That I think is where the respect lies- humility and graciousness. Not values we see often enough any more.
I'm Navajo and seeing this man speak this language is just amazing.
You have a rich culture, too sad it's endangered.
Be proud of who you are.
love from an Iranian who has studied about American natives.
@@ff-ti7nj God bless Native American culture and Iranian culture as well.
America is in Spheres Of Influence.
As a Navajo I know we are more lucky than most other tribes, we have been given the same treatment but we have the biggest Rez and still remember most of our past, language, and culture
I was just reading through these comments, appreciating the wholesome, respectful exchanges....then I reached that last comment and was reminded that the world has a lot of jerks.
Still, I'll go away from this remembering the exchange. 😊
This made me cry. My ancestors are from Arizona, my grandfather remembers his parents and grandparents speaking Navajo. He speaks to me in Navajo sometimes. He would tell me how people would try to steal our land. Even the Germans married into our family to take it from us. Eventually it was lost. His father, aunts, and uncles were sent to Chilocco Indian school in Oklahoma. After that they lost touch with our tribe. I’m working on our genealogy right now with help from the Oklahoma Historical Society and I hope I can tell my grandfather which tribe he belonged to before he goes to rest with our creator. It saddens me how we’ve lost touch with our culture. This isn’t abnormal though. Indian children were sent away to assimilate into the American culture and my family is a testament of how well that worked. You can’t fathom how much suffering Native American people have endured. Women in the 70s experienced forced sterilizations many of which were Navajo - this was the women’s health America gave us. Our cultures are dying because America wants it to. This gives me hope! I can learn about my culture and preserve it. On a side note, I now live on a reservation and serve my community as a nurse. My grandfather is very happy I’m back in Arizona. I hope after I find our tribe I can take him on a trip to see his home again ❤️
good luck ❤
good luck☺️
Good luck
Does he remember a nearby town they were displaced from?
Aho! Sending love from Lac Vieux Desert Band
Honestly, the way it went from "we're closed" to "come and learn how to make it" kinda had me in tears. So wholesome. Loved every minute.
Pretty incredible. Warms my heart to see how welcoming different cultures are, especially when you show interest!
Xiaoma has a way with the peoples hearts ♥
Wholesome... or because she just noticed 4m subscribers
@@mikjms5969 definitely wholesome.
@@backwatersage you clearly didn't watch the video. She even mentions his subscriber count.
If that lady has grand kids who say “I can’t learn Navajo” she’s gonna say “well I saw a white man speak the language so you have no excuse”
Haha
as a Navajo/Diné, this is exactly true. many Navajo elders who speak nothing but the indigenous language would also agree with you.
much love. 🙏🏼❤️
That sounds like my grandma except I'm Mexican lol
He just made the life of Navajo kids harder😂
@@napsandtacos Well, there are like 68 indigenous languages.
I hope this encourages more young Navajo students to learn their own language. I’m 22 and Diné and I regret not learning sooner. I’ve been learning for 2 months now and I can now keep a conversation with my nálí. It’s such a great feeling and I am so proud of myself.
Wonderful🙂
I am proud of you, too. Keep it up.
Greetings from Germany.
Hey another Navajo person here! 👋 could you tell me what resources you use to help you learn Navajo? I’m 19 atm and my goal is to learn basic conversation phrases and expand my vocabulary next year
That's awesome! I'm Athabascan and studying Bhenti Kenaga. It's hard when it's online but worth every bit! Keep on studying staying awesome!!!
Do not let the language die off. Language is powerful and the Navaho language has deep America history. I know some was not good but what the Navaho people did during WWII was honorable despite the latter history of the American government. I got In a motorcycle wreck just out of Shiprock New Mexico on the Navaho reservation and the paramedics were native American and they took good care of me. A few of the Nurses were as well and they took care of me just as good. I was very impressed with everything. It took me around three moths to heal (lucky me no broken bones) I was road rash both arms and legs. My elbow was hanging out of my arm and I did not break it. They had me stitched up and I walked out that night. It was brutal for the next three weeks as I slowly healed up. I always remembered the kindness of the people there.
That's good. My husband doesn't speak but understands and can only say a few words. His nali would tell him to learn.
Coming from a later generation Oneida, our main language is Ojibwe. Only the elders and not even all of them know the native language. It's very rare. This guy deserves a lot of respect. the willingness to learn a whole new language shows a lot of respect for that culture
Please keep speaking it
Please learn your Ojibwe. Young people need to keep their languages alive.
Eh, I disagree. He deserves some amount of respect for showing that these languages are still alive and deserve to be learned, but otherwise he is monetizing the language for his own benefit with this “white guy speaks” gimmick. If he cared more about the cultures connected to these languages, he would be pushing people to learn more about those aspects of life rather than using them like Pokémon cards.
I lived in Winnipeg Manitoba and one of my best friends was Ojibwe. Used to go to the rez with him to visit his family. Went to my first pow wow and ate my first and only elk steak and it was incredible. The invited me into their sweat lodge and i said no. I didn't want to disrespect their religion. I am a white irishman and btw they spoke the language. I became one of the family
@@kevinm4022its definitely not disrespectful, when they invite you its actually opposite its a sign of respect for natives to invite anyone to get a look into their culture. I'm very glad they showed you the pow wow and food because there's alot of people that know nothing about natives.
Being a Native American watched him speaking another language in other countries and watching him get speak our language is unexpected, I enjoyed watching this
Yeah it’s pretty cool
i would like to hear him speaking portuguese, you guys know if he already did in another video?
@@kassiog.6595 I'm sure he did, it's called Polyglot speak 8 languages in NYC I believe
Same. I never learned the native tongue of my great grandmother and this makes me regret that terribly.
I live in NM, I would love to learn Navajo. Where can I go or find out info? Any help is appreciated.
Learning someone's language is a sign of respect because there's not much people who would learn a language only spoken by a small population. At least, that's how I see it
Cherokee language here in Tennessee. Very. V ed ry proud . God bless all that come back to their hearts of joy. Thank you. Eric. In Smoky Mountains.
