2014 Northern Navajo Nation Fair Guide

SUNDAYSEPT. 28, 2014

THE DAILY TIMESFARMINGTON, NM

www.daily-times.com

By Noel Lyn SmithThe Daily Times

FARMINGTON — Twonew events will greet fairattendees at this year’sNorthern Navajo NationFair in Shiprock.

The new additions are anopening ceremony and acookout competition.

The fair is celebrating its103rd year and will takeplace from Oct. 2 to Oct. 5at the Northern NavajoNation Fairgrounds.

The opening ceremonystarts at 6 p.m. on Thursdayat the rodeo arena.

“This is the first timeever and that’s why we want

to put on a good show,”entertainment coordinatorFrank Smith said.

Scheduled to performare Joe Tohonnie Jr. andthe Apache CrownDancers, Guardians of theGrand Canyon, Zuni Buf-falo Dancers, Hawaiiandancers, bird dancers, andhoop and fancy dancers.

“It was something to getthe community (that theycould) enjoy,” fair coordina-tor Robert Felson Jr. said.

The opening ceremonyis cosponsored by the faircommittee and theShiprock Agency office ofthe Navajo Area Agencyon Aging, which is using

the event to talk aboutending elder abuse.

Another entertainmentoutlet is the “Battle of theBands,” which starts at noonon Oct. 4inside the IndianMarket tent.

Earlier this month, sixbands representing differentmusic genres already hadregistered for the competi-tion, Smith said.

Smith also is coordinat-ing the cook-off contest,which will have categoriesfor Best Stew, Best RoastMutton, Best BBQ and BestDessert.

There wil l be fourjudges and contestantsare encouraged to share

samples with attendees.“Bring it on. You might

be the best,” Smith said.The cook-off starts at 10

a.m. on Oct. 3 inside theIndian Market tent.

Of course the fair willoffer its familiar events andcelebrate its roots in the sur-rounding agricultural com-munity.

Exhibit Hall coordina-tor Michelle C. Ben saidthe facility plays an impor-tant role in the fair becauseit houses the items thatshow the creative side ofthe community and honorsthe farming tradition. Dis-played inside will be theproduce grown by local

farmers during the sum-mer.

“It is something from theheart,” Ben said. “The funpart is being able to interactwith the community.”

The parade will start at 8a.m. on Oct. 4. Floats willline up starting at 5 a.m.,travel west on U.S. High-way 64 and then south onU.S. Highway 491.

New Mexico state Sen.John Pinto, D-McKinleyand San Juan, is this year’sgrand marshal, according toa press release from the fairoffice.

“I’ve come to know himas a very humble, friendlyman and he is a true leader

that certainly has enrichedthe communities with hisideas and bringing opportu-nities we seek,” Felson saidin the press release.

Seven young ladies arecompeting for the title ofMiss Northern Navajo Teenand three women are vyingfor the Miss Northern Nava-jo Nation title.

Both pageants kick offwith the Navajo food com-petition at 9 a.m. on Sept. 30at the fairgrounds.

The winners will benamed on Oct. 3 during thecoronation ceremony, whichstarts at 4 p.m. at the Phil L.Thomas Performing ArtsCenter.

New events will greet fair attendees

The Daily Times file photoChildren dance in the Northern Navajo Nation Fair contest powwow on Oct. 5, 2013, in Shiprock.

103rd AnnualNorthern Navajo Nation Fair

October 2-5, 2014 Admission: Adults $10/Child-Senior $5Thursday Free until 4PM –Sunday Family Day $5

September 26 - October 5Yei’Bi’Chei Commences(Yei’Bi’Chei Grounds)

September 30 Tuesday9 AM Miss Northern & Northern

Navajo Teen PageantsNavajo Food Competition(s)NNN Fairgrounds

October 1 Wednesday9 AM Miss Northern Navajo Teen

Contemporary Skill/TalentCompetition (Phil ThomasP.A.C.)

