Category Archives: Cultural

Hopi Tribe Wins Round in Snowbowl Lawsuit

Posted on by

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) – The Hopi Tribe has won a round in its bid to stop Flagstaff from selling reclaimed wastewater to Arizona Snowbowl.

On Thursday, the Arizona Court of Appeals overturned a 2011 ruling by a former Coconino County Superior Court judge.

The Arizona Daily Sun reports that clears the way for the tribe to challenge the city’s water contract with Snowbowl.

The appeals court ruled the tribe was early in filing a lawsuit ahead of December 2012 snowmaking, that the case wasn’t a delay tactic and it did raise new questions.

The Hopi are suing under an assertion that Flagstaff’s decision to sell reclaimed wastewater to the Snowbowl ski resort causes a public nuisance. The tribe says that interferes with much of the public’s ability to enjoy life or property.

‘Star Wars’ to be Dubbed into Navajo

Posted on by

star-wars

By Bill Donovan
Special to the Navajo Times

Coming as a surprise to everyone, especially members of the Navajo Tribe, Obi-Wan Kenobi will soon say, “May the Force be with you” in the Diné language.Navajo members will soon be able to hear the beloved character from the “Star Wars” saga say this and more as the Navajo Nation Museum, Navajo Parks and Recreation, and Lucasfilm, Ltd. have joined forces to dub Episode IV of the classic space fantasy film into the Navajo language. This marks the first time that a mainstream movie will be dubbed into the Navajo language.

Manuelito Wheeler, the director of the Navajo Nation Museum, said he’s been working on the idea of getting a popular film dubbed into Navajo for more than three years as a way to preserve the Navajo language.

“By preserving the Navajo language and encouraging Navajo youth to learn their language, we will also be preserving Navajo culture,” Wheeler said.

Wheeler, in a press conference held at the museum on Tuesday, said he first got the idea some 13 years ago. A couple of years later, he downloaded 10 pages of a script and his wife, who is fluent in Navajo, translated it for him into Navajo. He immediately realized it could be done.

He said he looked at other films to have dubbed into Navajo including “8 Seconds,” a very popular movie among Navajos which features the life of champion bull rider Lane Frost, and “Gladiator,” which starred Russell Crowe.

But he decided to use “Star Wars,” given its popularity among moviegoers on the reservation as well as the fact that it is still considered one of the top 10 movies of all times.

He said when he approached the people at Lucasfilm with the idea, he found that they were excited about the project.

“Since its inception, the Star Wars Saga has been experienced and shared all over the world. Its timeless themes of good versus evil have resonated with cultures far and wide. The movies have been translated across multiple languages and Lucasfilm Ltd. is proud to have Navajo as its most recent addition,” the company said in a prepared statement.

The first hurdle, Wheeler said, was to come up with the funding, but with the generous help of the Navajo Parks and Recreation that has finally been done.

Manuelito Wheeler, the director of the Navajo Nation Museum, said he’s been working on the idea of getting a popular film dubbed into Navajo for more than three years as a way to preserve the Navajo language.

“By preserving the Navajo language and encouraging Navajo youth to learn their language, we will also be preserving Navajo culture,” Wheeler said.

Wheeler, in a press conference held at the museum on Tuesday, said he first got the idea some 13 years ago. A couple of years later, he downloaded 10 pages of a script and his wife, who is fluent in Navajo, translated it for him into Navajo. He immediately realized it could be done.

He said he looked at other films to have dubbed into Navajo including “8 Seconds,” a very popular movie among Navajos which features the life of champion bull rider Lane Frost, and “Gladiator,” which starred Russell Crowe.

But he decided to use “Star Wars,” given its popularity among moviegoers on the reservation as well as the fact that it is still considered one of the top 10 movies of all times.

He said when he approached the people at Lucasfilm with the idea, he found that they were excited about the project.

“Since its inception, the Star Wars Saga has been experienced and shared all over the world. Its timeless themes of good versus evil have resonated with cultures far and wide. The movies have been translated across multiple languages and Lucasfilm Ltd. is proud to have Navajo as its most recent addition,” the company said in a prepared statement.

