Mass CommuniMania

Navajo Oral History Films Premiere at Dine' College

2011-10-18T19:31:00.022-05:00

The 2011 Navajo Oral History project documentary films were premiered on Monday, Oct. 10, at Diné College's Tsaile, Arizona, campus.

Six Winona State University students and their professor, Tom Grier, flew from Minnesota to Albuquerque to participate in the premiere and reception event. The six WSU students who traveled to Diné College were: Josh Averbeck, Robbie Christiano, Dave Dvorak, Alex Fisher, Alyssa Reimers, and Michael Ruka. WSU student Molly Golden participated in the summer Navajo Oral History project, but was unable to attend the reception in Arizona.

While at Diné College, the WSU students sat in on a couple DC classes and then got ready for the reception and premiere.

On Monday evening, the students from both DC and WSU who collaborated this past summer to create the documentary films, hosted the reception for the films. More than 100 people attend the reception event which included a traditional Navajo dinner of mutton stew and fry bread.

Following dinner, DC faculty member Dr. Miranda Haskie, started the program, followed by inspirational words from Diné College President Maggie George. Each film was shown followed by the participating students speaking briefly about their experiences. Two of the Navajo elders who were featured in the films were present-- Mitzie Begay and Harold Morgan-- and spoke about their participation.

On Tuesday, the WSU students enjoyed a workshop on Navajo silversmithing presented by Vernon Haskie of Lukachukai, Arizona.

The WSU group stopped to see many views of Canyon Del Muerto and Canyon de Chelly from the overlooks on their way to Chinle, Arizona.

On Wednesday, on their way back to the airport, the WSU group stopped at the Navajo Nation's Window Rock Tribal Park.

They also did a short hike at Petroglyph National Monument in Albuquerque.

Now that the receptions premiering the 2011 films are complete, the short media feature versions of the films will be made available for streaming viewing via the WSU Mass Communication department's laboratory web site: Winona360.org. The documentary films are also being archived at the Navajo Nation Museum, Navajo Nation Library, and at the libraries of both Diné College and Winona State University.

Plans are already underway for the 2012 Navajo Oral History project, the fourth year of this on-going collaboration between Winona State University and Diné College. The project will cover 18 days during June 2012 and will carry three college credits through Diné College's Social and Behavioral Sciences Dept.

Students interested in participating in 2012 should contact Dr. Tom Grier at Winona State University (tgrier@winona.edu) or Dr. Miranda Haskie and Diné College (mhaskie@dinecollege.edu).

Navajo Oral History Films Premiere at WSU

2011-10-12T16:42:00.014-05:00

A group of people from Diné College of the Navajo Nation traveled to Winona, Minnesota, in early October to join their colleagues at Winona State University to premiere the documentary films students created this summer.

Dr. Miranda Haskie, professor of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Diné College, led the group which included Mitzie Begay, a Navajo elder that was featured in one of the films, and students: Trevor Foster, Lionel Harvey, Tashina Johnson, and Shawn Tsosie. Dr. Haskie's husband, Vernon, also came to Minnesota with the group. (Diné College student Jessica King was unable to travel to Winona for the reception.)

While at WSU, the Diné College students toured campus, did a mock newscast in the WSU MCOM TV Studio, and spoke to a journalism class.

The group also visited several tourist locations in the area, and enjoyed a boat ride on the Mississippi River.

Tom Grier, WSU professor of Mass Communication, and his wife, Julie, hosted the Diné College group and the WSU students who participated in the program at their house in Winona for a BBQ dinner.

The films were premiered at WSU on Thursday, Oct. 6. The four films that were created this summer were shown, then each student spoke briefly about their experience participating in the Navajo Oral History project.

Professor Miranda Haskie presented a piece of authentic Navajo pottery to WSU President Judith Ramaley.

On Friday morning, the Diné College group spent an hour visiting with President Judith Ramaley.

On Saturday, the Diné College group returned home to the Navajo Nation and prepared to host a reception on their campus.

This was the third year of the Navajo Oral History project, a unique collaboration between Diné College and Winona State University.

Plans are already underway for the fourth year of the project in June 2012.

Reception & Premiere Events in October -- Please Come!

2011-09-24T10:04:00.004-05:00

The life stories of four Navajo elders are featured in student-made documentary films that will be premiered at Winona State University on Thursday, Oct. 6, beginning at 5 p.m. in the auditorium of WSU's Science Laboratory Center.

A second reception and premiere event will be held at Diné College in Tsaile, Arizona, on Monday, Oct. 10, beginning at 5 p.m. in the fourth floor classroom of the Ned Hatathli Museum.

Seven WSU Mass Communication students collaborated with five students from Diné College, the tribal college of the Navajo Nation, to research, interview, photograph and video record Navajo elders over a 16-day period in June 2011. The students, participating in the 2011 Navajo Oral History project, wrote, edited and produced documentary films that will be archived at the Navajo Nation Museum and Library.

The documentaries were part of a collaborative project led by Dr. Tom Grier of WSU and Dr. Miranda Haskie of Diné College. The WSU students stayed at Diné College's main campus in Tsaile, Ariz., while working on their projects. This is the third year of the Navajo Oral History program.

This year's films feature Mitzie Begay, a Navajo cultural liaison with the Ft. Defiance Indian Hospital from Ft. Defiance, Ariz.; Jack Jackson, Sr., a former Arizona State Senator from Navajo, N.M.; Keith Little, a Navajo Code Talker during World War II from Crystal, N.M.; and Harold Morgan, Legislative Assistant to the Navajo Tribal Council for nearly 30 years from Sawmill, Ariz.

Student teams completed service projects for the elders and interviewed each elder several times. They also interviewed friends, colleagues and family members and did background research while on the Navajo Nation.