1 PM Miss Northern NavajoContemporary Skill/TalentCompetition(Phil Thomas P.A.C.)

5 PM Special Pageant Presentation(Phil Thomas P.A.C.)

October 2 ThursdayTraditional Trail Ride(Commences)

8 AM Fairgrounds Open8 AM Open Junior Rodeo

(Rodeo Arena)8 AM Indoor Exhibit Judging

(4-H Exhibit)9 AM Miss Northern Navajo Teen

Traditional/Talent Competition(Phil Thomas P.A.C.)

9 AM – 3 PM Youth Day Activities(Song & Dance Arena)

9 AM – 3 PM Elder Fest (Pow Wow Arena)10 AM Indian Market Opens10 AM City of Fun Carnival (Kids Day)

(All rides 1 ticket - $20 All DayWristband)

1 PM Miss Northern Navajo Trad.Skill/Talent Competition(Phil Thomas P.A.C.)

1 PM Small Animal Judging(4-H Exhibit)

4 PM – 6 PM Free BBQ(City Market Parking Lot)Sponsored by APS, BHP, NTUA,& PNM)

6 PM Night Performance(Rodeo Arena)Presented by NAAA & NNNF

6 PM – 10 PM Gospel Night(Indian Market Tent)

11 PM Carnival Closes

October 3 FridayTraditional Trail Ride(On-going)

8 AM Fairgrounds Open8:30 AM Livestock Show (4-H Exhibit)10 AM Indian Market Opens10 AM – 2 PM Cook-Off Various Food

(Indian Market Tent)Auto, Motorcycle & Bike Show(Shiprock Senior Center)

1 PM Song and Dance(Open Registration)

1 PM Open Master’s Rodeo(Rodeo Arena)

1 PM Traditional Trail Ride Arrival(Yei’Bi’Chei Grounds)

3 PM 4-H / FFA Jr. Livestock Sale(4-H Exhibit)

3 PM Pow Wow (Open Registration)3 PM – 7 PM Open Mic/ Karaoke

(Indian Market Tent)4 PM Miss Northern & Miss Northern

Navajo Coronation(Phil Thomas P.A.C.)

5 PM Song & Dance(Warm-up Dancing)

5 PM City of Fun Carnival Opens5 PM Gourd Dancing

(Pow Wow Arena)5 PM Fashion Review & Public

Speaking Presentations(4-H Exhibit)

7 PM Pow Wow (Grand Entry)7 PM Northern Gateway

Open Bull-Riding(Rodeo Arena)

9 PM – 1 AM Country Western DanceJ.T. Band (Indian Market Tent)

11:30 PM Carnival Closes

October 4 Saturday5 AM Parade Line-up (Fleet Mgmt.)8 AM Parade

(East Hwy 64- West 491)10 AM Fairgrounds Open10 AM Song and Dance

(Open Registration)10 AM Pow Wow (Open Registration)10 AM Indian Market Open10:30 AM City of Fun Carnival Opens12 PM – 6 PM Battle of the Bands

(Indian Market Tent)12 PM Pow Wow (Grand Entry)1 PM Song & Dance (Grand Entry)1 PM Open Show Rodeo

(Rodeo Arena)2 PM Demonstrations and Talent

Show Presentations(4-H Exhibit)

5 PM 4-H/FFA Cook-Out5 PM Final Gourd Dance Session

(Pow Wow Arena)6 PM Wild Horse Race (Rodeo Arena)6 PM - 9 PM Family Show – Various Acts

(Indian Market Tent)7 PM Pow Wow (Grand Entry)7 PM Open Show Rodeo

(Rodeo Arena)9 PM – 1 AM Dance/Show - Various Bands

(Indian Market Tent)12 AM Carnival Closes

October 5 Sunday8 AM Fairgrounds Open8:45 AM Awards Presentation

(4-H Exhibit)9 AM Song & Dance (Roll Call)10 AM Song & Dance (Grand Entry)10 AM – 6 PM Indian Market Open10 AM Cultural Performances

(Indian Market Tent)12 PM – 5 PM Gourd Dance Session

(Pow Wow Arena)12 PM City of Fun Carnival Opens12 PM Wild Horse Race (Rodeo Arena)1 PM Open Show Rodeo1 PM Parade Winner Ceremony

(Indian Market Tent)11 PM Carnival Closes

October 2-5, 2014

nnnfair.com

We Invite You…Ya’at’eeh! We welcome you to the 103rd Annual Northern Navajo NationFair (NNNF) in Shiprock, New Mexico. Join us for a weekend celebrationwith our friends, communities and visitors from across the Four Corners.The Northern Navajo Nation Fair and Navajo Area Agency on Aging presentthe Opening Ceremonies and Night Performance on Thursday, October 2 atthe NNNF Rodeo Grounds.

