Navajo Nation sent more than 360 to NIEA in Hawaii

Monday, November 5, 2007  

The Navajo Nation sent 362 representatives to the National Indian Education Association's conference in Hawaii, spending at least $500,000 on the trip, The Farmington Daily Times reports.

The Navajo delegation, which included President Joe Shirley Jr. and his wife, was the largest at the conference, the paper said. In comparison, the Cherokee Nation, the second-largest tribe in the U.S., only sent 45 people.

Hawaii appeared to be a major draw for convention goers. Prior NIEA conferences in Colorado, Arizona and Anchorage saw far fewer Navajos in attendance.

"Because it was Hawaii, we got good attendance. But frankly, I was surprised to see so many people go," Kim Narcisso, an accounting consultant for NIEA, told the paper.

Last year's conference in Alaska drew 1,900 paid attendees. Hawaii saw 3,200 attendees.

Get the Story:
Navajo tribe sends 362-plus to Hawaii conference (The Farmington Daily Times 11/3)

Relevant Links:
National Indian Education Association - http://www.niea.org

Related Stories:
Editorial: Outrage over trip to NIEA convention (11/1)
JOM funds paid for trips to NIEA conference in Hawaii (10/30)