If I wasn't dyslexic, I would learn Cherokee since that's the tribe from over here :( I hate the idea of these native languages dying out because no one cares enough to learn
You are so right. I have a unique Korean friend who recently gained minor but significant celebrity (260K+ IG followers growing fast) who I’m lucky enough to have become friends with, and she graciously offered to teach anyone Korean for free out of the kindness of her heart, and I thought about it bc I do have several online Korean friends who speak limited English..
But your comment made me realize it IS a really big sign of respect, and now I am going to take her up on the offer! Thanks!
You are exactly correct sir.
I see it the exact same way.
The crazy thing people don't get is when you show genuine interest in someone's culture/life they're typically very willing and happy to share it with you. Love is universally recognized.
Society has turned appreciating culture Into an Insult and call it cultural approlriation
Broken Girl riight
@@brokengirl8619 appreciation and appropriation are very different. Calling out offensive appropriation doesn’t diminish the importance or value of cultural appreciation
@@swand1383 even then though, there are people who will call even appreciation, appropriation. Like when a little girl wanted to have a traditional Japanese tea party for her birthday party and the mom put it together and did everything right, someone had to have a problem with it.
@@Ashenicky2009
Yes, the important thing is to recognize all of the nuance here.
I love communities that are this friendly. They invited you back to teach you how to make Navajo breakfast, they respect you for taking an interest in their language and it’s so heartwarming watching them teach you how to cook Navajo breakfast! I wish more communities were like this.
I love going there, they always make you feel welcome and always happy and nice.
Awesome service.
This... THIS is what life is about. No yelling, no forcing to walk on eggshells. It went from "restaurant closed to public" all the way to "let me show you pictures in my kitchen", and then even further to preparing food. All simply because someone showed a small interest in language and culture. I love this exchange and interaction.
I wish people on tiktok saw it that way. If this was posted in tik Tok it'd get so much hate from whites "white knighting" accusing him of appropriation and many native creators gatekeeping saying he has no right to this knowledge. I wish tiktok community were as open and kind as you and others here
@@richellethomas2160 exactly! People mix up appreciating and appropriating all the time and it makes me so mad
Well said sir
That’s a jewell of a reply. Language is so hard but it is key to every human culture. It is so much harder to talk and listen in another’s language than just belittle and categorize everything everyone does and did. I’m a ‘boomer’, and my daughter just told me that when I ‘dab’ it looks like a Nazi salute. Wha? Oh! And this is Memorial Day: posted a thanks to my Dad for saving the world from Fascism. Best of all, this language channel gives me so much hope each time I watch a new one: my gramps was fluent in 8, and me? I am struggling with Nihongo, Francais, and Bisaya.
I dont think it could be said any better than the way you put it.
As a Navajo from Southerner Utah, I’m happy to see this! Thank you for helping spread our culture!
heyo, fellow utahn navajo!
I'm from southwest AZ. Lived in N.M. area and finally got to meet the people of Navajo Nation. They are the coolest laid back ppl. And their culture is so Awesome!!!
Lived in Page AZ for 6 yrs. love the Navajo people.
Wonder if he can learn my grandmothers Cherokee from kentucky.
Heyo I live in Utah too!
The Navajo people are so genuinely kind. Our car broke down on the side of the road on a Navajo reservation, and SOOO many people stopped by to offer us help, food, a place to stay for the night, etc. The owner of the Napa there actually opened his shop back up just to help us, it was amazing.
Epic
I went to a funeral on my ex husband side in new Mexico, I'm Oklahoma native but their hospitality blows ours out of the water, never met people so kind and fed us good too.
Yes we are Diné are chill
@@tinadraper9143 it’s indigenous way to help others..
I had a very similar experience. My truck broke down outside of Tuba City Az. It was a Saturday and a local mechanic stopped to assist me. His shop was closed but he went back, got his tow truck, and open his shop to get me back on the road.
I am from New Mexico! I love that you came here to learn the Dine language. I am so impressed! It is also awesome that they allowed you into the kitchen and building. The Dine people are usually very "secretive" to outsiders. You gained their trust right away, just by learning their language. I am a little jealous. I married a Dine man. His grandmother did not speak to me until the day of my marriage to him. On that day, she said, " You are now my daughter." I felt soooo special after that, for she indeed spoke to me on a regular basis after that. I thought she did not speak to me, because she did not know English. She did!...RIP Grandmother Josephine Apache. I love you and miss you!
😭 Your story is beautiful. Thanks for sharing. Bless you and RIP Grandmother Josephine Apache. ❤
What a sweet story. I hope you and your husband are doing great ✌️❤️
❤
I learned Russian in hopes of impressing a girl who immigrated from Russia during the Soviet Union collapse. It did impress her. It impressed her mom much more.
Well deserved!
Haha. If you really want to impress, flash the cash
The older generation loves it
So what happened? Do you still talk to her? Inquires want to know
Was this in the 90s.
Xiaoma is a man of the people, even though he has 3 million followers, he has never sold out and continues to support small businesses. Legit can't hate on this man for any reason.
very little do you see people giving respect to any culture in the states. this shows that we still got good in humanity. love supporting small businesses. Chinese, Japanese etc they all work hard and put up with alot of bs from us americans.
I hate small business. Big business is less corrupt and more efficient. Supporting small business just for the sake of it is purely emotional
@@stickmandomination9730 I'm gonna need a citation for the less corrupt part. Sure big business is more efficient. But generally they accomplish that by sacrificing ethics.
NEVER???
@@elcastro5000 You really need a citation to know that nepotism is extremely prevalent in small companies? I was working at a family business and the special treatment was just insane. I had to take the shit for the mistakes made by other employees just because those employees were family. They were not at all qualified for their positions. Small companies also don't have any better ethics than large companies. At the end of the day they usually share the same practices with the only difference being big companies do it much cheaper
When he said he was donating the money to Navajo Strong I started crying. Thank you for not using the lives of these people to profit, but instead sharing your wealth with them
>Dave Chappelle mockery
How would he use their lives for profit?
@@pattycake9183 because he filmed them and uploads it to UA-cam from which he gets money
@@sif_2799 Huh? So if I travel to Nepal and film videos then upload it on youtube, would it mean I'm using lives of Nepalis to gain profit?