The first hurdle, Wheeler said, was to come up with the funding, but with the generous help of the Navajo Parks and Recreation that has finally been done.

“Navajo Parks and Recreation Department is proud and honored to be a part of this innovative and entertaining approach to helping preserve our Navajo language,” said Martin Begaye of the parks department.

Begaye said he was able to take funds from the parks enterprise account, as well as for the Fourth of July and Navajo Nation Fair accounts to get initial funding for the project. Wheeler said additional sponsors are still being sought to help pay for the cost.

The Navajo Nation Museum is working with Deluxe Media, a Los Angeles company that specializes in dubbing movies, and plans are underway to dub the movie into the Navajo language, with a group of Navajo-speaking members of the tribe going over each spoken word in the movie and translating it into Navajo.

William Nakai, one of the five tribal members assigned to do the translating, said Tuesday he and the others had “fun” tackling the assignment. The group spent two-and-a-half days going over the English version of the script and translating it. Wheeler said the scroll at the beginning of the movie, “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away …” will also be translated into Navajo.

Shana Priesz, senior director of localization at Deluxe said, “While we have dubbed many films in the past into a variety of languages, this project ranks among the most significant. Every time we dub a film, we recognize the fact that we are helping to bridge cultural and communications gaps among societies. In this case, however, we have the unique privilege of contributing to the preservation of a storied and noble culture, the Navajo.”

The staff at Deluxe are looking forward to traveling to Navajo Nation to supervise the adaptation and recording process.

“It’s always a challenge to dub a complicated film like ‘Star Wars,’ but we welcome the challenge and look forward to learning a lot about the Navajo from our hosts. We are confident that working together with native speakers, we will be able to produce a final product that creates joy and pride from viewers and contributors alike.”

Wheeler said the translation group consists not only of linguists but young Navajos and even a Navajo actress, who are all Navajo speakers.

“This is going to be a challenge since there are many words in the movie for which there are no counterpart in the Navajo language,” Wheeler said. The Navajo language is a descriptive language that, in many cases, uses a description of what the word does to relay its meaning. This results in a word in English taking several words in Navajo to convey the same meaning.

That’s going to make it difficult at times, said Wheeler, to match the lip movements in the movie.

“What we don’t want is a situation like what people saw in the old Kung fu movies when the lip movements didn’t coincide at all with what was said,” Wheeler said. “I don’t want to disparage the Kung fu movies because I loved watching them, but this can become very distracting and we don’t want to see that happen here.”

Nakai added that he would like to see a Kung fu movie dubbed into Navajo in the future, pointing out that there are some words in Japanese that are very similar to Navajo words.

Wheeler said the linguists will have to work with the dubbing director to ensure that the adaptation is done well.

Knifewing Segura, who owns his own production studio in Gallup, has agreed to lend his facilities to the project. He said he was also excited to be involved in the project.

One of the best dubbing directors in the business, Richard Epcar, has been tapped for this project. He is a well known voice actor and director who has directed dubs of many projects including many Academy Award-winning films.

The next step in the process will be casting men and women fluent in Navajo to be voice actors.

Auditions for the roles of Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, Princess Leia, Han Solo, C-3PO, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Grand Moff Tarkin will be held at the Navajo Nation Museum on Friday, May 3 and Saturday, May 4.

Anyone interested in trying out can call 928-871-7941 to book a time slot. Walk-ins are welcome as well.

The tribe isn’t necessarily looking for people who sound like Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill or the others, but rather for performers who have the ability to speak the dialogue with the force and emotions of the original actors.

The plans are to premier the Navajo version of the movie at the upcoming Fourth of July fair. While this will be an educational tool for those learning Navajo, Wheeler stressed that the main purpose is to encourage the preservation of the language and to show that the language is still vital today.

Since this is a cultural project, there will be no admission charged to see the movie. Wheeler hopes that the success of this project could result in more funds to be made available to do projects like this in the future.

