Louva Dahozy
Louva Dahozy | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1928 (age 96–97) |
| Education | Tuba City High School |
| Occupation | Navajo activist |
| Years active | 1958–present |
| Employer(s) | University of Arizona Office of Navajo Economic Opportunities |
| Spouse | Wilson Dahozy |
Louva McCabe Dahozy (born c. 1928)[1] is a Navajo human rights activist. She is known as Nihe' Ma (lit. 'Our Mother') in recognition of her long-standing activism for the rights of Navajo people, as well as other Native American communities in United States.[2]
Biography
Dahozy was born near Flagstaff, Arizona, on the edge of the Navajo Nation during the 1920s.[3][4] She is a member of the Haskaahaszoi and Kinyaanii clans.[4][5] Dahozy grew up in a hogan, and graduated from Tuba City High School in Tuba City, Arizona in 1944.[4][6]
After marrying Wilson Dahozy, she moved out of the Navajo Nation onto land in the Colorado River Indian Tribes Nation near Parker, Arizona. In 1958, she began working for the University of Arizona Cooperation Extension System as a community educator.[3][4][5][6]
During the 1960s, Dahozy and her family returned to the Navajo Nation, settling in Fort Defiance. Dahozy began working for the Office of Navajo Economic Opportunities, and helped secure funding for Navajo language radio programmes focusing on healthy foods, nutrition, and home economics. For a decade, Dahozy recorded and produced daily episodes of Navajo Homemakers Radio Education, which was broadcast on eight Navajo community radio stations.[2][3][4][5] Dahozy wrote several cookbooks, including Navajo Homemaker Cookbook (1969) and Navajo Terminology of Food and Nutrition (1977); she also wrote the first cookbook in Navajo.[3][7][8][9] Dahozy has guest lectured in Navajo culture and cuisine for universities including the University of Arizona, Dartmouth College, Duke University, the University of Kansas, the University of New Mexico, Prescott College, and Diné College.[3] She also has served as cultural mentor for Miss Navajo Nation and was grand marshal of the 1996 Navajo Nation Fair.[6]
In addition for her advocacy for the health and nutrition of Navajo people, Dahozy has also campaigned for voters' rights, including voter registration, as well as the needs of women and older people in indigenous communities. She was a founding member of the National Indian Council on Ageing, the Navajo Nation Council on Ageing, and the North American Indian Women's Association, of which she also acted as its first chairperson in 1970. Dahozy was also a delegate at the White House Conference on Aging in 1971 and 1973.[3][5] Dahozy helped establish the Navajo Women and Infant Children Program.[7]
Dahozy's work has been featured on television programmes including Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution (2013) and World Central Kitchen (2020).[6]
In 1994, Dahozy received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Arizona College of Agriculture. In 2016, she was honoured by the Apache County Recorder, Apache County Board of Supervisors and the 23rd Navajo Nation Council for outstanding service and contributions to the Navajo Nation.[3] In 2022, Dahozy was given an Honorary Doctorate in Science from the University of Arizona.[7]
Seth Damon, the Speaker of the Navajo Nation Council, described Dahozy as "the mother of the Navajo people".[7]
References
- ^ Fonseca, Felicia (2018-08-23). "Navajos choose from record number of presidential hopefuls". Durango Herald. Archived from the original on 2025-01-24. Retrieved 2025-08-30.
- ^ a b "Meet the Relief Team: New Mexico & Navajo Nation". World Central Kitchen. 2020-07-02. Archived from the original on 2025-05-28. Retrieved 2025-08-30.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Louva Dahozy". University of Arizona. Archived from the original on 2025-08-30. Retrieved 2025-08-30.
- ^ a b c d e Sigafus, Kim; Ernst, Lyle (2014). Native Elders: Sharing Their Wisdom. Tulsa: 7th Generation. ISBN 978-1939053909.
- ^ a b c d Carey Jr., Harold (2016-03-18). "Louva Dahozy – Navajo Broadcaster". Navajo People. Archived from the original on 2025-07-13. Retrieved 2025-08-30.
- ^ a b c d "Faculty Senate Minutes" (PDF). The University of Arizona University Libraries. 2022-01-31. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2025-08-30. Retrieved 2025-08-30.
- ^ a b c d "The University of Arizona honors Louva Dahozy with Honorary Doctorate in Science" (PDF). The 24th Navajo Nation Council Office of the Speaker. 2022-05-15. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2023-06-07. Retrieved 2025-08-30.
- ^ Dahozy, Louva (1969). The Navajo Homemaker Cookbook. Fort Defiance: Office of Navajo Economic Opportunity.
- ^ Dahozy, Louva (1977). Navajo Terminology of Food and Nutrition. Window Rock: Navajo Division of Health, Department of Food and Nutrition Services.