Navajo Peacemaking

Navajo Peacemaking has been the traditional conflict resolution program which existed from K’e. K’e involved community bonds and deeply-held family. Peacemaking has been implemented in the school setting for the very first time. It’s primary goal is to bring a culturally competent and effective peacemaking initiative into Navajo schools. Through binding Peacemaking to these schools, the deepening community and family involvement is insured.

Traditional Navajo Peacemaking Overview

Retributive justice has been the leader in adjudication method for the criminal legal system of the United States. However, it has served as the broken pathway to reconciliation and justice. Even though outcomes and facts seemed to imply that the current resolution methods are not very efficient and functional.

The Americans proceed to regard the court system like the robust form of justice, security and law. The restorative practices were increasingly turned to just to be the rehabilitation alternative in a retributive punishments. At the same time, it also aimed to help all inmates get integrated back into their own communities. Such practices have become popular; the indigenous community has been the leader in societal movements that are focused on better peace-making and more effective justice.

The process being used by the indigenous communities got an unsurpassed success history. Particularly, the Navajo nation became the global leader when it comes to integration of tribal self-governance and traditional legal principles with the living justice. This restores the Navajo people with their communities and families. As a result, they achieved a profound fundamental shift in the field of justice.

Implementation

Navajo Peacemaking implements the research-based emotional and social learning program that will develop the literacy skills and social skills. This is done through discussing and reading higher quality of multicultural literature.

The community outreach and family component has been focused on discussing and reading of Navajo literature while at home. At the same time, the community events’ development highlights the 6 central themes of the emotional and social learning curriculum.

In addition, it also implements the “Forty Developmental Assets, intensifying the “Peer Leadership” and “4-Rs” programs. The juvenile justice, mental health and tribal Law enforcement community made partnership in order to give more mental health/student counseling relationships and services in their schools.

In closing, the Safe Schools/Navajo Peacemaking project will be made possible through the grant given by the Federal Healthy Students/Safe Schools Initiative. It will be the exceptional funding collaboration of the Department of Health, Department of Human Services, Department of Justice and Department of Education of the United States.

Primarily, Navajo Peacemaking envisions having a nation of communities having integrated systems which improve academic achievement, create a respectful and safe climate, prevent substance abuse and violence, and promote the students’ mental health. These thoughts continually guided the Navajo people when it comes to protection each individual, their families, and the community through legal system.

There are more interesting things to learn about the Navajo peacemaking process. These clear goals make a straight and smooth path for the implementation of the project. In the coming years, there will be more grants expected to be given to this peacemaking project.