@@sif_2799 so, if he takes any photos, should he pay them for it? Granted, I think it's great that he is donating money but, filming your visit to a gift shop or a convenience store and people's reactions to you speaking their native language isn't making money off of people.
I'm an Aussie and met a Navajo couple who were stranded in winter. In a couple of months in the USA meeting them and spending just a few hours with them was a major highlight. Extremely nice and humble people.
im not Navajo but I'm choctaw and seeing more representation in native Americans is just amazing thank you so much
You deserve it and so so much more 💗
@@TheMaisiewoofwoof yes they do
❤❤
What do you mean by "representation"?
@@sirkayda7205 Amerindians don’t have very much representation even though they were the original people on this continent.
This kid can learn any language in basically 12 hours at this point it’s absolutely fascinating
He's definitely got a knack for it. He understands the root structure of language itself, and can compartmentalize what he needs to to learn a specific dialect, and it is amazing to watch. To see people light up with enthusiasm when they hear an outsider speak their tongue is so delightful.
He said a month. Even 1 hour every day that would be 30 hours.
@@imsavor Come on dude, really? He said basically, which means he didn't mean it in a literal sense. English isn't that hard to comprehend dude. 🤷♂️🤦
@@literallyjesus9207 lol
@EpsilonGoods That might be true but they pay the bills. $$
Coolest thing I’ve ever experienced was when I was in the Marines and we had Navajo code talkers (vets) come and talk to each other on radios. It sent chills up my back.
There's a movie about them called "Windtalkers" that is Really Good 🏹
BRUH LUCKYYYY
watch that movie 'Windtalkers' based in real life events during wwii
Nice, cool story. 🤙🏽☘️
The Japanese intelligence community was of two minds about the CodeTalkers- some thought it was a language unknown to them. Others thought it couldn't possibly be a language,
I have an aunt who speaks Navajo fluently. It’s such a beautiful language.
They brought you in showed you pictures of their elders and taught you how to make fried bread. That made me cry. You are truly blessed. ✌️
Guy was basically made part of the family.
I teared up, too!💕
Yes. Proud Cherokee in Smoky Mountains !!!! God Bless you for your time.
Yeah that was honestly the part that got me too. That’s such a sign of respect. I wish more people would show the respect he does to everyone.
@@DiegoMartinezCoria Did you see her eyes when she saw he had 3 million subscribers? And then they invite him inside. That's a shrewd business woman
I appreciate you for learning my language man! I hope you enjoyed your stay on the reservation. Big respect 💯
Yah’at’teeh! I’m Navajo and never in my life have I ever seen a white guy learn Navajo, that’s so fascinating. The elders would definitely enjoy your presence and all your stories. It’s so crazy to hear Navajo is rare...
I want to learn it, but I still have to look into recources on how I would even do that. Do you know how I could learn? Is there any books or websites that teach you?
@@animalkingdom2871 In 2 days you will have a new interest based on something else you watched. Dork
@@investigate311comittee since we are name calling Jerk.
@@animalkingdom2871 there are a few books, one that I find to be very helpful for those who want to learn is the Diné Bizaad Bínáhoo’aah. It’s teaches from small words and how to pronounce to bigger words and sentences. You can learn about what your month means. It’s really interesting, I think you’ll love it^^
@@investigate311comittee hey, not cool dude. You’re watching something you seen because you were interested, dummy.
It's so cool how language has the ability to connect people. They went from being closed to the public to giving him a private tour and teaching him how to cook in their kitchen and then having a great time with the whole staff. It goes to show it really does matter how you say something. Had he made the burrito order in English he would've just been another customer.
As a Navajo it’s so nice having people learning our language. You’re the 3rd white boy (I now know) who speaks Navajo. The first 2 are my cousins (haha).
Thank you so much for making our elders smile 😀
What do Navjos think of African Americans just out of curiosity?
😭 Considering what the native American elders been through throught their lives, it is so awesome to see them light up with smiles about their language! Can't hold back tears.
I'm Russian/Canadian.
@@reptiliandomination1 I can’t speak for all Navajos but my family will invite/talk to African Americans than a white person. I’ll talk to anyone if they aren’t racist
We see each other as equals brother! We’ve been through the same shit and some natives around here ( Navajo, Apache, Ute, and Hopi) have children who are half black. So it’s no difference to us. We have nothing but love.
@reptiliandomination1
The USA owes a lot to to Navajo Code Talkers! RESPECT!!!!!
Amen
I agree 100% Those men are true heroes 🙏🌟
I've had respect for them since I saw the movie as a kid
Id go further and say the whole world owes a lot to them!
Also to the Choctaw who likewise served in WWI.
6:55 We’re still closed to the public.
*Xiaoma starts ordering in Navajo*
9:20 So anyway, let me show you around the place and also show you how to make some Navajo food.
Honestly, the best part of the video. 😆 Even in a pandemic, people still want to enjoy each other’s company. Especially, when a person speaks someone else’s language he or she didn’t have to learn.
They put a smiley face on the packaging of his food, which is the most adorable "mom" thing ever :D
@DecreaseMalePxpDefundHxllywood BanRapPurgeMxn
And that’s called projection ladies and gentlemen. Just because that’s what you’d do doesn’t mean that’s what everyone will do buddy. Doubt you’re even capable of fathoming what it’s like to experience an interaction like this, even with it right in front of your eyes.
@@kissinMessengers true
i love that you show your mistakes in these videos like mishearing or mispronouncing words, stuttering, etc. i get so caught up in sounding perfect when i speak german or spanish that it makes it hard to speak at all sometimes. it shows that mistakes arent the end of the world. another thing, would you consider putting subtitles for the entire video? maybe using diff colors for each language, idk. love the content
Navajo isn't written
@@KB-ke3fiIt has an orthography, although it's mainly used as a teaching tool and by linguists studying the language. You can see it written on Navajo Wikipedia:
nv.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Din%C3%A9_Bizaad
I know you made them feel good, that was amazing, I grew up with my best friend and his family which were Native Americans... Very nice people.
Just imagine the impact if we learn languages of other nations and showed respect 🙏 instead of sending billions of dollars of weapons, building fortresses and bombing with drones?
