All about the jewelry of Native Americans
Navajo Talking in Code
Apart from enjoying the fine items of jewelry made by the Navajo, one should not forget the unique contribution made by them during the Second World War.
In order to pass on coded messages, the US resorted to using the unique, and complicated language of the Navajo. The language was hardly used outside the reservations. In 1942 the Navajo Code Talker Program was established.
The innovator of the program was not a Navajo, but as a child Philip Johnston was raised on the Navajo reservation, and mixing with the other children he learned the Navajo language.
While codes were being used, opposing sides tried to break them. We all remember the breaking of the famous Germans’ Enigma code machine. Alan Turing was the genius mind who accomplished that.
The thing about the Navajo Code Talkers is that the tonal Navajo language is so esoteric, that combined with the coding used, the secret code was never broken.
The Navajo code talkers were often mistaken for Japanese, and risked being shot by their fellow soldiers. So it became necesary to assign a bodyguard to each code talker. But the bodyguards, unknownst to the code talkers, also had orders to shoot them should they be captured.
It is generally acknowledged that the Navajo code talker marines were a key to the successful campaign against the Japanese in the Pacific war theater.
Only recently have the Navajo code talkers been given proper recognition, having almost been forgotten at the end of the war. In fact, the code talkers had still to maintain their secrecy, in case further operations became necessary. A ‘Navajo Code Talker Day’ was designated by President Reagan in 1982. Surviving Navajo code talkers were given the Congressional Gold Medal in 2000 and 2001.