The Night Performance is a newly added attractionin recognition to the traditional singing, dancingand praying for all of our spectators, visitors fora safe enjoyable weekend with us here at theNorthern Navajo Nation Fair. Doors open at 5 PMwith performances beginning at 6 PM. Come andwitness the first ever night performance at theNNNF.

The NNNF Entertainment events held at theIndian Market tent will host the Cook Off Contestthat will feature four categories in Best BBQ BestRoast Mutton, Best Stew and Best Dessert. Formore information, for the Northern Navajo NationFair visit our website at nnnfair.com. We hope tosee you at the Fair!

Schedule of Events

Northen Navajo Nation FairP.O. Box 2120, Shiprock, New Mexico, 87420 • (505) 368-4305 • www.nnnfair.com

NORTHERN NAVAJONATION FAIR

Opening ceremony will showcase a variety of dancers

2 Sunday, September 28, 2014 NNOORRTTHHEERRNN NNAAVVAAJJOO NNAATTIIOONN FFAAIIRR Farmington, New Mexico The Daily TimesSubscribe to The Daily Times online at www.daily-times.com

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By James FentonThe Daily Times

SHIPROCK — AKayenta, Ariz., artist’spainting of Yei’Bi’Cheihealing dancers in a cornfield was selected as thefeature poster for thisyear ’s 103rd NorthernNavajo Nation Fair.

Painted with acrylics onan 18-by-24 inch canvas,the work is called “OctoberHarvest.” It was completedjust three weeks ago byDavid K. John.

The artist insists thedancers in the paintingaren’t literal depictions ofactual healing dancers —who are integral elementsof the Navajo healing cere-mony — but rather sugges-tions of the dancers as wellas the harvest gods theypersonify.

“I used corn in the cornfield in the painting to rep-resent the harvest, the firstdance being in October atthe change of seasons,”John said. “When I do apainting of these dancers, Ithink about how theywould look. They’re pow-erful. They’re healers. Theyrepresent life. There’s aperson behind the mask.But they are also more likespirits, deities.”

John said he discoveredpainting in a class duringhis sophomore year in highschool. His early workearned him a scholarship toart school in Richfield,Utah. He later earned abachelor’s degree in fine artfrom Southern Utah Uni-versity, in Cedar City. Hisart work can be seen in gal-leries throughout the FourCorners.

John’s paintings havealso been featured onposters for fairs and eventsin more than three states,including the Santa Fe Indi-an Market and West ValleyNative American Art Festi-val in Litchfield Park, Ariz.He said he completes six to10 paintings each month.

John, 51, said he wasapproached by members ofthe fair’s board of directorswhile showing some of his

Arizona artist’s work chosen for fair poster

Courtesy of David K. JohnAn original painting by David K. John, called “October Harvest,” was selected as the featured art for the Northern Navajo Nation Fair.sseeee ARTIST oonn ppaaggee 44


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John, who is knownprimarily for his depic-tions of Yei’Bi’Cheidancers, said they becamea way to connect to hisfather and grandfather,who were medicine men.

The image is one Johnhas experienced andexplored since childhood.

“I grew up around mygreat grandpa, who was agreat medicine man, andmy grandpa — they wereYei’Bi’Chei dancers. So toremember them, I paintthem,” John said. “I saw alot of great ceremoniesand I’ve lived it. In mypaintings, they’re my owninterpretations of thedance and the dancers.”

Overall, John said hesees his art as a way toconnect with his paternalancestors as much as it isto preserve Navajo culture.

“The Yei images I start-ed after my grandpa

passed and it’s likeremembering them, kindof a therapy for me,” Johnsaid. “I guess it’s for them(that I) pass it on. Thepaintings I create are forthe Dine people and (I)want to pass (them) on tothe next generations.”

