I worked in the hospital in Flagstaff, Arizona and had a patient who had been a Navajo code talker in WW II. Unfortunately he had major health issues and was only there about 2 weeks. He was extremely stoic as most Native American patients and my Native American classmates were. I can agree Begay was as common a name to them as Smith is to us. I had great experiences with many patients and classmates of diverse ethnic backgrounds in Flagstaff at NAU and our Phoenix hospital affiliations.
Story telling is a fine art that isn't practiced like it once was, that is a shame! The best of jokes usually started out as a story that had an ending similar to your code talker one! I recall a story about crows in Massachusetts. It was noticed there were many crows getting killed along the roadways there, and someone contacted the State Natural Respurces Department to see if they had noticed anything that would have caused this. As with any beauracracy, you have to do a study to get to the bottomof any question and it all takes time. Finally an answer was forth coming, the state had discovered the problem was lingquistics. Crows being very intelligent the answer seemed starange. The state had concluded that with crows, those eatting any roadkill along the roadside would have spotter crows in the trees above to warn those along the roadway. So it was concluded that crows had a word for car in Massachsetts "Caw! Caw!' but did't have a word for truck! I told that story in a bar in upstate New York; the guy sitting nesxt to me said me he was from Massachusetts. What came out next doubled me over, "Sounds about right!" he said!
We enjoy your stories. Thanks for honoring a Navajo Code Talker on this Veterans Day weekend. Perhaps Grandfather & grandson Begay survived the Long Walk. Then grandson was in the belly of a giant steel bird to confuse the enemy with their language...and then the two on beach of Hawaii. Mind blowing!
I'm guessing my friend was born in the early-mid 1920's. The Long Walk was in the 1860's, so his grandfather was likely too young. But his parents or grandparents were probably on that sad journey. thanks!
When I was a teacher my students did a project on the Navajo Code Talkers for their National History Day Project. I had spent a lot of time in New Mexico and was familiar with the story and had met some of the men who served in that role. I helped my students set up a phone interview with a Code Talker. As you might expect their were some communication barriers between a couple of rural SW IA teenagers and an elderly Navajo veteran, but we were able to muddle through and my students hopefully learned not only about the Code Talkers, but also a little about cultural differences.
I worked in the hospital in Flagstaff, Arizona and had a patient who had been a Navajo code talker in WW II. Unfortunately he had major health issues and was only there about 2 weeks. He was extremely stoic as most Native American patients and my Native American classmates were. I can agree Begay was as common a name to them as Smith is to us. I had great experiences with many patients and classmates of diverse ethnic backgrounds in Flagstaff at NAU and our Phoenix hospital affiliations.
Wow! Something else we have in common...
After hours of thinking on your story I thought of my Dad, a WWII Native Vet. I would have read your story. He would have enjoyed it.
Story telling is a fine art that isn't practiced like it once was, that is a shame! The best of jokes usually started out as a story that had an ending similar to your code talker one! I recall a story about crows in Massachusetts. It was noticed there were many crows getting killed along the roadways there, and someone contacted the State Natural Respurces Department to see if they had noticed anything that would have caused this. As with any beauracracy, you have to do a study to get to the bottomof any question and it all takes time. Finally an answer was forth coming, the state had discovered the problem was lingquistics. Crows being very intelligent the answer seemed starange. The state had concluded that with crows, those eatting any roadkill along the roadside would have spotter crows in the trees above to warn those along the roadway. So it was concluded that crows had a word for car in Massachsetts "Caw! Caw!' but did't have a word for truck! I told that story in a bar in upstate New York; the guy sitting nesxt to me said me he was from Massachusetts. What came out next doubled me over, "Sounds about right!" he said!
Thank you! Great story. Funny! Thanks for sharing.
We enjoy your stories. Thanks for honoring a Navajo Code Talker on this Veterans Day weekend. Perhaps Grandfather & grandson Begay survived the Long Walk. Then grandson was in the belly of a giant steel bird to confuse the enemy with their language...and then the two on beach of Hawaii. Mind blowing!
I'm guessing my friend was born in the early-mid 1920's. The Long Walk was in the 1860's, so his grandfather was likely too young. But his parents or grandparents were probably on that sad journey. thanks!
When I was a teacher my students did a project on the Navajo Code Talkers for their National History Day Project. I had spent a lot of time in New Mexico and was familiar with the story and had met some of the men who served in that role. I helped my students set up a phone interview with a Code Talker. As you might expect their were some communication barriers between a couple of rural SW IA teenagers and an elderly Navajo veteran, but we were able to muddle through and my students hopefully learned not only about the Code Talkers, but also a little about cultural differences.
Wow! What a great experience for the kids!
Ha ha!! Thanks for humor today!