My Native Americans friend is a dick but its probably because we are best friends lmao
i love your channel! i didnt expect to see u in the comments
Im your 1000th like😈
EC r p
As a Navajo myself it really warms my heart to see this, Thank you for the effort and time you put into learning our language and a bit of our culture, I wish you a very good blessing, Thank You
What is the best way to learn Navajo language? I am in need to find some sources
This one made me cry I'm Mi'kmaq from the east coast and our language is dyeing too my mother went to.residental schools and they beat her when she spoke Mi'kmaq language... my 2 uncles died in that hell... 😔 😢
@@bryano1476 Gotta say, that broke my heart a little. 😢
@@bryano1476 so sorry for your loss. My grandmother and grandfather went to boarding schools when they were young and they did the same to them. They kept their language and would talk about the mean teachers when they were not around lol. My mother knows a little but I never learned any... which is so sad. I hope that perhaps you can learn your native language before it is lost.
@@bryano1476 I am so sorry for your lost.. I really do pray and hope your language will be saved and learned by your people and possibly others.
Lots of love 🤍
I am a Navajo teenager who has been around the Navajo language all my life, and I only know as much as you do. I am curremtly taking Navajo language classes to learn more. Thank you! You inspired me so much.
Awesome Shivanna!
Being captured by the Japanese during World War II was bad enough but if you are Native American they always assumed you knew Navajo and could help. Words if you said you were Navajo then it really thought you could help but the code talkers were speaking a code on top of the already difficult Navajo language.
Thank you for keeping this language alive! I live in New Mexico and it would be very sad to see it vanish.
I'm Native New Mexican. It's wonderful that you are here and you are speaking Navajo. I give you so much respect for this 👏 🙌 😁😍😍
I love that he still seems genuinely nervous when trying out a new language, despite his competency to pick them up quickly. It shows a humility whilst being so adept.
imma be honest, i have NEVER seen a polyglot being rude. At most i have seen one being snob, but thats it. Especially if they learned the languages later in life.
This guy needs to be our American ambassador to ALL nations.
Including extraterrestrials.
Alien: "You know Martian?"
Xiaoman: "A little. I've been studying for an hour. Please show me around your spacecraft."
And let me try your food 😂
Spot on!
No kidding.
Arrival would have been a 15 minute movie if it were him talking to the aliens
😂😂😂
I'm 17 and I'm navajo, every little mispronunciation he makes in navajo I want to be there to correct him😭its exciting to see him learn our language! Keep it up man, it is one of the hardest languages to learn but I bet you'll learn it, just know theres different versions of this language too, not just one pronunciation for every word! HAVE FUN AND A GOOD DAY
Hi! I absolutely love Native American culture and I was wondering if there was anything I could do to help bring awareness to Native American struggles? I just really want to help
@@M0ldyBubbles Your heart is in a good place. A starting point would be to learn about different Native nations and tribes that you are interested in (for example- Navajo, Cherokee, Osage, or one that is closest to you to).
The culture, history, food, language, traditions, are different between the different Native nations and tribes, as opposed to a singular "Native American culture" :)
Don’t be a tool
@@eeeerrrriiiinnnn258 Okay! I did a report on Sioux people last year so Im excited to learn more! Thank you :)
@@M0ldyBubbles This is just a general point rather than about struggles, but accurate representation of a culture is really important. A lot of people in the US, at best, only know a caricature of native cultures (and often one that's a mishmash of several cultures). But misrepresentation of cultures also plays into the struggles. I've heard too many people defend the colonizers' actions when they treated the Americas as just unclaimed land based on cultural misconceptions that have been propagated, often through education systems
I wish I could see that lady talking so much shit to her son in law about how some random guy she met studied Navajo for a month and speaks it so well without even having Navajo family.
Tzaan naivee is that you.
white dude is corny. its like a kid wanting praise for something. culture vulture of peace
Xiamoa, you made me tear up with this video. I am Navajo and my people never get the recognition they deserve. We have been through a lot, especially our ancestors. But our language and culture is so beautiful. So I just wanna say thank you for shedding some light on our beautiful culture and language. Ahxéhee. 💖
I wish it was mandatory to do at least a semester of Native American people, culture, art and history. I am Mexican and took a semester of Native American Art History (which I only chose because I couldn’t get into any other art classes to complete that section) and I absolutely loved it!! They are an advanced people with so many differences and similarities within different tribes and locations, culture-rich, and amazing things done that there are things we still don’t know how it was done- kind of like the Egyptian pyramids. You’re absolutely right, Navajo do not get anywhere near the recognition they deserve.
They're making your culture look COOL! In the most respectable way too. He got in with the grandma's 🥺🥺🥺🥺🤣🤣😭🙌🏽
@@mamamua4644 mexico is a country. You sure you're not denying your own Native blood?
@@melanieortiz712 I am not a true native Mexican. I am a Mestizo.
Also, the point of me commenting I was Mexican was for context and to focus on the subject of the video- not to debate information I didn’t offer and you assumed. Let’s keep it positive and focus on the message I replied under.
Yes, our language is so hard to learn! I’m still learning and I’m 31 years old!
*Bonus: two of my grandfather’s were Navajo Codetalkers!
That is so awesome. You must be very proud of them.
Yeah Yeah, everyone has a code talker in their family, lol
Source trust me bro
The WW2 generation and this language saved us . So this language needs to be saved and passed on .
That is so awesome! Crazy how you have grandfathers that were both Code talkers, that so damn cool!
Im heartbroken many of the younger generation hasn't learned their native language. Please don't let your language and culture die! Natives have such rich history and heritage and we should be fighting to keep it relevant!
I'm trying 😔
Sadly it's hard to be proud of your heritage when many here still judge and persecute and shame us for even doing so.
@@SeddieBear I understand, but I know more people who embrace native culture than vilify it. It may be because I live in an area where Cherokee and Lumbee still reside, but don't ever give up pride in who you are. Black, White, Asian, or Native...we should all have pride in where we come from and lift our fellow humans up.
Same with Italian Americans, Polish Americans, Vietnamese Americans, etc. People need to keep their culture alive in the United States or it will die out, we can't let that happen.