After being shown at the Fourth of July event, the film will be shown on a regular basis at the museum and in major communities on the reservation. The film will also be sent to major off-reservation cities that have a large Navajo population as well.

As for the possibility that it will one day be available on DVD, Wheeler said that decision will be left up to Lucasfilm.

Federal Agencies Announce Action Plan to Guide Protection of Indian Sacred Sites

Posted on by

As part of President Obama’s commitment to honoring a nation-to-nation relationship with Indian Country, four cabinet-level departments today joined the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation in releasing an action plan to strengthen the protection of Indian sacred sites and provide greater tribal access to these heritage areas. The interagency plan is required by the Memorandum of Understanding signed in December 2012 by the Departments of Agriculture, Defense, Energy, Interior and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation regarding coordination and collaboration for the protection of sacred sites.

“The federal family has a special, shared responsibility to respect and foster American Indian and Alaska Native cultural and religious heritage, and this action plan will guide us in that important role,” Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar said.  “We have dedicated considerable staff and resources to address this important issue and will continue to work with the tribes and their spiritual and religious leaders to carry-out the action plan.”

“The Obama administration has taken a number of steps to ensure that American Indians and Alaska Natives have full access to the programs and services offered across the federal government,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “Since 2009, USDA has stepped up Tribal consultation efforts. We understand the importance of these sites and will continue to make sure Tribes have full access to the resources they need in their communities.”

“Protecting America’s air and water and our nation’s heritage is an important part of the Energy Department’s commitment to Tribal Nations across the country, particularly those that are neighbors to the Department’s National Laboratories, sites and facilities,” said Energy Secretary Steven Chu. “I look forward to continuing this important work and collaborating with other federal agencies and Tribal Nations to protect Indian sacred sites throughout the United States.”

“Through collaboration and consultation, the signatory agencies are working together to raise awareness about Indian sacred sites and the importance of maintaining their integrity,” said Milford Wayne Donaldson, chairman of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. “The tools to be developed under this action plan will help agencies meet their Section 106 responsibilities while affording greater protections for sacred sites. The Advisory Council is very pleased to be part of this historic initiative to address the protection and preservation of Indian sacred sites.”

The MOU, unveiled at the White House Tribal Nations Conference in 2012, will be in effect for five years. The MOU commits the signatory agencies to work together to achieve enhanced and improved interdepartmental coordination and collaboration to improve the protection of and tribal access to Indian sacred sites. Among other things, the MOU commits the participating agencies to work together on developing guidance on the management and treatment of sacred sites, on identifying and recommending ways to overcome impediments to the protection of such sites while preserving the sites’ confidentiality, on creating a training program for federal staff and on developing outreach plans to both the public and to non-Federal partners.

The Action Plan includes:

  • A Mission Statement that commits the agencies to work together to improve the protection of and tribal access to Indian sacred sites, in accordance with Executive Order 13007 and the MOU, through enhanced and improved interdepartmental coordination, collaboration and consultation with tribes;
  • A list of actions the agencies will undertake together; A commitment to consultation with Indian tribes in developing and implementing the actions outlined in the plan to ensure meaningful strategies for protecting sacred sites;
  • The establishment of a standing working committee made up of designated senior staff from the participating agencies, as well as other subject matter experts from the participating agencies as needed, to carry out the stipulations of the MOU; and
  •  The commitment of the Agencies to designate senior level officials to serve as members of a Core Working Group, which the Department of the Interior will Chair.

Secretary Salazar also announced that Interior plans to provide a report on the Department’s Tribal Listening Sessions on Sacred Sites. Last year, the Department held several Tribal Listening Sessions across the country to elicit tribal and spiritual leaders concerns regarding sacred sites.

A copy of the action plan is available here.

SUPPORT FOR NATIVE ARTISTS

Posted on by

American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian
artists are encouraged to apply for the 2014 Native Arts and Cultures
Foundation Artist Fellowships before May 3. This unique national
fellowship honors excellence by Native artists in six disciplines: dance,
filmmaking, literature, music, traditional arts and visual arts.

