(Pictured left to right: Jessica King, Tom Grier, Dave Dvorak, Micahel Ruka, Tashina Johnson, Trevor Foster, Robbie Christiano, Josh Averbeck, Alyssa Reimers, Shawn Tsosie, Alex Fisher, Molly Golden, Miranda Haskie. Not pictured: Lionel Harvey)
Several students spent most of the day on their computers transcribing interview text, editing video and audio, and beginning to plan the script for the narration of their documentary films about Navajo elders.
Another group went out for one last chance to catch some B-roll video to enhance their projects.
First, Dave Dvorak and Molly Golden shot video of the Fort Defiance Indian Health Service Hospital, which is where the elder they're featuring works. They climbed a tall hill across the highway from the hospital for a vantage point to pan the entire hospital campus.
The group then went to the Navajo Nation Tribal headquarters to shoot some video of featured elder Harold Morgan with a Red-Tail Hawk eagle feather fan the he discussed in an earlier interview. Harold had said the feathers were significant in his spiritual life because they were given to him by his father.
A third group drove to Gallup, New Mexico, to a pawn shop to locate a Navajo Code Talker Congressional Silver Medallion that was given to the Code Talkers in 2000 by then-U.S. President Bill Clinton. We had heard from John Kinsel, Sr., a code talker that our group interviewed last year, that his medallion was at the pawn shop. We found it and were able to take photos that may be used in the feature this year on Code Talker Keith Little.
While we were at the pawn shop, an auto glass shop down the street was able to replace the broken rear window of the rental van, and remove a nail from a rear tire.
On the way back to campus, we stopped for a quick shot of a sign overlooking Highway 264, which was dedicated recently as Navajo Code Talker's Highway. The highway stretches from Gallup, New Mexico to Window Rock, Arizona, the capitol of the Navajo Nation.
Once back on campus, several of the Diné College students in our class stopped by the dorm to wish the Winona State University group well as they prepared to return to Minnesota. Many hugs among new friends were shared along with promises to stay in touch.
The class will meet again this Friday morning (June 24) via Interactive Television connection between the two campuses, and groups will begin to critique the first drafts of the documentary films.
It has been a great 16 days on the Navajo Nation. The students all worked hard, and they tell me they learned much about themselves, each other, and the craft of journalism.
Though this is the end of the field-work portion of this project, it's not the end of the class or the blog. I'll keep updating this site as the projects near completion. I'll also use this space to let everyone know about dates for the Premiere Receptions which will be held this fall, most likely in early October at both WSU and DC.
For now, we'll end this blog by not saying "goodbye" but rather saying "Hagonee'" which is the traditional way of saying something like "until we meet again."
Great post. I was looking up window repair in NYC when I came across your post. I just bought my first house and I need to fix more than half of my windows. I can't wait until I feel the breeze my house gets with all of the windows open. Thanks for sharing Tom.
ReplyDelete