I wish I could my Navajo a whole side of my family don’t care for me ever since my dad died or my dad‘s drum group my dad used to sing for Powwow and stuff I remember always going but then my dad got sick and died and my family just stop caring so now all I got is mom And my brother and sister
Thank you so much! Ahéé! Thank you for showcasing our language on your channel. You have done a great service for the Navajo Nation.
I’m not even Native American and this video made me tear up. My favorite parts were some of them quizzing him and trying to make him better. This is probably my favorite video you’ve made!
i think this is my favorite from him too. i want to learn navajo now
tearing along with you too
Bro, see this is the shit. Hopefully he realises how he honours other cultures by speaking their language. I love this. Taking the time to learn is so respectful. It opens doors culturally and you get to learn stuff with a culture. This was awesome. Made me tear up.
Oh I think he knows already ;)
Yeah ❤️
Had the same exact reaction. It really is such a wonderful thing to see and you can instantly tell by everyone’s reaction how much they appreciate someone actually taking the time to learn the language. Love seeing it
Same here. As a white guy in Massachusetts my exposure to certain cultures is somewhat limited. A video like this has value because it expands awareness that there are good people everywhere, with their own traditions and ways of life that should be honored and respected.
A grain of sand is still a grain of sand.
The woman telling him to say the price of his purchase is so sweet and excited in a very grandma way, I *love* it!
Navajo is a dying language, Being native American, Its so nice to see there's people out there still actively learning my native language. Not too many people speak it nowadays and the ones who are able to teach it are slowly dying out. Please keep this up. The more we have people learning it the more we'll be able to pass it on to future generations.
My father was Wyandot, but he rarely spoke it. I wish he had taught me. It’s frustrating to find any information anywhere.
Kwatate ye e’ha
Une
Ahehee ..
As a native American its up to you. Just learn it amd speak it at home if you have children. Dead or dying languages can be revived like this, like hebrew in israel
Great job with Navajo, Ari! And it looks like you had an amazing experience with the Navajo people.
Hi, Paul! Your videos are awesome.
You're awesome Paul
Hi Paul, nice to see you here!!!!
PAULLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
j
This is great man, Native American culture CAN NOT survive without more attention being brought to them, They have to be the most neglected culture in the US. I really hope this video series helps.
Yeah and what's crazy is each tribe has their own traditions and all the different languages are crazy to think about.
@@contestsvu4538 For sure I followed Russell means for years and listened to a lot of his lectures he breaks it down clear as day the plight of the modern Native American in this country and it's pretty bleak. It is very sad that their languages probably won't last another generation or two.
@@KLAYCO47 definitely crazy seeing you here, a man of culture I see. Its definitely a shame a lot of Native Americans Languages amd cultural practices are starting to die out. Hopefully theres a way for their traditions to be preserved
@@parabellumalpha 🙏🏻
Sad truth is they won't....
I’m not Navajo, but one of my best friends and his family are Navajo. I just want to thank you for doing this for the Navajo people, keeping the language alive and donating to help them, as they were hit really hard by the pandemic.
@Revertz 1ups some people worse than others... I’ve been lucky and havnt had any issues in the pandemic I just keep working and pay my bills like before hand
@Revertz 1ups yes, but the Navajo reservation is hours away from the nearest cities. I believe it’s about half or 1/3 people that don’t have running water, which means they had to go travel to get water, putting them at risk for catching COVID and making it so they can’t wash their hands. They are more susceptible to obesity and heart disease than the average person, making them vulnerable. They had the highest infection rate per capita out of any city in the US for a long time.
I loved seeing this I’m half Navajo and half Mayan I loved seeing both videos and it’s so amazing you brought light to the language a lot of the language is dying but this is the greatest thing cause you’re an inspiration to learn it
Woah how does that happen
woah how does that happen?could u speak Mayan and Navajo?
as a Native this is really really fuckin cool to see, most of our languages are slowly being lost, but i’m learning mine at the moment, but it’s really awesome to see you learn it and use it as well! Much love from Laguna Pueblo!
Laguna Pueblo is neat
Ok but what's with the trump sticker at that second shop.
Do natives like trump or something?
He didn't really help with that whole oil pipeline up north.
I wouldve thought natives hate trump?
@@so-calcultivation5269 There are Candice Owens in every ethnicity
@@so-calcultivation5269 us natives also have a split between people who like and dislike him. I'd say there's alot more who hate him, but some of my relatives like him for some reason, I cant really say why.
@@so-calcultivation5269 also, those signs that are put up are not really done by the shop. Other places like on random fences or random shops had both Trump and Biden posters up before the election. Hope this helps answer your question.
There is a reason people call your native/mother language your “heart language”. The women who invited him into the store...when you can connect with someone in their heart language it can mean a lot
I agree, I know some Spanish and some German. I was in Germany for four years (Army) and knew enough to get myself in trouble. Now that I’m back home I forgot most of them as there isn’t anyone who speaks ether one. You have an ear for language me not so much.
You are right, if you at least try to speak to someone in their own language the will open up to you.
As someone who grew up in NM, I can confirm that Native people are some of the most loving, generous, and kind that you will ever have the pleasure of meeting.
Until you go skiing at Ski Apache. I love New Mexico and the native culture though.
See I grew up in Montana where if your out on a rez at night or even alone during the day you’ll be stabbed and mugged
@Jason Blaha Fitness huh?
@Jason Blaha Fitness East Africans.
@@TheRenegade... Apparently not even that. Listen to Robert Sepehrs argument.
As part of a Native American tribe that’s losing their language,what you’ve done here is amazing and thank you 🙏
I love it; these ladies are sharp! They didn't waste one second after checking his channel subs to invite him in and even record him doing bread on the grill. Wish them ladies all the best and hope they sell out of food!
Haha so cynical
great marketing opportunity and he gets to practice the language more and learn how to cook! win win!
