Navajo Word of the Day: Gha̜a̜ji̜’ (October)

In this video, we cover today’s Navajo Word of the Day, which is October: Gha̜a̜ji̜’. In the video, I discuss how the Navajo word, Gha̜a̜ji̜’ is similar to the word, “Hwííshgháán,“ meaning, “One’s back.” The suffix, “-ji̜’,“ means, “Against it.“ So together, Gha̜a̜ji̜’ means, “Against the back,“ or, “Back to back.“ This is the implied meaning summer and winter are back to back during the month of October. To use it in a sentence, you can say: Gha̜a̜ji̜’ baa ánáhoolzhiizhígíí baa shił hózhó̜! I’m glad October is here! Some people try to say, “Yá’át’ééh Gha̜a̜ji̜’,” for, “Hello October,“ but this really does not translate well to the Navajo ear. Though you can say, “Yá’át’ééh Késhmish (Merry Christmas)” or, “Yá’át’ééh abíní (Good morning),“ you cannot say, “Yá’át’ééh Gha̜a̜ji̜’,” for, “Hello October.” It does not come off the same way in Navajo. You can say, “Gha̜a̜ji̜’ dah yiitá̜ (the Moon of October is here)!“ Dah yiitá̜ or dahiitá̜ is the sliver of moon that appears after the new moon. This moon phase is typically called the Waxing Cresent Moon in English.