Yá'át’ééh!

Shí éí Adrielle Shundíín Mah

yinishyé. Kinyaa'áanii nishłį́,
Kétł’ahí bashinshchiin,
Ta'neeszahnii dashicheii doo
Kétł’ahí dashinalí. Ákót’éego Diné
asdzáán nishłį́.

Hello, my name is Adrielle

Shundíín Mah I am of the
Towering House People, born for
the O'oothaam People, my
maternial grandfather is from
the Tangle Clan and my maternal
grandfather is of the O'oothaam
People this is how I present
myself as a Navajo woman.
 Cultural Belonging
I am Native American from Arizona. I belong to the Dine (or Navajo), O’othaam (Pima) and Laguna
Pueblo tribes. I speak the Navajo language and practice Navajo traditions and protocols. Navajo
culture is a matrilineal society. We identify ourselves by our mother first, our lands and wealth is
held by the women in our family. Most of our celebrations aren’t specific days, follow events like
after a baby’s first laugh or after the first snow. Tribes like mine from the Southwest are known
weavers. We weave baskets, rugs and design pottery. A lot of our foods are based around corn, and
we have many dishes that incorporate corn.
 
 Life Experiences

I grew up on the Navajo Nation, a reservation.

When I first moved to Las Vegas as a teenager,
I went through a major culture shock. I have
three children who in addition to being Diné ,
O’oothham and Pueblo are also half Cree. The
Cree tribe’s traditional lands are in Canada.
We have lived in Canada previously to moving
back to Las Vegas. Being a mother has been
one of the biggest influences in how I see the
world and my place in it, especially being from
a matrilineal culture and all the responsibility
that that holds.
 Life Experiences
The era in which I was born has been extremely influential as well.
Prior years to my birth the way Native American’s were viewed and
their place in the world was completely different. One example is that
I wasn’t required to attend a boarding school. Boarding schools were a
way to “Kill the Indian and Save the Man”. Instead, I am allowed to
openly practice my culture and beliefs. This has also influenced my
choice in becoming a teacher. I also come from a family of educators.
My mother, aunts, grandmother and great grandmother were all
educators. My great grandmother was the first Dine woman teacher in
her community and my grandmother taught Navajo language. Most of
my hobbies include making Native American beadwork using my
traditional basket or rug designs. I have also made a children’s
workbook for pre-schoolers on my reservation in our Native language.
 My Worldview
I am not a religious person. The beliefs I subscribe
to are my traditional spirituality practices of the
Dine. This way of life is called “Dine Bahane”. We
practice this way of life by striving for a harmonious
life, in balance within ourselves, the land and within
the family. This has created a bias for me in how I
handle situations. Being the matriarch of my own
family has guided me to put them first and make
decisions around my children. Generational traumas
have also increased my behavior in how I view the
world and how I protect my children. Identifying
first as a Dine woman and living the way that my
ancestors were not allowed to practice has made a
big impact on me. My goals are always centered
around my family. Now that my children are a bit
older, I can dedicate my time to schooling. A short-
term goal is to obtain my bachelors degree. My long-
term goal is to become a teacher like my mother,
grandmothers and great-grandmother before me.