Ya truly a win win for everyone here
As a Navajo, born and raised on the reservation, I would say you did an amazing job with the language - especially since you’ve only been learning for about a month. Good job!!
he learns simply phrases such as how to ask certain questions and statements. his mentality is that at some point you'll simply replace certain words (such as changing "i like the color red" to "i like the color blue". you're brain will remember how to properly say "i like the color..." but the actual color is the "new" word you're learning. it's an interesting way to learn a language but i haven't tried it this way yet
also, it seems to only help regarding the spoken language and not the written language
@@idxrider, it is definitely a hard language to learn and very complex. It is also a highly developed and written language as well with dialects conforming to certain regions of the reservation. I personally have a large collection of Navajo language books that I occasionally reference.
I just wanna say in agreement with all the other natives that watching this was very emotional. Nobody recognizes the hardship our people went through and it was just very beautiful and tear jerking to see you, someone we all love and respect, taking time out of your life to learn one of our languages and shining some light on us. Thank you for this bro.
If anyone in America deserves more it is the Native Americans.
You'll have a bunch of African American saying its cultural appropriation soon.
What a genuine and kind thing to say Eric. You're one cool dude.
@@Dead-st7ry that's so dumb. Any excuse to speak negatively about Black people. Let's keep it on the topic of Native people.
@@Dead-st7ry nope, because cultural appropriation is done in a disrespectful manner. no disrespect here
Once again, shows the value, power, love and respect of taking time to learn another's language. That really does bring people together!
You just helped a small business in these tough times and made people’s days
You are awesome man.. I'm cherokee Indian and can't speak the language. Haven't spoken it since I was 7 years old when we moved off the rez.. I'm 43 now ,your videos have pushed me to relearn and speak it. Thank you so much for what you do..
I wish you all the best in reclaiming your past.
That's wonderful 👍
Lonzy: Many Native American reservations have Traditional Tribal Community Colleges! Many teach their students the language of the tribe! Hope you can find a place to learn your language! 🤗🪶🦅🪶🦅🪶🦅🪶🦅🪔🪔🪔🪔🇩🇪🇨🇭🇺🇲💙
Fantastic!! Please relearn it. These languages need to stay.
This by far, is my favorite of your language endeavors and videos. The warmth and welcoming of the Navajo people should be better shown and understood and you showed it beautifully. Not to mention the fact that you are donating all of your ad proceeds to Navajo Strong, much respect brother. Much Respect.
My dad and uncles come from a tiny indigenous town in Mexico. They are called Otomi. The language is dying out. My grandma only speaks that language, she doesn't even know Spanish. My dad and his brothers speak a mix of that and Spanish. Everyone there said that the language is dying out, that the young there are only speaking Spanish now. I want to learn it and speak to the natives and my family there when I go back.
wycliffe bible translators had a translation of the Bible in Otomi. check it out.
Wow I knew a person that spoke that language he was from some tiny village from the mountains in México
I'm not gonna lie I teared up a little bit watching this video, knowing that there's still a appreciation for my people's culture & language still gives me hope my children can be embraced by the new generation & be proud of their culture. Keep it up buddy & love the video. The Navajo people really need more exposure & to let the world know that they're just regular people trying to live with what they have & make the best of it.
I was wondering if you knew of any websites or resources that could teach me the language? I am interested in learning but have had trouble finding a resource where I can learn it from
Im going to try to learn it next year becuase i want to be able to understand my grandparents and other people on the Rez lol.
@@Rose-vl9qe there's no official website sadly but there are UA-cam channels to check out that teach Navajo but personally I'm cree, chipywan & souix, so the dialect is different in my family but what everything the Navajo went through the past two years they really need exposure to get the help they need. So please if you can donate to their respective charity's would be much appreciated because the American government certainly wouldn't help them even if they asked multiple times.
@@markehlpetersen1040 that's a big problem for modern native Americans because even myself fall victim to not knowing my ancestors native language I'm still Learning so I can teach my children but there's so much to learn & it's gonna take a life time of sacrifice to relearning our heritage. But it's worth it because our ancestors sacrificed everything so we can exist today.
@@operatorpvtalex97 yes sir
As a Native American this is very endearing to watch! Embracing the culture and supporting our people, ur doing amazing man
Why do you guys looks like pacific people? You guys definitely look like pacific asian
@@ireallycant4416 the leading theory is our ancestors traveled from the north and scattered throughout the world. As nomadic people different tribes settled elsewhere across the world. Don’t know if my ancestors are directly related but from what I’ve learned that is the believed idea from researchers
@@nono-fq1tl noice, thank you btw gain some extra neurons in my brain.. ema use it to do nae nae happy dancing
👍 😢
@CHIEF TAHCHAWWICKAH stop gate keeping without any knowledge of others heritage - Lipan Apache
As a Diné woman, I think you spoke our language pretty well! I’m glad that you were willing to learn and practice it with our elders. Ahxéhee
@CHIEF TAHCHAWWICKAH I believe that if someone learn your language and you can still speak it, it was not stolen but rather disseminated.
@CHIEF TAHCHAWWICKAH it's funny how you have to reply to EVERY SINGLE COMMENT 🤣🤣 yes I am also looking through every comment just to see if you replied, stop speaking English if you're so bothered, why speak the colonizer's language? And don't say "because I have no choice" speak your language with pride even if it means that most won't understand you and if you don't speak it, LEARN IT. I'm tired of seeing you shame the Navajo people in the comments that have nothing but nice things to say to xiaomanyc, they seem ok with it, so stop trying to belittle them or question if they're actually Navajo just because they don't have the same hateful mentality you have.
@CHIEF TAHCHAWWICKAH i bet you end up with nobody.
@CHIEF TAHCHAWWICKAH How does learning something equal stealing it? Either you are simply trolling, or you are just an idiot.
@CHIEF TAHCHAWWICKAH :
You a not Diné. You have no say in what they feel is right for them.
Fake person !! Claimed member of the proud Comanche ....Do you speak Comanche or Shoshoni ?!!
@CHIEF TAHCHAWWICKAH is an agitating, malcontented, malicious Troll-bot, trying to sow division. Not even a real human.
I love that she asked him to say the numbers!!!
The funnest part of learning a language is quizing yourself so it’s fun when other people ask little quiz questions too
HE WAS IN MY HOMETOWN AND I NEVER CAME ACROSS HIM?!?!!?!! So awesome!!! Nizhoní hey!!!
I live in Farmington, looks like that’s where he was for a while.
