Pauly Denetclaw
ICT
Applause filled the rotunda after Crystalyne Curley was elected Speaker of the Navajo Nation Council, one of the most powerful positions in the Navajo government. Some would argue it’s more powerful than the Office of the President and Vice President.
In the 100-year history of the Navajo government there has never been a woman elected to Speaker, despite the nation being a matrilineal society. Curley is another first in a momentous year for Navajo women along with Richelle Montoya, the first Navajo woman to be vice president.
Curley was elected and sworn in as Speaker on Monday evening. Three other candidates for speaker included Eugenia Charles-Newton, Carl Slater, and former Speaker Otto Tso. Curley won by a slim margin with just two more votes than Tso who served a few months in this role prior to this vote.
“I extend my appreciation to my colleagues of the 25th Navajo Nation Council for having the confidence in me to lead the Legislative Branch and to serve as the Speaker of the Council,” Curley said in a press release. “We have many challenging issues to address and I look forward to working collectively with my colleagues and the other branches of government to make progress for our people and communities across the Nation. Through dedication, hard work, and prayer, the 25th Navajo Nation Council will remain committed to positive changes and accountability as we move forward together.”
The Navajo Nation Council is composed of 24 council delegates representing 110 chapter houses, which are akin to local governance offices located across the Indigenous nation in New Mexico, Arizona and Utah. The speaker is elected by council delegates and serve a two-year term.
Curley is one of nine Navajo women elected to council, the closest to gender parity the council has ever been. The previous Navajo Nation Council had three women delegates. When the council had a larger council, 88 delegates, in 2009, there were nine women elected. The first Navajo woman elected to council was Lilakai “Lily” Julian Neil in 1946.
Before being elected to represent Tachíí/Blue Gap, Many Farms, Nazlini, Tsélání/Cottonwood, and Low Mountain chapters, located in the center of the Navajo Nation in Arizona, Curley was a senior public information officer for the former Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez, the previous administration. Before that she worked as a public information officer for the Office of the Speaker and served under LoRenzo Bates. She is most notably a former Miss Navajo titleholder and continued to be involved with the Office of Miss Navajo after her reign ended.
She is Tsenjikini (Cliff Dweller Clan), born for To’aheedliinii (Water Flowing Together Clan). Her maternal grandfather is Kinyaa’áanii (Towering House People) and her paternal grandfather is Dził t’aadi Kinyaa’áanii (In the Mountain Towering House People). She comes from a small, rural community in central agency called Fish Point, Arizona, the community’s local governance is Tsélání/Cottonwood Chapter.
(Related: Navajo Nation swears in historic president, vice president)
The 37-year-old holds a master’s degree in public administration from the University of New Mexico. She also served as a policy analyst for Diné College and the Navajo Government Development Office.
Jared Touchin, previously communications director for the Nez administration, has worked with Curley for nearly a decade.
“I’m very proud of her. She’s worked her way up,” Touchin told ICT. “She’s also a very good mother to her daughter. She’s always shown that love and compassion for everyone that she’s worked with.”
While her election is historic, Curley also brings new perspectives to the role of speaker, as someone who was raised traditional Navajo and is active in her church. Perspectives that represent some Navajo people. She speaks Navajo fluently, which her predecessor, Seth Damon, didn’t. Damon served two terms before being forced to resign his post.
Being able to communicate with her constituents in Navajo will be a key asset. Curley also comes from a small, rural community that is impacted by the lack of infrastructure like roads, broadband and cell phone service.
“There’s still a certain group or a certain percentage of the population that is hesitant about having women in leadership positions,” Touchin recognized. “But she really did break the glass ceiling (Monday) by having the support of her colleagues. A majority of the council are male delegates, but she was able to get their support. I think that’s a reflection of how the public views leadership and also what the people want in their leadership as well.”
Charlene Wallance, chapter coordinator for Tsélání/Cottonwood Chapter, where Curley is a registered Navajo Nation voter at, is hopeful that change will happen under her leadership. Wallace has only been engaging with Curley directly for a couple weeks now but is excited to see how things progress throughout the year.
“She’s dedicated to her job and she’s dedicated to resolving a lot of issues is what I see,” Wallace said. “I think it’s going to be a positive turnout for her and we’re going to accomplish a lot of things we need to accomplish. I’m comfortable working with her so far.”
The small community was recently impacted by heavy snowfall that has affected roads that are more often than not unpaved. While the chapter has a road grader to clear the snow and mud, there are no operators. So the equipment is unusable.
“I would like to have that resolved,” she said. “I’m sure a lot of other chapters that have purchased heavy equipment are in the same situation where they don’t have an operator. Yes, we’re glad that we received the equipment but I wish the Navajo Nation would have a person or persons that cover certain chapter areas and assist them with the operation of some of these equipments.”
The first step in addressing the needs of the community is being able to get to them. After the roads are cleared, then local officials can begin to address other needs like firewood, food and water. This is especially important for elders in the area who often have trouble getting to and from their homes.
Wallace was in the midst of trying to identify firewood vendors Wednesday morning. The chapter has the funding to purchase firewood for their community but there aren’t any vendors selling.
This is just a glimpse into the challenges that Curley will have to face as a new delegate and as Speaker of the Navajo Nation.
“She’s been working with our chapter and I think she will address a lot of these issues in the chapter that she oversees,” Wallace said.
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