by Cecil S. King
About this book
Cecil S. King's *The Flag of My Country* (Shikéyah Bidah Na'at'a'í) is a landmark bilingual reader designed to bridge language and cultural understanding for Navajo speakers learning English. Originally published in 1956 as part of the Navajo New World Readers series, this educational text emerged from a critical moment in Native American history, when thousands of Navajo adolescents were entering off-reservation boarding schools for the first time.
Written by King, a leader in the Special Navajo Program, and translated by Marian Nez, this book serves as both a language learning tool and a window into mid-twentieth-century Native American education initiatives. The narrative explores themes of identity, patriotism, and cultural transition, presenting stories that resonate with young Navajo readers navigating new environments while maintaining connection to their heritage.
The illustrations by Henry Bahe, a Carson Indian School student, add authentic visual context to the text. This audiobook is ideal for language learners studying Navajo or English, educators interested in Native American history and bilingual pedagogy, cultural historians, and anyone seeking to understand the evolving relationship between Native communities and American educational systems. Listening to this restored text preserves an important piece of Navajo literary and educational heritage.
