(CNN) -- Chester Nez, the former Marine and last of the original 29 Navajo code talkers, passed away June 4 at age 93. When an elder dies in Indian country -- especially someone as revered and decorated as Nez, the World War II veteran -- we, Native Americans, feel it, all of us, regardless of tribe or nation. We are also reminded that, not long ago, in the 19th and 20th centuries, Native American culture, including our languages, was considered a threat to U.S. national security. Then, the government worked in collusion with Christian institutions to stamp out Native American languages, including Navajo.
@highlight
Simon Moya-Smith: The death of original code talker Chester Nez is a significant cultural loss
@highlight
Nez attended boarding schools that discouraged the use of his Navajo language
@highlight
Author: Native American elders say when a language dies, so does the culture
@highlight
Without the use of the Navajo language, the U.S. military could have lost a war, author says
Recently, a neighbor and I were discussing @placeholder languages.