Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren: ‘This dark chapter caused suffering’

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Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren, center, at the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona on October 25, 2024. Photo: Navajo Nation Office of the President

Navajo President Buu Nygren thanks President Joe Biden for apology over Indian Boarding Schools

Friday, October 25, 2024

Indianz.Com

LAVEEN, Arizona — Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren expressed gratitude to President Joe Biden for his apology to Native nations for the harm caused by federal and church-run Indian boarding schools.

“I deeply appreciate President Biden’s acknowledgment of this painful chapter,” President Nygren said. “For generations, Native children, including many Navajo, endured an education system that aimed to erase our languages, cultures, and identities.”

President Nygren said that many Navajo survivors still carry memories of punishment, abuse, and forced labor from these schools. He noted, “This dark chapter caused suffering, trauma, and loss, impacting our communities today. President Biden’s apology underscores the importance of healing and truth.”

In his speech, President Biden committed to acknowledging this “significant mark of shame” in American history, describing it as his “most consequential” presidential duty. Biden credited Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, of the Laguna Pueblo, for her investigative work on the schools, which led to national awareness and the apology.

The Department of the Interior’s investigation found at least 18,000 Native children were forcibly sent to boarding schools, with 136 Navajo children among those who died. The report documented 973 deaths and 74 gravesites at 417 federal boarding schools.

President Nygren pledged the Navajo Nation’s cooperation to continue uncovering the truth and honoring lost lives, adding, “Thank you, President Biden, for your commitment to justice. Together, we can move forward with respect for our history and future generations.”

Navajo President Buu Nygren thanks President Joe Biden for apology over Indian Boarding Schools

LAVEEN, Ariz. – Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren expressed gratitude to President Joe Biden for his apology to Native nations for the harm caused by federal and church-run Indian… pic.twitter.com/76AJqSSLXB
— Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren (@BuuVanNygren) October 25, 2024

President Joe Biden in Indian Country: It was an honor to meet with him one-on-one before the event began. Today, President Biden offers a historic apology on behalf of the United States for the profound trauma inflicted during the era of Indian boarding schools. His acknowledgment addresses the suffering endured by generations of Native children, including many from the Navajo Nation, who were taken from their families, stripped of their language and culture, and left with lasting scars. This apology is a vital step toward healing and reconciliation, and it honors the resilience of survivors and the memories of those we lost.
Posted by Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren on Friday, October 25, 2024