After the premiere events, short versions of the films will be available for viewing on the WSU Mass Communication department's news lab web site: Winona360.org.

The premieres will include comments from faculty and students involved and the featured elders. Light refreshments will be served before the presentation of the films. The reception and premiere events are free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Dr. Tom Grier via email: tgrier@winona.edu or Dr. Miranda Haskie via email: mhaskie@dinecollege.edu.

Post Travel Class #3 - Third Drafts

2011-07-12T17:09:00.003-05:00

Friday, July 8, marked the last official class meeting of the 2011 Navajo Oral History project. Students met via Interactive Television connection between the Winona State University campus in Winona, Minnesota, and the Tsaile, Arizona, campus of Diné College, the tribal college of the Navajo Nation.

The students involved in the class viewed the third drafts of the documentary films they had been working on for more than month. The documentaries focus on four Navajo elders the students interviewed during June.

After this last class meeting, the documentary projects will get final tweaks to get them ready for duplicating and eventual publication.

The finished projects will be turned in to Prof. Tom Grier on Friday, July 15. Grier will get them ready for duplication and have professionally produced DVDs made. In October, the students will host two receptions to premiere the 2011 documentaries. One reception will be held at Winona State University, and another will be held at Diné College.

The dates for the receptions have been set:

Thursday, Oct. 6, 5 p.m. at Winona State University

Monday, Oct. 10, 5 p.m. at Diné College

These events are open to the public and are meant to honor the work of the students and the lives of the featured elders.

Post Travel Class #2 - Second Drafts

2011-07-03T10:58:00.003-05:00

The 2011 Navajo Oral History project students met for a second time after their field work was complete.

The four teams presented the second drafts of the documentaries they are creating about Navajo elders they interviewed during two and a half weeks of field work.

The drafts are really looking good. Professor Miranda Haskie and I were quite impressed with the hard work of the student teams, and the quality of the documentaries. All class participants watched the drafts and offered constructive criticism to make them even better.

Minor corrections will be needed to some of the audio and a few video edits. In a few cases, the students will be incorporating more b-roll or still photo images in their pieces. Narration scripts are being written and will be recorded this week.

We have one more class period planned for Friday, July 8, to view the completed projects.

Once they are done, the projects will be mastered for DVD duplication. Each featured elder and their families will get copies of the DVD, and copies will be archived at the Navajo Nation Museum, Navajo Nation Library, as well as the libraries at Diné College and Winona State University.

Receptions are being planned for early October to premiere the documentaries. Receptions will be held at both Winona State University and at Diné College. Following the premieres, the media versions of each documentary will be available for viewing on Winona360.org, the WSU Mass Communication department's web site.

Post Travel Class #1 - Drafts of Documentaries

2011-06-25T14:30:00.004-05:00

The 2011 Navajo Oral History project had its first post-travel class on Friday (June 24, 2011) during which each student team presented drafts of their documentary projects.

The drafts looked very good. Still quite a bit of editing and tightening to do, and title slides and narration... but for first drafts, we were all quite impressed. All students in the class watched each draft and offered constructive criticism.

Now the groups will be working on the projects for the next week and preparing for a second draft viewing on Friday, June 31.

Post-Travel - The Real Work!

2011-06-23T10:13:00.002-05:00

After almost 30 hours of driving, I made it home to Winona late Wednesday (actually early Thursday morning). While I was driving, the members of the 2011 Navajo Oral History project were working on their documentary films: writing the scripts for narration, editing video and audio clips, reading and re-reading transcripts, checking through digital photographs, etc.

The students from Diné College of Tsaile, Arizona, on the Navajo Nation, and Winona State University in Winona, Minnesota, are staying in touch with each other via cell phones, email, Facebook, Skype, etc.

The whole class meets on Friday morning (June 24, 2011) via Interactive Television to get updates on the progress on the documentary films featuring Navajo elders, and to view the first drafts.

I know many people are eager to view the final projects. We won't be able to release them for public viewing for a few weeks yet. The pieces will be viewed by the class members several times, checked and double-checked for accuracy and also for cultural sensitivity. Once we're confident the pieces respectfully and compellingly tell the elder's stories, they will be released for viewing on the WSU Mass Communication department's web site: Winona360.org.

(If you wish, visit that site and search "Navajo" and you'll be able to watch the media piece videos completed by the Navajo Oral History projects in 2009 and 2010.)

By September, DVD versions will be produced to give to the featured elders and their families, and to archive at the Navajo Nation Museum, Navajo Nation Library, and the libraries at both Winona State University and Diné College.

In October, the class will host two receptions to premiere the films: one in Winona, Minnesota, and one in Tsaile, Arizona.

Even though the 2.5 weeks of field work on the Navajo Nation is complete, the work goes on.

I'm so proud of the work of all students in the class.

The Diné College students were helpful and accommodating. They kindly and tactfully helped the visiting students understand the culture and learn about Navajo life and values.

The Winona State University students shared their knowledge and expertise with journalism, visual journalism, equipment, technology and software with each other and with their DC student teammates.

Throughout the field work, the students got along, helped each other, enjoyed each other's company, laughed a lot ... and learned.

To use an over-used cliché, this Navajo Oral History project is a classic win-win situation: The students learn by doing and gain confidence and professionalism while developing great portfolio pieces; and The Navajo Nation gains a series of very professional documentary films that help preserve and protect important life stories of Navajo elders.

Keep watching the blog for updates ... We'll keep you posted as work on the documentaries progresses.

Day 16 - Flying Home

2011-06-22T07:18:00.004-05:00

Tuesday, June 21, 2011, was the last day in the field for the 2011 Navajo Oral History project. The group woke up early in the dorms at Diné College, packed all their gear into the van, and said their goodbyes to the beautiful Navajo Nation that had been their home for more than two weeks.