The $20,000 fellowships awarded by the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation
(NACF) recognize the creativity and expression of exceptional Native
artists who have made significant impact in the field.

Through the fellowship program, we hope to foster the creative voices of
our indigenous artists, said foundation Program Director Reuben Tomás
Roqueñi (Yaqui/Mexican). The Native Arts and Cultures Foundation believes
in the beauty and inspiration of the work of Native artists and the
fellowships provide a significant resource for their practice.

Artists who are members of federally and state-recognized U.S. tribes,
Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian communities can review criteria in full
and apply by the May 3 deadline at: http://nacf.us/2014-fellowships. The
foundation will announce award recipients in November 2013. For questions
and technical support, contact Program Director Reuben Roqueñi:
reuben@nativeartsandcultures.org or 360-314-2421.

Since it was launched in 2009, the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation has
awarded $1,341,000 in grants to 72 Native artists and organizations in 20
states. Created after decades of visioning among the nation’s first
peoples with the support of the Ford Foundation and others, NACF is a
national charity solely dedicated to supporting the revitalization,
appreciation and perpetuation of Native arts and cultures. To learn more
about the foundation’s mission and past fellows awarded, visit
www.nativeartsandcultures.org.

Band Submissions Wanted: 2nd Annual Kayenta 4th of July Music Festival

Posted on by

band The 2nd Annual Kayenta 4th of July Music Festival is seeking band submissions for this year’s event on July 6th, 2013 in Kayenta, Arizona.

The Kayenta Music Festival is an all-ages show, drug and alcohol free and is a free event to the public. Musicians conduct and music must be appropriate to the event.

For additional information, please e-mail: sdelarosa@kayentatownship.net

Artists may submit a letter of interest and samples of their music on CD or DVD to:

The Kayenta Township

c/o Shonie De La Rosa

P.O. Box 1490

Kayenta, AZ 86033

Departments of Agriculture, Defense, Energy, and Interior Sign Memorandum to Collaborate to Protect Indian Sacred Sites

Posted on by

Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Also Participates

WASHINGTON, Dec. 6, 2012—Four cabinet-level departments joined the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation today in signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to improve the protection of Indian sacred sites. The MOU also calls for improving tribal access to the sites. It was signed by cabinet secretaries from the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Defense, Energy and Interior. It was also signed by the chairman of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.

“The President is insistent that these Sacred Sites be protected and preserved: treated with dignity and respect. That is also my commitment as Secretary of USDA,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “I know my fellow Secretaries share in this commitment. We understand the importance of these sites and will do our best to make sure they are protected and respected.”

“American Indian service members are fighting to protect America on distant battlefields,” said Defense Secretary Leon Panetta. “I’m pleased this new agreement will help protect Indian sacred sites here at home.”

“Protecting America’s air and water and our nation’s heritage is an important part of the Energy Department’s commitment to Tribal Nations across the country, particularly those that are neighbors to the Department’s National Laboratories, sites and facilities,” said Energy Secretary Steven Chu. “I look forward to continuing this important work and collaborating with other federal agencies and Tribal Nations to protect Indian sacred sites throughout the United States.”

“We have a special, shared responsibility to respect and foster American Indian and Alaska Native cultural and religious heritage, and today’s agreement recognizes that important role,” said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. “Inter-agency cooperation fosters our nation-to-nation relationship with tribes, and that’s certainly true when it comes to identifying and avoiding impacts to the sites that tribes hold sacred.”

“Through collaboration and consultation, the signatory agencies will work to raise awareness about Indian sacred sites and the importance of maintaining their integrity. The tools to be developed under this MOU will help agencies meet their Section 106 responsibilities, “said Milford Wayne Donaldson, FAIA, ACHP chairman. “The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation is very pleased to be part of this historic initiative to address the protection and preservation of Indian sacred sites.”

