Dine Cultural Sustainability through Settlement Form: Finding Patterns for New Navajo Neighborhoods

The dynamic nature of Navajo or Diné culture is continuing to be constrained by a mechanistic planning paradigm supporting delivery of colonial subdivisions across the land. Poor housing and subdivision conditions levy pressures on the Navajo People that reduce their ability to cope with environmental, financial and social pressures. This study has taken this complex social justice related health challenge to heart through a 2015-2016 school year of Arizona State University dissertation driven, community-based participatory action research with high school students from Navajo Preparatory School (NPS) in Farmington, New Mexico and community participants from the Shiprock Chapter of the Navajo Nation. Fieldwork focused on case study analysis of cluster settlements across the Navajo Northern Agency and existing subdivisions within the town of Shiprock to develop the Framework for a transformational Navajo model of the Pattern Language (Alexander et al, 1977) for new neighborhood design. Pattern data supporting the Framework was generated at the linked scales of the Navajo nuclear Family Camp, the extended family Cluster Camp, and the community-scaled Constellation Settlement “spatial model” that is proposed by this study as new neighborhood planning model.

An ethnographic research methodology was employed with students, faculty, Board leadership and neighboring Shiprock Chapter and Shiprock Planning Commission research participants. The study’s research methodology was anchored by a pioneering Indigenous Planning high school course that was housed within the School’s International Baccalaureate curriculum. Goals for student education in Indigenous Planning theory and much needed Diné planning-based language building were married with practical aims for use of the Diné Pattern Language and Constellation Settlement spatial model for anticipated Shiprock Chapter housing projects.