During the four-hour drive to the Albuquerque Airport, the students all shared their opinions on how the project has gone so far. They offered many suggestions for making the Navajo Oral History program even better in the future.

All agreed they got a lot out of participating, and learned a lot. When they arrived at ABQ, they got ready to take their flights back home, while I started the long drive across the country back home to Minnesota.

By evening, I had heard from many of them, that they had arrived home safely.

The students still have a couple days to work on the drafts of their documentary films on a Navajo elder. We're holding an ITV class between WSU in Winona, Minnesota, and Diné College in Tsaile, Arizona, on Friday to look at the drafts and offer constructive criticism.

Day 15 - B-Roll, Window Repair & Hagonee'

2011-06-20T22:18:00.004-05:00

Monday, June 20, 2011 was the catch-up day for the members of the 2011 Navajo Oral History Project.

(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."

Day 14 - Breaking Camp

2011-06-20T02:22:00.007-05:00

The 2011 Navajo Oral History project group spent 2.5 days camping with the Lettie and Flemen Nave family in Canyon de Chelly (June 17-19, 2011) and had a great time. We camped at the junction of Canyon Del Muerto and Canyon de Chelly at a place called "Dog Rock" because of the amazing rock formation that watches over the camp.

Lettie's family has lived on this property for many generations, traced back as far as the Treaty of 1868 following The Long Walk, and possibly even farther back.

The weekend with Lettie, Flemen, Becky, Rico, Thomas, and our whole gang of students and faculty was filled with good food, long hikes, interesting history, fun stories and lots of laughter.

Breakfast Sunday morning consisted of watermelon from the night before, and Becky's delicious Spam, Egg and Potato Burritos in handmade tortillas.

Lettie showed off her new earrings: beaded Green Bay Packer logos. This raised good feelings among several of our group who are Packer fans, and caused much laughter aimed at those of us who are Viking Fans.

(Above two photos by Alex Fisher)

After a Navajo prayer for safe travels and a round of hugs and a few tears, our group said goodbye to Lettie Nave and her family and headed back to the Diné College dorms.

The only casualty in the whole journey was one of the back windows of the Enterprise rental van.

Since it's not a 4-wheel drive, there's no way it could make it in and out of the canyon. It was parked overnight in the parking lot of the Thunderbird Lodge in Chinle, Arizona. When we returned to the vehicle, we found the back window busted, and found a small rock inside, probably launched at close range from a slingshot. Nothing was stolen, just a nuisance vandalism thing. We called the Navajo Police and filed a report, and called Enterprise to get their help with planning for a replacement window.

A couple of our journalism teams had planned to shoot B-roll in various locations Monday morning, including one stop in Gallup, New Mexico. We'll run by the Ford Dealer or a local auto glass place to try to have the window replaced before the long drive back to the Albuquerque airport on Tuesday, followed by the really long drive to Minnesota.

Overall, it was a great weekend. Everyone napped Sunday afternoon, then worked on their documentary projects in the evening. Most went to bed early to be bright and ready for the last day of interviews, video and still photography on Monday.

Day 13 - Ye'i Trail and Antelope House Ruins

2011-06-19T23:49:00.012-05:00

Saturday, June 19, 2011, was a loooooong day for the members of the 2011 Navajo Oral History project.

The day started with a delicious breakfast of sausage, eggs and blue corn pancakes prepared by Flemen Nave and his daughter, Becky.

The group then hiked up Ye'i Trail: a trail that leads straight up the 350 foot high Canyon de Chelly canyon walls. The hikers used toe and hand holds carved in the rock hundreds of years ago, supplemented by bars and cables installed in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps.

Thomas Litson, our Navajo guide, who grew up in the canyon told us many stories of how he and his relatives ran up and down this trail several times a day, carrying feed for livestock, firewood, etc. Most in our group had rubbery legs when they reached the top.

(Above six photos by Alex Fisher)

After a three-mile hike across the fields on the canyon rim, we descended the Antelope House trail, ending at the famous Antelope House ruins. They get their name from the well-preserved rock art above the ruins.

(Above two photos by Alex Fisher)

We had a nice picnic lunch there and returned to the Nave Family's land for an afternoon of rest.

Dinner was a delicious stew of ground beef, beans, corn, tomatoes, onions, potatoes, and carrots, handmade tortillas, and watermelon for dessert.

After Dinner, Lettie Nave, who grew up in Canyon de Chelly with her parents, aunts and uncles, grandparents and siblings, gave a presentation on Navajo culture including discussion of weaving, native plants and their use, basketry, pottery-making, spinning wool, traditional hair-tying.

Still tired from hiking, everyone crashed early Saturday night in their tents in Canyon de Chelly, with the sound of horses wandering by and cows mooing.

Day 12 - Canyon de Chelly

2011-06-19T11:55:00.021-05:00

Canyon de Chelly (pronounced duh-Shay') is one of the most interesting and historic places in the southwest United States. It is home to hundreds of Anasazi ruins sites, petroglyphs (art pecked into the rocks) and pictographs (art painted or drawn on the rocks) from centuries past.

Canyon de Chelly is also home to many Navajo families who have lived and farmed in the valley for centuries.

The entire area is known as Canyon de Chelly National Monument, and includes Canyon Del Muerto, the north fork, and Canyon de Chelly, the south fork. Non-Navajos are only allowed in the canyon as the guests of Navajo families who live there, or with a Navajo guide.

Our 2011 Navajo Oral History project group was fortunate to know the Lettie and Flemen Nave family well (Lettie was a featured elder in our 2010 project) who invited us to camp with them for two nights at their family's property right at the junction of the two main forks of the canyon.