The MOU will be in effect for five years and requires participating agencies to determine inter-agency measures to protect sacred sites. It also sets up a framework for consultation with tribes, creation of a training program for federal employees to provide educational opportunities concerning legal protections and limitations related to protection of the sites, creation ofa website that includes links to federal agency responsibilities regarding sacred sites and the establishment of management practices that could include collaborative stewardship of those sites.

The MOU calls for development of guidance for management and treatment of sacred sites including creation of sample tribal-agency agreements. It sets up a public outreach plan to maintain, protect and preserve the sites, and calls for identification of impediments to federal-level protection of the sites. Additionally, the MOU provides for outreach to non-federal partners, tribal capacity-building efforts and it establishes a working group to implement the terms of the agreement.

Gabriel Ayala scheduled to perform

Posted on by

The Kayenta Township is pleased to present and sponsor a special evening with nationally-renowned guitarist and NAMMY Artist of the Year Gabriel Ayala.

Gabriel Ayala

The event is scheduled at 7 p.m. on Dec. 7 at the Student Activity Center at Monument Valley High School in Kayenta.

The event will benefit the Toys-for-Tots Program and the community food bank. Admission into this event will be either an unwrapped toy or a non-perishable food item.

According to Ayala’s website, he is a member of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe of southern Arizona and is at the forefront of a new generation of Native Americans making a career performing classical music. In 2011, he was honored as Artist of the Year at the Native American Music Awards in Niagara Falls, NY.

Ayala also earned a Master’s Degree in music performance from the University of Arizona and taught students ranging from elementary school to college. His musical talents have allowed him to travel the country. He performed at the Poway Center for Performing Arts, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the National Museum of the American Indian and the Oscar Meyer Theater in Wisconsin.

His website states he was recognized by Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano for his musical achievements. He was honored as Artist of the Year for the Indigenous Internet Chamber of Commerce. He received many accolades in his career, among them is the honor of sharing the stage with Motown legends: The Four Tops, The Temptations, Richie Havens, Dr. John and many others.

Ayala is a strong advocate for students and education. His strong message includes harnessing and instilling values of a traditional lifestyle, and substance abuse prevention. Ayala’s website is www.ayalaguitarist.com.

More information, contact the Kayenta Township at 928-697-8451.

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES POLICY ON TRIBAL MEMBER USE OF EAGLE FEATHERS

Posted on by
Reply

 

WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice announced today a policy addressing the ability of members of federally recognized Indian tribes to possess or use eagle feathers, an issue of great cultural significance to many tribes and their members. Attorney General Eric Holder signed the new policy after extensive department consultation with tribal leaders and tribal groups. The policy covers all federally protected birds, bird feathers and bird parts.

Federal wildlife laws such as the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act generally criminalize the killing of eagles and other migratory birds and the possession or commercialization of the feathers and other parts of such birds. These important laws are enforced by the Department of Justice and the Department of the Interior and help ensure that eagle and other bird populations remain healthy and sustainable.

At the same time, the Department of Justice recognizes that eagles play a unique and important role in the religious and cultural life of many Indian tribes. Many Indian tribes and tribal members have historically used, and today continue to use federally protected birds, bird feathers or other bird parts for their tribal cultural and religious expression.

“This policy will help ensure a consistent and uniform approach across the nation to protecting and preserving eagles, and to honoring their cultural and spiritual significance to American Indians,” said Attorney General Holder. “The Department of Justice is committed to striking the right balance in enforcing our nation’s wildlife laws by respecting the cultural and religious practices of federally recognized Indian tribes with whom the United States shares a unique government-to-government relationship.”

The department is issuing this policy to address the concerns of tribal members who are unsure of how they may be affected by federal wildlife law enforcement efforts, and because of a concern that this uncertainty may hinder or inhibit tribal religious and cultural practices. The department first announced it was considering formalizing a policy on eagle feathers in October 2011 and sought tribal input at that time. The department held formal consultations with tribal leaders in June, July and August 2012.