John submitted the workthat features three dancers— two males and a female— in a cornfield under amulticolored dawn.

“(In the painting) it’searly morning, a kind ofmystical time under thefather sun,” he said. “Iwanted to get that feelingin it, the beauty way. I usethese colors to representbeauty. The dancers bringgood blessings and harmo-ny.”

The choice to include afemale dancer into hispainting is a critical detailin a work he hopes willelicit a response from peo-ple.

“Past posters for thefair were mainly maleonly, but for mine, I want-ed both, to represent themale and female figurestogether, equally,” John

said. “The figure on theleft in red who has amouthpiece is male andthe dancer beside him isfemale. The one in theback is almost fading intothe cornfield. They’redancers in a cornfield,gathering corn. In a Nava-jo basket there are four(ears of) corn that repre-sent the four directions.”

John, who uses a mid-dle initial ‘K’ with hisname so he is not confusedwith Navajo painter DavidJohns, said his work, likethe fair itself, is an effortto keep traditions alive.

“For me it’s like thera-py and a blessing to beable to paint these imagesbecause these ceremoniesare being lost,” he said.“The language is kind ofdying and the ceremony,it’s the same thing. So Ipaint because even if theculture is being lost, theimages will be here.”

Robert Felson Jr., fairdirector, said John’s workperfectly encapsulates thethemes of this year’s fair.

“It’s a celebration alongthe lines of our tradition,

our culture and our heart,”Felson said of the fair.“We’re known for harvest-ing our food, being farm-ers, and the fact that ourarea is provided for by the

river, so it’s a celebrationof our harvest. The paint-ing shows that.”

While John said a col-lector has purchased“October Harvest,” Felson

said the poster will accom-pany a 2014-2015 calendarand be sold at the fairboard office or throughoutthe fairgrounds for $5each.

(Continued from page 3)

Artist

Courtesy of David K. JohnDavid K. John is the featured artist in this year's Northern Navajo Nation Fair.

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By Molly MaxwellSpecial to The Daily Times

SHIPROCK — There’salways chile and fry bread atthe Northern Navajo NationFair.

But Frank Smith, thefair’s first-time entertain-ment coordinator, wanted toadd culinary variety to thisyear’s fair.

That’s why he helpedorganize the Indian MarketTent Cook-Off, which willtake place on the second dayof the fair, Oct. 3, in theIndian Market tent. Contes-tants who enter the freeevent will be judged onpreparing a meal in the stew,

roast mutton, barbecue anddessert categories.

The categories are basedon traditional Navajo foods,but Smith encourages con-testants to be creative andtry new things. Contestantscan enter one category or allfour.

Food must be cooked on-site, and electrical outletswill be available. Contes-tants may have up to twohelpers and should bring allof their own supplies.

Judging will begin atabout 1:30 or 2 p.m. Oct. 3,Smith said. He suggestedcontestants begin cooking atabout 10 a.m., but one manhas already requested to

begin his barbecue the nightbefore, which Smithapproved. To enter the cook-off, pick up an application atthe fair office.

One of the categories inthe cook-off centers on mut-ton, meat from an adultsheep that is a staple ofNavajo cuisine.

The Scott family hasbeen running a muttonstand near the intersectionof U.S. Highways 491 and64 in Shiprock for manyyears. At lunchtime onSept. 22, two lines of carsformed outside the stand,and Rosita Scott’snotepad quickly filledwith orders.

The menu offers grilledmutton on fry bread orgrilled bread, with theoption of green chile. Andthat simple menu seems tofulfill the needs of hungrycustomers.

Lorenda Benali, whowas working the stand withScott for the day, said thecustomer base is comprisedof both locals and passersby.Some who stop have nevereaten mutton.

“Some people buy one(sandwich), stand there andeat, and then buy more,”Scott said.

Local Shiprock residentsjust keep coming back, shesaid, because “they crave

their mutton — just askthem!”

Those in line confirmedthat.

“I was tired of McDon-ald’s dollar menu,” said RitaTallbrother, of Shiprock, asshe waited in her car for hermade-to-order mutton withfry bread sandwich. “I hadsome cash, and I was crav-ing mutton.”