On Friday, June 17, 2011, we met the Nave family at the National Monument Visitor's Center and prepared for the 3.5 mile hike down into the Canyon. Lettie and Flemen's daughter, Becky, made sack lunches for us, and Lettie's nephew, Thomas, was our guide.

(Above six photos by Alex Fisher)

Once we got to the Nave camp, we set up our tents and hung around the fire talking and learning.

Many of our group tried making frybread.

For dinner we enjoyed Navajo tacos: ground beef, lettuce, onions, cheese and salsa wrapped in frybread.

After dinner, another short hike led up to a ledge overlooking a box canyon which offered cool photography angles, and a fun echo.

(Above two photos by Alex Fisher)

Molly "Sweet Molly Purebred" Golden

Michael "SPF 1000" Ruka and Alyssa "Giggles" Reimers

Josh "Cover King" Averbeck

Alex "Phish-monger" Fisher

Later, Lettie Nave taught us the Stick Game, including helping us learn how to count in Navajo. Her many years of teaching served her well, as she was very patient with our inability to pronounce all the many consonants and accents well.

(Táá' is the Navajo word for three)

(Ashdla' is the Navajo word for five)

(Michael Ruka won the game, and received a prize.)

(Josh Averbeck shows off the bracelet he won for taking second place in the Stick Game.)

(Michael Ruka models his Ghost Bead necklace; the first prize in the Stick Game. Lettie told us the ghost beads are made of juniper cedar nuts. The necklace wearer is assured of dream-free restful sleep. A few of us bought necklaces from local vendors the next day -- they work.)

Later in the evening, several in our group enjoyed smores around the camp fire, and we all turned in early-- tired after the long hike and high altitude air.

(Albert Haskie-- Miranda and Vernon Haskie's son-- cooks up a smore.)

Day 11 - We Got That B-Roll!

2011-06-17T00:29:00.006-05:00

Thursday (June 16, 2011) several students in the 2011 Navajo Oral History project drove around the Navajo Nation capturing video of interesting things or places that may fit into the documentary films being made about four Navajo elders.

The term B-Roll refers to video used in a news or feature story -- other than the main interview --that helps explain or reveal a situation to aid the viewer in understanding the story.

Watch this funny video on YouTube to get a better idea of how videographers think about B-Roll:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SItFvB0Upb8.

One of the student teams this summer is interviewing WW II Navajo Code Talker Keith Little. Robbie Christiano thought it would be a great idea to visit the Navajo Code Talker Museum in Kayenta, Arizona, and get some shots of the equipment used by the Code Talkers during the war.

We also stopped at Miranda and Vernon Haskie's place in Lukachukai, Arizona, to shoot some B-Roll of sheep, goats, horses, etc. I called it Vernon's Wild West Show, when he lassoed the goat and rode bareback on the gentle horse he just rescued.

(Ben Haskie rides Blackie-Two, while his dad, Vernon, looks on.)

Later, Michael Ruka and Alyssa Reimers wanted to set out to get some panoramic shots of the Chuska Mountains since they figure prominently into the life story of Harold Morgan, legislative assistant to the Navajo Tribal Council.

In the evening, our group drove to Chinle, Arizona, to enjoy a sit-down meal at Garcia's Restaurant in the Holiday Inn. It was delicious. We needed some down time after all the running and deadline stress that has been looming the last few days.

It seems every year about this time -- the middle of the second week -- a few students seem to hit the wall and have some down emotions. I'm sure this is related to the fast pace of the program, the constant driving, running, and working, and the self-imposed pressure that comes from wanting to do an excellent job of telling the elders' stories. We experienced that a bit today.

The camping weekend in Canyon de Chelly is coming at a perfect time. For the next two nights we'll be camping with the Lettie and Flemen Nave family in the canyon. We'll be enjoying delicious food, hiking in the sun, and hanging out late into the evening around the campfire. We'll be able to get some rest and prepare for the last official "in the field" class day on Monday (June 20, 2011).

Please note: for Friday, Saturday and most of Sunday (June 17-19) we will not have internet, and will probably be out of cell phone range while we are in the Canyon. There will be no blog updates, and probably no phone calls. We'll be fine, relaxing and having fun. We'll be back "on the grid" Sunday afternoon or evening.

NICKNAME UPDATE

In the past few days, the remaining three members of the WSU delegation in the Navajo Oral History project earned their nicknames:

- Alyssa "Giggles" Reimers -- For the obvious reason

- Alex "Phishmonger" Fisher -- because she has tried hard to interest the rest of us in the music of the jam band Phish. It kind of worked. I found several of the band's tunes that I like.

- Dave "Pigpen" Dvorak -- this refers equally to his somewhat messy room, and to Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, an original member of the Grateful Dead, one of Dave's favorite bands.

Things are going great and the documentaries are coming along well.

ADVANCE NOTE:

-- There will be two receptions to premiere the student-produced documentaries this fall. The dates haven't been confirmed yet, but they will most likely be in early October. Since this is a collaborative project, receptions will be held both at Winona State University in Winona, Minnesota, and at Diné College in Tsaile, Arizona. The public is invited to attend these events, to view the films and meet and congratulate the filmmakers.

The featured Navajo elders will be present at the reception in Arizona, and we've heard that one of them may be able to attend the reception in Minnesota as well.

Day 10 - Interviews and B-Roll

2011-06-16T00:18:00.011-05:00

Every day here on the Navajo Nation during the 2011 Navajo Oral History project has started early and ended late. The students working on the Navajo elder documentaries have bonded with their elders and are working hard to gather and tell their stories respectfully and accurately.

Two groups left in the morning and stopped at Navajo Code Talker Keith Little's home for a third and final interview with Keith.