Damn u must be kicking yourself rite now. I know I would be 😫😭
SAME! I live in Farmington too, I work two minutes from the Indian Center. I am TOTALLY kicking myself for this.
I'm from Farmington too and I get 'ach'íí' from that first store occasionally
I worked in a medical office in Flagstaff for a couple of years. We had a young, white as milk toast Mormon kid who did his mission on the Rez. He spoke Navajo fluently to our many NA patients. Many of the old ladies spoke absolutely no English so he was vital in the office. The elders would be blown away by this kid every time. So fun to watch.
The reaction is the best part 😃
@@cindyirene2001 Geez, what a buzz kill. You must be fun at parties.
@@brianharder7714 you know what a bigger buzz kill is? Racists. Kinda like how you’re sounding now. It’s a big problem in the church. Do you want to be part of the solution or no?
@@cindyirene2001 you have to be a troll to interject politics when there was no political discussion at place
Amazing! ❤
Those restaurant workers/owners were amazingly kind! Their acts of hospitality are prime examples of their compassionate culture
Mad respect. My friend who is Navajo taught me a little of the language. It’s more difficult than both of my languages, Seneca and Mvskoke. I know greetings, some to practice manners, and I can count to 10 but my mumble causes me too much trouble with other pronunciations. But I’m still learning my own languages as well.
plz keep your languages alive.they're both endangered.
Loving how when you just ordered breakfast in Navajo and it turns into a tour and a how-to-make-a-breakfast tour, too. Simply, when you speak their language, they open their hearts and home to you...
Mad respect for how much this dude sweats. As a fellow sweater, I approve.
I’m the same haha
Hi sweater, I'm jumper.
@@q0w1e2r3t4y5 don't try to confuse the issue with your weird English terms. :)
I don't get it!
Sweater brothers in arms 👬😂
Imagine having enough respect for the people to learn their language it's a beautiful thing
Haŋ! I love it when non natives try to learn the language. The color of your skin cannot stop you from preserving a beautiful culture and with it, it’s peoples language.
Learn our languages after you kill us off and still perpetuate illegal occupation of our lands.
@@akechetasavage7658 not the job of outsiders to preserve our cultures. That the same shit excuse those culture vultures in La Junta Co use.
@@melanieortiz712 This man in this video killed off your Race?
Trump pence bumper sticker must of bothered so many 🤪😂😂
This was definitely one of my favorite videos of his. I love how they treat him because he's trying to learn the language, and how sweet they become.
This video brought a smile to my face! As a full-blooded Navajo, I respect your time & effort you put toward and explored the Navajo nation area. You’re man of the people! Definitely needs to go viral ASAP
Playing country music for years, a lot of indigenous people would show up at gigs, were fans of old-school outlaw type country in particular, which is what my band played. Nicest, kindest, most welcoming people you can imagine. One gig near Yosemite National Forest, some long-haired indigenous guys were wooping it up for hours, then came to hang out with us. They invited us to their home, we had a day to kill so next morning we went over there. Spent the day riding quads, horses, helping them with ranch stuff, drinking beer and trading stories, one of the most happy days I can remember. One of them gave me a vodka mini that was left over from a work gig party, it has been years but I still have that up on a book shelf so I can remember them and I feel that happiness every time I see that little bottle.
I’m 1/2 Navajo and you’re inspiring me to learn the language.
You definitely should, and pass it on to your children if you have them, so they can pass it on.
I'm 70% and don't even know one lick of Navajo pretty sad and embarrassed to say the least, thing is my grandparents always talked to us grandchildren in english?
@@rutbuck121 time to learn, make Navajo great again.
Honor your ancestors
I'm half native I wouldn't want to lean
As a Native, I’m only 21 and the biggest fear for my culture is losing all the traditions and language. But people like you give me faith that there’s so many people out there in the world that takes interest in our culture and language.
I'm Apache and their (Navajo) language is similar to ours. I learned a lot when living in the Four Corners area and caught on to it. Beautiful language, and beautiful people. Nice video 👍
Vivan los pueblos originarios amigo. Watching from Tijuana Mexico 🇲🇽.
I live in AZ.......wish I could learn a language.
@@donnaviestenz7773 If you're in Yuma...it's called Michigan language.
Is it similar to Comanche?
@ImaCoward124;
Growing up in Tucson, many years ago, many of my friends were Hispanic. Having a rudimentary understanding of Italian, I was able to pick up Sonoran Mexican. Now after so long, it's deteriorated to "Spanglish"!
I was teaching myself a native tongue, but there aren't any Native speakers that I know of.
He has finally did it, I’ve asked for him to learn a native language before, and he actually did it. One of my favourite UA-camrs, love how much this man will dedicate himself to learn a language, keep up the good work man.
This is so fucking impressive. I'm a linguistics major and many native American languages will just knock you on your ass. You'll see a lot of weird grammatical concepts you might not have been introduced to even as a polyglot when learning other languages-- and it is not uncommon to have some variation of tone, pitch, and length that are considered both contrastive and vital.
These things already make language learning hard-- but language resource scarcity can double the difficulty (meaning finding learning materials as a non-native speaker and finding practice partners).
TLDR: I'm really impressed. I think he's understating what a challenge this was.
As a white European I can’t really explain why, but there is something incredibly touching in you donating the profits to the Navajo foundation. I’ve seen many youtubers donate to charities, but this one hits different.
Good on you man.
Navajo people got hit hard by COVID. It wasn’t until March I believe that they finally had 2 days in a row without any positive cases. They lost about 20% of their overall population. So maybe you saw that somewhere and that info is resonating. Definitely a good thing to donate to
My dude your group identity doesn’t affect your ability to feel empathetic.
@@basilgaizka4672 don't tell the npcs that, they may short circuit.
@@basilgaizka4672 leftists say it does though. Me being white automatically prevents me from understanding hardship and prevents me from empathizing with people outside my racial identity. Sounds like OP here is a leftist kiss @ss
@@KA-vs7nl You gotta realize that not everyone on the left thinks the same. Same thing on the right. Because none of my "left" friends believe that, pop culture zombies do. Same thing with Cancel culture. The more YOU repeat it, the more it comes true.