While the Scotts grill theshredded meat before serv-ing it, mutton is traditionallymade into a stew with veg-etables such as celery, cornand onions.

The Scotts said they willprobably be too busy withthe stand to enter the fair’s

cook-off, but they seem tobe getting enough recogni-tion for their mutton cook-ing already.

A panel of four judgeswill evaluate entries duringthe cook-off, but the publiccan also sample creations.The first-place winners fromeach category win gas grills,and prizes for second andthird places will also beawarded.

While the grills offer anice incentive, Smith, theevent’s organizer, said hehopes most people enter“more for the fun of it.”

“You can compete, but itis more for people to enjoy,”he said.

Molly Maxwell/Special to The Daily TimesMutton, pictured on Sept. 22 with grilled bread and green chile at a mutton stand in Shiprock, is a staple of traditional Navajo cuisine. It is one of the four categoriesfor the Indian Market Tent Cook-Off at the Northern Navajo Nation Fair.

Fair introduces Indian Market Tent Cook-Off

Contestants will be judged on entries in stew, roast mutton, barbecue and dessert categories



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SHIPROCK — Eigh-teen-year-old Teddi Good-luck will be attending the103rd Northern NavajoNation Fair in Shiprock —not to see the parade ortake in the rodeo, but to behealed.

Goodluck, who is fromPine Springs, Ariz., willspend nine nights in a rowin a ceremonial hogan atthe sacred Yei’ Bi’ Cheigrounds as part of aYei’Bi’Chei, or Nightway,healing ceremony tradi-tionally held in the fall andwinter during or aroundharvest time.

The teen was chosen bythe fair board as thepatient for this ceremony,which is led by a medicineman, or Hataalii, and hishelpers who chant over thepatient inside the hogan.The nighttime ceremonycoincides with the fair andis the first healing ceremo-ny of the season.

The ceremony startedSept. 26 and culminates atdawn on the fair’s finalday. After sundown on Fri-day and Saturday nightduring the fair, groups ofmasked dancers in colorfultraditional costumes per-sonifying gods, also calledYei, dance, shake rattlesand chant sacred songsbefore the hogan.

The first four nights ofthe Yei’Bi’Chei centersaround the creation of asand painting, with thefinal five nights devoted tosinging and chanting, all inthe interest of healing thepatient.

Goodluck, a freshmanat The University of Col-orado in Colorado Springs,has a cleft palate that herfamily hopes the medicineman will help heal.

The medicine man cho-sen to lead the ceremonythis year is Philip Begay ofGanado, Ariz.

Goodluck’s grandmoth-er, Ida Sahmie, said theYei’Bi’Chei ceremony is a

tradition many of her fam-ily have experienced.

“Teddi was born with ahole in her mouth that wasrepaired when she was ababy but it didn’t fullyclose, so we took her to amedicine man who saidthat she needed aYei’Bi’Chei,” Sahmie saidby phone from her home

in Pine Springs earlier thismonth. “When I was little,my grandparents did a lotof that. There was alwaysa Yei’Bi’Chei and every-body was a part of that.It’s the biggest ceremony,a very sacred ceremony.”

Like her mother andgrandmother before her,Sahmie took part as a

patient at a Yei’Bi’Chei inthe 1990s and said hergranddaughter’s participa-tion this week is a continu-ation of the family tradi-tion.

“My grandma taught usabout the Yei’Bi’Chei,”she said. “It’s a holy thingto us and our family.”

Since then, Sahmie said

she has incorporatedYei’Bi’Chei dancers intoher pottery, etching theminto the clay in a Hopistyle.

But the ceremony is anordeal that takes a lot ofenergy, scheduling andmoney.

“We’re getting readyfor it. We’re getting very

busy right now,” she said.“We are gathering togetherall the supplies and foodand wood and dishes andthings that we’ll needbefore we go to Shiprock.”

Sahmie said her familyis collecting and payingfor enough sheep to give

Yei’ Bi’Chei healing ceremony providesglimpse into Navajo cultural past

Courtesy of Ida SahmiePottery featuring the Yei dancers, which was made by Ida Sahmie,is pictured in this courtesy photo. The dancers take part in the mul-ti-night Yei’ Bi’ Chei healing ceremony.