(Above three photos by Jessica King)

Keith enlightened the group more about his service to the United States during World War II and how he was treated-- and his work celebrated-- since his return home in 1945. Keith's wife, Nellie, spent quite a bit of time digging through photo albums to find pictures of Keith and his family over the years.

It was hard for your blog editor (a Minnesota Viking fan) to find out that Keith Little really likes the Green Bay Packers. This was a joyous moment for Robbie Christiano, a Packer fan since childhood.

The second group in this van did a third interview with Harold Morgan, legislative assistant to the Navajo Tribal Council. As that interview ended, Harold explained the significance of the bell mounted outside the Tribal Council chambers, and rang the bell for the students.

During a short break between interviews, the groups visited the Navajo Nation Museum and Zoo and shot some B-roll of important sites around the Window Rock, Arizona, area.

(Above three photos by Alex Fisher)

(photo by Molly Golden)

About dinner time, the groups stopped at Sawmill, Arizona, at Harold Morgan's place and interviewed Harold's Grandson, Michial, who spoke highly of his grandfather and the things he has learned from him.

This group stopped at a supermarket on the way back to the dorms at Diné College and bought some pizzas to make for dinner.

The two other student work teams left the Diné College campus at 7:15 a.m. and didn't return until after 9 p.m. They spent the day interviewing Mitzie Begay for a third time. As they finished their interviews and prepared to leave, Mitzie gave each of the student journalists gifts and the emotions were high in the room through lots of hugs.

The Navajo language doesn't have a word for "goodbye." Instead, most Diné people prefer to say "Hagoneé" which translates roughly to "until we meet again."

These two student groups also visited with Debbie Dennison, a local school superintendent, who knew Jack Jackson, Sr. (another of the featured elders) well. Along the way, they captured b-roll video of the schools where the featured Navajo elders went as children.

(Above two photos of road construction around the Diné College campus by Alex Fisher., These photos help tell the story of the construction funding secured by Jack Jackson, Sr., one of the featured elders for this year's Oral History project.)

(Above two photos by Alex Fisher)

(above six photos by Dave Dvorak)

The group creating a documentary about former Arizona Senator Jack Jackson, Sr., also interviewed his neice, Deborah Jackson-Dennison, a local school superintendent.

(above two photos by Dave Dvorak)

In the evening, they stopped at the home of Tina James Tafoya, a former Miss Navajo, who now works with Mitzie Begay at the Fort Defiance Indian Health Service Hospital.

NOTE: This second van that included the Jack Jackson, Sr. team and the Mitzie Begay team arrived back at Diné College and immediately started downloading their video, editing their audio and photographs and transcribing their interviews. No pictures from this group, yet. This article may be updated with more images.

Thursday will be a class day and catch-up day. In class, each group will explain the progress on their journalism projects and decide on any last details that must be completed before the Minnesota students leave the Navajo Nation next Tuesday. The rest of the day will be spent running around gathering B-roll and photos to supplement the projects.

It's amazing to Prof. Miranda Haskie and I to see how quickly these young people have bonded with their elders and their fellow students. They are united by the importance of their work and the desire to do an honorable job of telling the amazing stories of their elders.

These students are working hard, pouring their time and talent into these projects. They are learning much about the craft of journalistic story-telling, and even more about themselves as they discover their place in a world that includes the deeply spiritual culture of the Diné (Navajo) People.

Day 9 - Nizhoni (Beautiful)

2011-06-14T23:22:00.011-05:00

Nizhoni is the Navajo word for "beautiful." While there is no exact translation to English words, Nizhoni generally refers to inner beauty, and the peace that comes from living in balance with nature and others, with mutual respect for the well-being of everyone and everything.

This word is a great descriptor for how the students and faculty of the 2011 Navajo Oral History project feel today (Tuesday, June 14, 2011). We've been working on our documentary journalism projects for just over a week now, and the pieces are coming together.

Having helped lead this project for three years now, I have seen many examples of the principles of Nizhoni and Hozho (living in harmony with nature) at work. Things happen for a reason. Even sad and difficult events generally have a purpose of testing, strengthening, or teaching.

Today began with a class session during which each student work team showed samples of their work so far and discussed what materials they still need to gather this week. Each group talked about how excellent their interviews with Navajo elders were going.

Each group had some challenges to overcome: scheduling interviews, lighting or audio concerns, equipment malfunctions, and the like. And, like true professionals, each group found ways to get good interviews that they can use to help tell their Navajo elder's stories effectively, and with respect for the person and the culture.

The second half of the class period involved a tutorial on using audio gathering hardware, narration technique, and audio software and editing tools. The class also included a short tutorial on quick and easy ways to edit and improve photos using Photoshop software.

After lunch, a group of students and I went to Keith Little's home in Crystal, New Mexico, to build a raised walkway ramp between two parts of his home. This walkway, will allow better accessibility for Keith to get around his home while he is in a wheelchair.

In the middle of the project we had to drive about 45 minutes to Window Rock to the hardware store for some materials, then back to finish the job. The result was a very useful ramp that Keith really appreciated. His wife, Nellie, kept saying "Nizhoni, Nizhoni, Nizhoni...."

The team who worked on the project-- Robbie Christiano, Dave Dvorak, Tom Grier, Tashina Johnson, and Michael Ruka-- were proud to do this simple task for Keith Little, a decorated war hero, to make his life better.

(The space for the ramp... Before.)

(Michael Ruka, project foreman, measuring before lumber is cut. Measure twice -- cut once.)

(Dave Dvorak cutting a length of lumber with help from Robbie Christiano and Michael Ruka, whileTashina Johnson supervises.)

(Tashina Johnson and Robbie Christiano cutting lumber to length for the project.)

