KTNN radio broadcasts from Window Rock, AZ [Tségháhoodzání]). While it advertises itself as a country music station, (note that Mary Chapin Carpenter's "He Thinks He'll Keep Her" is the second most requested song!) it actually serves a much broader audience. Regular features throughout the day give news and announcements of interest to the Navajo Nation, [0.75 M] Chapter meeting schedules, school meeting schedules, rodeo news, both in English and Navajo, and local, as well as national sports. This stands is contrast to the NBC world and national news which is broadcast every hour, on the hour.
Advertisements are also given in Navajo and it is both interesting and amusing to see what words have no English counterparts. It is also very discouraging to see what kinds of advertisements are still allowed to air when there is no one to who understands how deceptive they are.
Native American music, both traditional and contemporary, is regularly played as well. One of the most popular contemporary songs that we heard many times was Rita by Vincent Craig, who distributes his cassettes under the name of Muttonman Productions. This song has struck a chord with every Navajo. All, regardless of age, with whom I discussed the song, knew immediately what I was talking about and got a big grin on their face. The dedication to all who have attended boarding school is a reference to the disciplinary measures employed there and to the fact that they attempt (or at least used to attempt) to take the Indian out of the child. Most children on the reservation attend many different schools during their school age years: public, boarding, mission (religious affiliation), alternative. The boarding schools are not remembered fondly. Many stories and parts of novels written by Native Americans tell of the homesickness and unhappiness of the children at boarding school.
