Navajo vote could hinge on candidate's fluency in native language (fwd link)

[Phil Cash Cash]

*Navajo vote could hinge on candidate's fluency in native language*

Navajo Nation presidential candidate Chris Deschene will hear from court as
to whether his fluency is requirement for candidacy

Associated Press in Window Rock
theguardian.com, Friday 3 October 2014 08.08 EDT

A Navajo Nation presidential candidate faces a court decision on whether
he’s fluent enough in the tribe’s language to be qualified to seek the top
elected post on the largest American Indian reservation in the US.

The tribe’s office of hearings and appeals will take up the case against
Chris Deschene on Friday in the tribal capital of Window Rock.

The appeals office previously dismissed grievances filed by Deschene’s
challengers in the primary election as untimely. But the Navajo Nation
supreme court ruled last week that the office must consider the merits of
the grievances, saying that speaking fluent Navajo is a reasonable
requirement for the presidency.

Deschene has said fluency is hard to define, but that he’s communicated
well with Navajo voters in their language on the campaign trail. He also
has said he’s working to improve his language skills. His critics say he
lied in his candidate application and shouldn’t appear on the November
general election ballot.

​Access full article below:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/03/navajo-nation-president-language-fluent-court-decision
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