(Tom Grier and Robbie Christiano preparing one of the ramp supports. Photo by Tashina Johnson)

(Tashina Johnson nailing the ramp to support cross pieces.)

(Michael Ruka, Robbie Christiano and Dave Dvorak putting the ramp in place.)

(Robbie Christiano, Dave Dvorak, Michael Ruka and Tashina Johnson testing the strength of the ramp.)

(Keith and Nellie Little trying out the new ramp.)

(Keith Little and the Ramp Work Crew.)

In the evening, the students were hard at work on their projects: transcribing the interviews with the elders, reviewing and selecting still photographs, and getting started on editing sections of the video interviews.

(Dave Dvorak)

(Alex Fisher)

(Tashina Johnson, right, gets help from her friend Roberta Wagner, who is helping even though she's not in our class. )

(Molly Golden)

(Josh Averbeck and Robbie Christiano)

(Michael Ruka and Alyssa Reimers)

On Wednesday, the groups will be out in the field again to finish their interviews and to gather b-roll video to add visual interest to their projects.

Day 8 - More Navajo Elder Interviews

2011-06-14T00:04:00.009-05:00

All four student journalism teams were in the field today (Monday, June 13, 2011) interviewing elders for the 2011 Navajo Oral History project.

The teams left the Diné College dorms at 8 a.m. and didn't return until after dark.

(Above three photos of the Mitzie Begay interview by Tashina Johnson)

The Jack Jackson, Sr. interview team got a rare treat when they watched Jack, an award-winning rodeo man, and his grandsons, work with their horses and brand some cattle.

(Above 12 photos by Dave Dvorak)

The Keith Little interview team interviewed Keith outside his home in Crystal, New Mexico, and endured some high winds before interviewing his wife, Nellie, indoors.

A couple teams shot some B-roll at the Window Rock Tribal Park and Navajo Code Talker Monument there.

The Harold Morgan interview team traveled to Sawmill, Arizona, and spent an hour talking with Harold in his yard.

Tomorrow (Tuesday, June 14) is a classroom day during which we'll watch some video of each group's interviews and talk about how the project is going and about interviews and video material that still needs to be gathered.

We also have a couple software tutorials planned for the class to make sure the students are learning and developing skill and competence in the efficient use of software that helps them tell their stories effectively.

In the afternoon, a few of us will go to Keith and Nellie Little's house in Crystal, New Mexico -- he's the Navajo Code Talker we're interviewing -- and build a handicap accessible ramp between two parts of their home to make it easier for Keith to move around in his wheelchair.

We bought lumber and materials today so we can complete this service project that will make a positive difference in the Little family's quality of life.

Meet the 2011 Navajo Oral History project students

2011-06-13T08:21:00.005-05:00

I meant to post this information earlier this week. During the first class day in Arizona, I took photos of the Diné College members of our class, to go along with the pics of the WSU students I had taken while still in Winona.

We've been so busy, I forgot to post the new, updated roster of students.

As I mentioned earlier, each year I give a fun nickname to each of the WSU students participating in the journey. The nickname usually comes from a funny or slightly embarrassing event that happens during our adventure.

Nicknames awarded this year, so far:

Michael "SPF 1000" Ruka

Josh "Cover King" Averbeck

Molly "Sweet Molly Purebred" Golden

Robbie "Bob Jo" Christiano

Michael's nickname came from an unfortunate miscalculation of the power of the Arizona sun here in the higher altitude of the mountains.

Josh got his nickname after serving as "pod-jockey" in the van on a couple long drives, during which he played many cover versions of songs. (A cover is when an artist re-records a song by a different artist, and hopefully makes the new version different and more interesting than the original.)

Molly's nickname is a slightly obscure reference to the Underdog TV cartoon from the 1960s. Sweet Polly Purebred was the sweet and innocent, caring, helpful heroine in the show; always believing the best in others. It fits!

Robbie's nickname was given to him by his dad when he was a child -- a shortening of his given name: Robert Joseph. Last summer, Robbie and his dad did some concrete work at my house, and I heard the name "Bob Jo" called out frequently-- usually when something was needed quickly. Robbie has been a big help to me and others on this trip, so whenever we need his help, we call out "Bob Jo!"

Day 7 - Monument Valley and Four Corners

2011-06-13T01:23:00.010-05:00

On Sunday, June 12, 2011, the Navajo Oral History project students from Winona State University took part of the day off from their work to enjoy some of the sights and beauty of the Navajo Nation.

Three of the students got up early and went along with me (Prof. Tom Grier) to a Catholic Mass in the Navajo language at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament church in Fort Defiance, Arizona, on the Navajo Nation. Robbie Christiano, Alyssa Reimers, Michael Ruka and I felt welcome in the small but friendly church. We tried to sing the songs and say the prayers in Navajo.

The priest greeted us at the door as we arrived, then mentioned our Winona State group when he made his opening announcements. After church, we stayed for donuts, coffee and punch in the church hall and talked to several parishoners. One woman came up to talk with us because she heard we were from Minnesota. She grew up in New Prague, Minn., which is where Alyssa is from! When Alyssa talked to her mom later, it was determined that Alyssa's grandfather surely knew the woman we met.

About noon, we all climbed in the van and drove to the northeastern corner of the Navajo Nation to the Four Corners Monument; the only place in the United States where four states (Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona) come together in one point. We took some of the obligatory "I'm in four states at once" photos, and a group shot, and then visited all the vendor booths.

Then it was on to Monument Valley for a great meal, stunning vistas and lots of photos.

(photo by Dave Dvorak)

(photo by Alex Fisher)

(above four photos by Alex Fisher)

(above four photos by Dave Dvorak)

("Mexican Hat" rock formation photo by Dave Dvorak)

By the time we got back to the dorm at Diné College, we had spent 9.5 hours in the van and drove nearly 500 miles in one day.

