Buu Nygren
10th President of the Navajo Nation
Assumed office
January 10, 2023
Vice PresidentRichelle Montoya
Preceded byJonathan Nez
Personal details
Born (1986-12-25) December 25, 1986 (age 37)
Blanding, Utah, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseJasmine Blackwater
EducationArizona State University (BS, MBA)
University of Southern California (EdD)

Buu Nygren (born December 25, 1986) is the 10th President of the Navajo Nation. Nygren-Montoya received 34,890 votes, defeating the Nez-Abeyta campaign who received 31,339 votes in the 2022 election.[1][2] He was sworn in on January 10, 2023.[3]

Nygren was born on December 25, 1986, in Blanding, Utah. His mother is Navajo and his father is of Southern Vietnamese descent.[4] Nygren is Táchiiʼnii clan. He has no paternal clan since his father is not Navajo. He is therefore said to be born for Vietnamese when his clans are named.[5] He attended Red Mesa High School.[6] Nygren was the running mate of Joe Shirley Jr. in the 2018 Navajo Nation presidential election.[7] At 35 years of age, Nygren is the youngest person to have ever been elected President of the Navajo Nation.

Nygren has worked in construction management. He is married to former Arizona state representative Jasmine Blackwater-Nygren.[1]

Nygren received international media attention when he protested human remains being sent to the Moon as part of Peregrine Mission One. Nygren claimed that the moon is the "heritage" of the Navajo and other Indian nations and that sending human remains would be desceration of Indian spiritual property. Nygren also stated that NASA had coordinated with the Navajo on the 1998 Lunar Prospector mission, however, NASA has no jurisdiction over Peregrine as it is both launched and operated by private companies.[8]

References

  1. ^ a b Fonseca, Felicia (November 9, 2022). "Buu Nygren wins Navajo Nation president, beats incumbent". Washington Post. AP. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  2. ^ "NN President Official Certified Results 2022 General Election" (PDF). Navajo Election Administration. 2022. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 28, 2022.
  3. ^ "Buu Nygren has been sworn in as the next Navajo Nation president". NPR. January 10, 2023. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  4. ^ Gonzales, Antonia (October 31, 2022). "Buu Nygren explains why he should get Navajo votes ahead of presidential election". KUNM. Archived from the original on November 1, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  5. ^ Silversmith, Shondiin (November 9, 2022). "Navajo voters elect Buu Nygren as president, ousting Jonathan Nez". Longview News-Journal. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  6. ^ Denetclaw, Pauly (September 20, 2018). "Nygren never felt like he wasn't Diné". Navajo Times. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022.
  7. ^ Smith, Noel Lyn (April 5, 2022). "Former vice president candidate Buu Nygren seeks to lead Navajo Nation". Farmington Daily Times. Archived from the original on November 28, 2022. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  8. ^ Clark, Stephen. "Navajo objection to flying human ashes to the Moon won't delay launch". Ars Technica. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
Political offices Preceded byJonathan Nez President of the Navajo Nation 2023–present Incumbent
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