Courtesy of Ida SahmieTeddi Goodluck, of Pine Springs, Ariz., will be the patient during theYei’ Bi’ Chei ceremony at the Northern Navajo Nation Fair.

Courtesy of Ida SahmieClockwise from left: Geronimo and Andrea Larios and their daugter,Teddi Goodluck, pose for a photo. The 18-year-old from PineSprings, Ariz., will be the patient during the Yei’ Bi’ Chei ceremonyat the Northern Navajo Nation Fair.


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Cuba, NM(575) 286-2726

Shiprock, NM(505) 368-3897

(Located at City Market Shopping Center)

Show Low, AZ(928) 537-7601

OFFICE LOCATION:

Across from NorthernNavajo Medical Center

as gifts to the approximate-ly 18 dancing groups thatwill participate throughoutthe nine nights. But that isonly part of the total costfor the ceremony, whichshe said will ultimately bearound $10,000.

“The medicine man’sfee is about $2,750 and theitems used consist of sevenNavajo Wedding basketswhich average in priceabout $100 to $300 apiece,plus fabric materials ... andother blankets, robes andshawls, which cost like$150 to $230 each,” shesaid. “Some family havelambs or sheep and willdonate them for us. We alsowill bring food and feed themedicine man and hishelpers. We prepare thefood and we feed people.We’ll be camping there andbe there the whole ceremo-ny.”

Avery Denny, 57, is aHataalii chanter and singerwho teaches at the Centerfor Diné Studies at DinéCollege in Tsaile, Ariz. Hesaid that unlike some of themore conventional aspectsof the fair, Yei’Bi’Chei is

not a spectacle or sideshow.“(Originally) the

Yei’Bi’Chei was not a partof that Shiprock Fair. Theceremony was brought in ...about 70 years ago,” Dennysaid. “What the ceremonyfocuses on is the harvesttime and to be thankful andto renew ourselves usingthe fruit of the harvest —the corn, the watermelon,the squash — to make thatfood as medicine, for heal-ing. Then, of course, thereis a patient who will behealed with that food.”

Denny said he hasserved as a healer atYei’Bi’Chei ceremonies formost of his life.

“I was born into it,raised with it, got my medi-cine and have been doing itfor over 40 years,” Dennysaid. “My father and grand-father were practitioners. Itwas right there in myhome. My uncles too —they were my teachers andmasters.”

Most of the ceremony isprivate.

“It’s constantly going,from dawn all day, take alittle break in the afternoon

and then at sundown itpicks up again,” he said.“To a Navajo, they knowwhy they go to these — thesand painting, nightsinging, basket tapping, thedancing part of it ... theregalia at the closing of thefinal night. That’s what thepeople witness and whatthe people see. It’s beyonda performance. People needto see it like that instead oflike a show.

“There’re some thingsthat need to be kept secretand sacred and that’s whatmakes it an authentic tradi-tional ceremony.”

Old traditional cere-monies like the Yei’Bi’Cheiare in danger of disappear-ing forever, Denny said.

“The ancient (composi-tion) of the ceremony,we’re losing that. Even thesymbolic interpretationsthat are used in these tradi-tions are being lost,” hesaid. “We need to payattention to what is divinein there, what is sacred inthere, because we are los-ing our ancient ceremonialways and it is going reallyfast.”

Courtesy of Ida SahmieIda Sahmie, the grandmother of Teddi Goodluck, has created pottery featuringYei’ Bi’ Chei dancers ever since she was a patient in her own healing ceremonyin the 1990s.

2014 SHIPROCK FAIROPENING CEREMONIES PRESENTS

PRAYING &DANCING TO

STOP ELDER ABUSE

Aztec Dancers,

http://openingceremonies.srnaaa.org

SPONSORED BY NAAA, SHIPROCK AGENCY& 103RD ANNUAL

NORTHERN NAVAJO FAIR

*Admission to the Fairgrounds will be charged after 4:00pm. If You Enter before 4:00pm, Admission is free.


Documents

2014 Northern Navajo Nation Fair Guide