(above three photos by Dave Dvorak)

As always, it was another great day on the Navajo Nation. The students are having fun, and taking their journalism responsibility seriously. They're all working on their videos, audio and photos tonight, as well as researching facts about their elders and preparing for tomorrow's second interviews.

Day 6 - Horseback Riding and Cookout

2011-06-12T02:02:00.012-05:00

Saturday (June 11) was a day of relaxation and fun for the members of the 2011 Navajo Oral History project.

The Winona State University students rode horses in Canyon de Chelly National Monument with a Navajo Guide and saw some ancient Anasazi ruins and petroglyphs.

It was a two-hour ride, with the horses full-out galloping for most of the last half-hour of the ride. Everyone had fun, but there are many sore butts in the group.

After the ride, we enjoyed lunch at the A & W in Chinle, Arizona, then headed up into the Chuska Mountains about Lukachukai, Arizona, to help shear sheep and have a cook-out with Vernon and Miranda Haskie and their children.

In addition to being a world-class silversmith, Vernon knows his way around a grill. He cooked steak, burgers and hotdogs for our group.

Miranda Haskie taught the students how to make flat bread tortillas.

(photo by Dave Dvorak)

(photo by Molly Golden)

Vernon Haskie is also good with a lasso, catching the sheep for shearing. The students also tried their hand at the lasso.

(above three photos by Molly Golden)

(above four photos by Alex Fisher)

(Above three photos by Alex Fisher)

(above two photos by Dave Dvorak)

After lunch, the group took a hike down to the creek and to a beautiful cliff edge overlooking Lukachukai.

(photo by Molly Golden)

(above three photos by Alex Fisher)

(above two photos by Dave Dvorak)

The evening was spent in the dorm rooms at Diné College working on transcribing interviews, downloading video and editing photographs.

(photo by Alex Fisher)

Day 5 - Interviews and a Navajo Rodeo

2011-06-11T00:40:00.012-05:00

Every day on the reservation is a good day. Each day we enjoy great weather and lots of good feelings because we know the work we are doing is important and valued here on the Navajo Nation.

We started early this morning with a drive to Crystal, New Mexico, to meet with Keith Little, a World War II Navajo Code Talker.

(Above two photos by Shawn Tsosie)

It was an amazing interview. In 2000, Mr. Little earned a Congressional Silver Medallion for his service to our country. He served as a radio man all over the South Pacific using the code devised around the Navajo Language. The code was never broken by the Japanese and certainly helped shorten the war and save lives.

We learned that Keith served for a time on Roi-Namur, a pair of islands on Kwajelein Atoll, a part of the Marshall Islands. My father also served on Roi-Namur in WW II, in the Navy Seabees (construction battalion). Keith was part of the Marines who cleared the islands of the Japanese before the Seabees would come in to build runaways to make U.S. plane refueling quicker and easier.

As you can imagine, it was quite an honor for me to hear him tell stories about his efforts in the War that surely helped protect my father and so many other U.S. military people. The students on the team interviewing Keith Little felt honored as well. They are: Robbie Christiano, Jessica King and Shawn Tsosie.

While the team interviewing Keith Little was in his office doing their work, the other students were able to enjoy playing with a puppy named Oreo at his place, and hike in the hills of Crystal, New Mexico.

(Above four photos by Michael Ruka)

After the interview, we spent some time at The Navajo Times newspaper office doing archive research to find past articles which included our featured elders. We also did some archive work at the Navajo Nation Library.

(above three photos by Michael Ruka)

We spent a little while in the afternoon at the Flea Market in Window Rock, Arizona.

(photo by Michael Ruka)

One group also shot some B-roll video of the church where one of our feature elders, Jack Jackson, and his wife were married years ago.

(photo by Dave Dvorak)

(Photo by Alex Fisher)

B-roll is the term used for additional video, other than on-camera interviews, of places or things that help explain or amplify the main idea of a news feature.

In the evening, several of our group drove to Rough Rock, Arizona, to attend a Central Navajo Rodeo Association (CNRA) Rodeo. We saw barrel racing and bull riding events.

It was another day of good work, fun, laughter and friendship.

Saturday's plans include horseback riding with a Navajo Guide to cultural sites within Canyon de Chelly National Monument in the morning, and a cook-out with Miranda and Vernon Haskie and their family high in the Chuska Mountains above Lukachukai, Arizona. I'm told we'll also be shearing sheep.

Saturday evening should be quiet back here in the Diné College dorm and should allow me to get the blog caught up with many more photos from the students.

Thanks for your interest in the blog and our activities.

Day 4 - Interviews and Dancing

2011-06-10T00:31:00.014-05:00

Thursday (June 9, 2011) was another busy day on the Navajo Nation for the members of the 2011 Navajo Oral History project.

Two vehicles filled with the participating students from Diné College (Tsaile, Arizona) and Winona State University (Winona, Minnesota) drove to the community known as Navajo, about 50 miles from campus to meet with Jack Jackson, Sr., one of the featured elders in this year's project.

Jack was an Arizona State Senator for nearly 20 years, and was a leader and educator in the Diné Education program at Dine College for many years before retiring in spring 2011. Jack played an important role in the founding and early days of Diné College in the late 1960s. He was an accomplished rodeo man, first as a competitor and then with his brother as a rodeo event organizer.

The students completed a service project for Jack, which included moving and stacking railroad ties, and cleaning the Jackson family's ceremonial hogan, which is where the interview was conducted.

(Robbie Christiano and Josh Averbeck moving a railroad tie)

(Dave Dvorak and Josh Averbeck cleaned the hogan and watered down the dirt floor while Trevor Foster started the fire -- with one match.)