“From time immemorial, many Native Americans have viewed eagle feathers and other bird parts as sacred elements of their religious and cultural traditions,” said Ignacia S. Moreno, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The Department of Justice has taken a major step forward by establishing a consistent and transparent policy to guide federal enforcement of the nation’s wildlife laws in a manner that respects the cultural and religious practices of federally recognized Indian tribes and their members.”

“The Justice Department’s policy balances the needs of the federally recognized tribes and their members to be able to obtain, possess and use eagle feathers for their religious and cultural practices with the need to protect and preserve these magnificent birds,” said Donald E. “Del” Laverdure, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs. “Its reasoned approach reflects a greater understanding and respect for cultural beliefs and spiritual practices of Indian people while also providing much-needed clarity for those responsible for enforcing federal migratory bird protection laws.”

“This policy helps to clarify how federal law enforcement goes about protecting these special birds and also should reassure federally recognized tribal members that they do not have to fear prosecution for possessing or using eagle feathers for their religious and cultural purposes,” said Brendan V. Johnson, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota and the Chairman of the Native American Issues Subcommittee of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee.

“Eagles and other native migratory bird species are a vital part of our nation’s natural heritage, and we remain dedicated to providing every American with the opportunity to experience them in the wild,” said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe. “This new policy honors the past while looking to the future, contributing to the preservation of these species and ensuring that tribal members can continue their religious and cultural practices for generations to come.”

The policy provides that, consistent with the Department of Justice’s traditional exercise of its discretion, a member of a federally recognized tribe engaged only in the following types of conduct will not be subject to prosecution:

  • · Possessing, using, wearing or carrying federally protected birds, bird feathers or other bird parts (federally protected bird parts);
  • · Traveling domestically with federally protected bird parts or, if tribal members obtain and comply with necessary permits, traveling internationally with such items;
  • · Picking up naturally molted or fallen feathers found in the wild, without molesting or disturbing federally protected birds or their nests;
  • · Giving or loaning federally protected bird parts to other members of federally recognized tribes, without compensation of any kind;
  • · Exchanging federally protected bird parts for federally protected bird parts with other members of federally recognized tribes, without compensation of any kind;
  • · Providing the feathers or other parts of federally protected birds to craftspersons who are members of federally recognized tribes to be fashioned into objects for eventual use in tribal religious or cultural activities.

The Department of Justice will continue to prosecute tribal members and non-members alike for violating federal laws that prohibit the killing of eagles and other migratory birds or the buying or selling of the feathers or other parts of such birds.

The policy expands upon longstanding Department of Justice practice and Department of the Interior policy. It was developed in close coordination with the Department of the Interior. The Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) and United States Attorneys’ Offices work closely with the Department of the Interior’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of Indian Affairs on enforcement of federal laws protecting birds.

The view the policy and a fact sheet on the policy, visit: www.justice.gov/tribal.

Navajo President Shelly Says LCR Settlement Would Provide Safe Drinking Water

Posted on by
Reply

Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly said concern for Navajo people’s health is another reason he supports the Little Colorado River Water Settlement.

“Our people are drinking water from wells that may not be safe for drinking. We have to take this opportunity to get our people safe drinking water. The settlement will help us build water lines that would do that for our people,” President Shelly said.

About 30 percent of Navajo homes don’t have access to safe drinking water, according to information provided by the Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency.

In addition, the NNEPA regulates more than 160 water public water systems to ensure the safety of the water, but does not regulate livestock wells or natural springs.

“There are many conditions that can lead to unsafe water,” President Shelly said.

Some conditions maybe poor storage containers and poor water sources.

NNEPA stated some unregulated water sources could contain natural minerals like arsenic, uranium and magnesium. Also, unregulated sources of water could contain bacteria such as e. coli, fecal coliform, as well as viruses.

“We need to create more access to clean drinking water for our children. Our children are drinking this water and we need to do what we can to get them clean drinking water. We can do that with the Little Colorado River Water Settlement. We need to think about them, our children. They are our future,” President Shelly said.