Johnston] NAVAHO POPULATION 7 



criterion would tend to result in a maximum population figure, similar 

 to that obtained with the biological criterion. The criterion of 

 language has the added advantage that it is still characteristic of 

 nearly all Navaho, and of very few non-Navaho, at the present time. 

 The basic difficulty with this criterion in population studies is the 

 problem of ascertaining this characteristic during actual enumerations 

 of a population. The mere inclusion of a question on language in 

 the census schedules would not be adequate, especially in an area such 

 as the Southwest, where some persons might seek to be listed as Indians 

 for the possible benefits implied in this status." Provisions for a 

 language test, on the other hand, would greatly increase the cost of 

 any enumeration. 



The second criterion of tribalness, that of common territory, can 

 no longer be applied in studies of most American Indian populations, 

 because many Indians either no longer possess reservation lands or 

 have established residence away from their reservations. In the case 

 of the Navaho, the "de facto" reservation population as enumerated, 

 say, on April 1 of a given census year may amount to no more than 

 80 percent of the "de jure" Navaho population. In addition to their 

 extensive participation in migratory agricultural work during the 

 late spring and sunamer months throughout the Western States, many 

 Navahos are in permanent residence beyond the boundaries of the 

 reservation-proper. Despite the relative isolation of the Navaho, the 

 population in residence on the reservation at any given time can no 

 longer be taken as representative of Navahos as a whole. A few sum- 

 mary figures may clarify this point. In 1950, about 55,000 Navahos 

 were enumerated within the confines of the Navajo Reservation. 

 Navajo Agency officials further estimated that about 7,170 Navahos 

 were residing in the "service area" immediately surrounding the 

 Navajo Reservation and that an additional 7,000 Navahos were resid- 

 ing in more scattered localities throughout the United States. This 

 yielded an estimated total Navaho population in April 1950 of 69,167. 

 In 1960, an estimated 60,000 Navahos were enumerated within the 

 confines of the Navajo Reservation during the census taken in April 

 of that year. However, the total number of Navaho at this time is 

 largely conjectural. If we accept the Bureau of Indian Affairs' 

 estimate of 69,167 Navahos in April 1950 and their recent estimate 

 of 93,377 Navahos in December 1961, the total number of Navaho at 

 the time of the 1960 census would have been 89,451. This estimate 

 implies that the off-reservation Navaho population increased from 

 just over 14,000 in 1950 to over 29,000 in 1960. Thus, the reservation 



" In the 1950 census, an attempt was made to obtain statistics on the ability to use 

 the English language among residents of the major Indian reservations. These findings 

 were not published until 1956. Literacy data obtained for the Navaho are presented in 

 table 8, p. 50. 