Hi! I actually speak Navajo, as a third language. I learned it as a result of myself living in Farmington, about 6 minutes from the reservation itself. Im proud of you, mój kolego!
As a Navajo, I’m incredibly impressed by how quickly you picked it up and how well too. This is the first time I’ve seen a UA-camr/Influencer rlly educate themselves on Native American Culture and Language. Please come again to New Mexico, there’s so much cultural richness and great food lol! Maybe I could practice some of my Navajo with you hahaha but In all seriousness this video may have been like any other to you but it has a left a deep impression on me. This video encouraged me to pick up Navajo again, Ahéheeʼ Brother!!!
@Bryan Gipe Dude what?
@Bryan Gipe what are you taking about? 😂
@Bryan Gipe Yes I'm indigenous but what does that have to do with this. Your reply to the comment has nothing to do with what this Navajo person was talking about.
@Bryan Gipe Did you just ignore the entire point of my comment.
@Bryan Gipe dude I was just talking about the fact that your comment has nothing to do with what this person was talking about holy shit
Who the heck dislikes this. Amazing work of respect. Once a group has allowed you to be blessed by learning their language, it is a true honour to use it. Haicha ka, o Siem! I am a student of three First Nation languages on the West Coast of Canada and respect all who make this effort.
I'm a Mi'kmaq man from the east coast Kwe', wela'lin wet-tluen.
i salute your efforts, and wish you the best ❤
As a Gaelic speaker this is so inspirational in regards to the survival of native languages
Maith an fear mo chara ❤️🇮🇪
I tried to learn a little bit of Gaelic years ago from a book. I think you really need to hear a language to learn it though. And have some native speakers to practice with.
Labhraim Gaelig, taim Kroat
His Navajo sounds a bit like Irish.
Been trying to learn Irish on duolingo. Any advice for how to really lock it down?
@@carsongriffin5120 téigh agus cónaí sa ghaeltacht ar feadh cúpla seachtain.
Keeping this language alive is of vast importance so no wonder you were treated so warmly. This is just as wholesome as it gets.
I like how the older lady in the pawn shop is testing him on what he knows.
Practice makes perfect. No doubt she has the heart of a natural born teacher.
Hey! That's what the Aunties do!
“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.” -Nelson Mandela
I always admire you!
I'm Japanese and study Arabic language so it is also considered extremely rare here😂
I think learning languages leads to respect people, and their culture where they live...so I love to learn them from the bottom of my heart🙏
That’s really cool I’m the opposite I’m learning Japanese but know a degree of Arabic although not that much
@@thenightcorereaper
Oh really?! That's awesome! Glad to know that you learn our language.
Arabic is incredibly beautiful language!
@@KazuLanguages yes!
I’m Choctaw and Cherokee and this motivated me to learn my native language.
I’m rooting for you!!!
You’re going to do so well!
@@Elizabeth-wv3jr thanks! Already done with a few lessons I’d reply in Navajo but I don’t know how to spell anything 😂
Grandma was Cherokee royalty?
@@kbenally8918 There's not such thing as "royalty" in native american tribes lol
@@kbenally8918 as a Cherokee/Tsalagi, assuming anyone who says they're Cherokee has a blood quantum myth going on is very harmful. this is just like the 1900's when we were oppressed, you're stopping people from celebrating their culture and shaming them.
This is so cool!!
My grandpa was a full blood Navajo and he was a first language speaker!
Another indigenous language you should give a go that is definitely easier than Navajo is the Choctaw Language! My grandma was full blood Choctaw with Choctaw being her first language!
I am currently a Choctaw Language Apprentice. Myself, along with 14 others are intensely learning the Choctaw language. Eight hours daily, 40 hours a week!
Hearing you speak a language that my late grandfather spoke brings me so much joy!
This guy deserves every bit of his views on UA-cam. Makes me want to learn as many language as possible. It truly brings people together.
It is smart to learn more that one language, that is an advantage in life.
This is probably the most necessary one yet. Nobody, and i mean *nobody* ever takes the time to honor natives.
Edit: if you have a problem with anything I said you can insert finger into rear and GFYS 😁
Edit#2: you guys must not be able to read the second line. You keep commenting antagonistic shit, its not a debate here people. Part of being an ADULT is just moving on when things happen you don't like. Who raised some of you?
Agreed. This video is amazing.
You can see the appreciation and respect they gave him for taking the time to learn and respect their culture.
@TekkenVirus Virus he’s a troll. Don’t give him energy
@ActSmart BeSmart seriously? Why are you saying this? It doesn’t matter if your Christian or not. No one, and I mean NO ONE; should ever do this to any type of people. I don’t care if you don’t agree with the religion, culture, or race but no one should be treated like this
Here in Canada, a few white boys try learning Cree (one of the bigger Alberta groups). The blackfoot people are some of the nicest ive met
I'm Asian, living in Asia, never been to America, but since I was a child, I love Native Americans culture. I used to daydreaming that I come to US and visit them then meet some elders and listen to their stories. The love native Americans have for nature always give me goosebumps and I can feel it in my blood.
You must be a native in the past. I am an African and when I see any ancient structure or ruins I feel a deep emotional connections to it. I can’t explain. I like simple traditional connected family style.
Keep the love and respect alive. I hope you meet them and have memorable conversations and learn.
And I'm American, and have always fantasized about different Asian cultures since I was a kid!
I'm a Tennessean and love to learn many cultures. Asian culture and Native culture are awesome. Best wishes.
Osyo! I'm a Cherokee living on the reservation in Oklahoma (in the USA). Come on over! Our capitol city is Tahlequah in Oklahoma and there is so much to explore there. Oklahoma is the place where many of the American tribes were forced to relocate to in the early 1800s so we have many tribes living here. We love to share our culture with others wanting to learn. The Cherokee National Holiday begins September 1st and you MUST come to the pow wow. It is a huge festival with native games, food, art, dancing, and other fun stuff. They have a Facebook page and last years was virtual so you might be able to attend that way if you are across the world this year :)
I’m Navajo I live on the rez HMU
They accepted y’all as family. You took the time to learn about our culture so they showed the same respect back towards you and your friends.