(Tashina Johnson)

(Dave Dvorak swept the hogan entrance.)

(Robbie Christiano watered down the dirt floor of the hogan)

(Jessica King and Molly Golden)

During the interview, Jack explained some details about the Navajo creation story and the importance of the cornstalk in Navajo culture. He shared a wealth of knowledge about the founding of Diné College and the vision for the institution as a way to serve the Navajo people, while helping maintain traditional Navajo ways.

The student group interviewed Jack's wife, Eloise, to find out more about how the couple met, their relationship and their children.

After enjoying a picnic lunch at the Jackson home, some of the students returned to the Diné College campus to work on their projects.

(A friendly visit with Jack's horse "Blackie.")

The team working on Mitzie Begay's life story stopped in the Wheatfields area to interview Beulah Allen, a medical doctor, co-worker and close friend of Mitzie's.

(Beulah Allen, left, and Prof. Miranda Haskie, who earned the title of "Grip" when she was pressed into service and held a light reflector during the video shoot.)

In the evening, we drove to Chinle, Arizona, where we had dinner at Church's Chicken. It's kind of tradition for this program to eat at least one meal at Church's. Some students think one meal at Church's is one too many. Personally, I like it.

After dinner, we went to the Chinle Senior Center where KTNN Radio -- the voice of the Navajo Nation -- was hosting a Drums of Summer event. This is a social gathering where local music groups play traditional Navajo songs and everyone participates in round dancing.

The Minnesota college students made an impression. Michael Ruka and Alyssa Reimers were the first of our group to step out and join the circle dance. They got a round of applause from the large number of people in attendance.

(Alyssa Reimers and Michael Ruka)

Soon, Navajo ladies felt comfortable coming to our group and inviting the men to dance. It's Navajo tradition for the men to pay the women $1 for a dance. The men in our group were quite popular, and Robbie Christiano had to borrow some $1 bills so he could be polite and continue paying all the women who asked him to dance.

(Robbie Christiano -- Alex Fisher and Dave Dvorak)

Josh Averbeck, who stands over six feet tall was asked to dance several times, and had some excellent rhythm and moves.

(Josh Averbeck)

Michael Ruka and Dave Dvorak also got into the circle dance several times. The women in our group also danced.

(Dave Dvorak and Robbie Christiano)

(Molly Golden and Jessica King)

(Michael Ruka)

(Alex Fisher and Lionel Harvey)

(Josh Averbeck and Dave Dvorak)

(Above two photos by Dave Dvorak)

Everyone had fun, and enjoyed an experience that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. Yes, your blog editor also danced several tunes and paid his dance partners. (Surely the students have photos of this that may appear here in the next day or so.)

The group seems tired tonight, so the blog is filled with my photos for now. In the next day or two, I'll get more images from the students added to this blog article.

Michael Ruka summed it up: "We had a Grier-scheduled day today." This is his way of saying I try to pack activities and experiences into every possible minute.

He's right.

(Alex Fisher)

In 12 days or so, these students will return home exhausted, but proud of their hard work and wiser and more worldly for having these experiences.

Day 3 - First Elder Interviews

2011-06-08T23:57:00.012-05:00

Today was a big day for the 2011 Navajo Oral History project.

After a couple months of preparation, a week of ITV classes, and two days of cultural understanding lectures and exercises, the students went into the field today to meet their Navajo elder, do a service project for the elder, then interview the elder for the first time.

There are four journalism teams made up of both Diné College and Winona State University students. Two of the teams had their first interviews today, and the teams that didn't have an interview went along to help on the service project and observe the interview process.

While Prof. Haskie and I try to keep the teams moving forward in a parallel manner, we need to be respectful of the schedules and wishes of our featured elders, which means not all teams are interviewing on the same days.

One team went to visit Mitzie Begay in Window Rock, Arizona. Mitzi is a Navajo culture and health liaison for the Indian Health Service at Fort Defiance Hospital. Mitzi didn't have a service project in mind for the students, so they started right in on the interview. The next time this group visits her they hope to be able to do some chores in return for her time and her life stories.

(Tashina Johnson and Molly Golden connect the microphone and prepare Mitzie for her interview.)

(Molly Golden and Dave Dvorak discuss the angle and alignment of the camera for the shot.)

(Above seven photos by Alex Fisher)

A second team drove out to Sawmill, Arizona, to the home of Harold Morgan, who for 28 years has served as the chief legislative assistant for the Navajo Tribal Council. This group cleaned and stacked a pile of scrap lumber, raked and smoothed a farm field (about 3 acres) that Harold had plowed earlier in the week, and picked up trash along the highway and fence bordering the Moragn's land.

(Josh Averbeck, Jessica King, Alyssa Reimers, Michael Ruka and Robbie Christiano working the field)

(Trevor Foster and Lionel Harvey cleaning up scrap lumber)

(Michael Ruka working the field)

(Josh Averbeck working the field)

(Alyssa Reimers and Robbie Christiano working the field)

(Alyssa Reimers, Jessica King and Robbie Christiano picking up trash)

(Josh Averbeck, Michael Ruka and Lionel Harvey in the field)

The last photo above has a second story line... It contains evidence of how Michael Ruka earned a new nickname: "SPF 1000."

Each year during the Navajo Oral History project, I assign fun nicknames to each student. These usually come from a unique and humorous occurrence. I've been thinking about nicknames for everyone, but they have to leap out at me. Robbie Christiano suggested the "SPF 1000" nickname for Michael after he gained a hot sun, high-altitude, sunburn today. It's not too bad (don't worry Annie and Al), but he is applying Aloe Vera frequently.

Other nicknames will be explained via this blog as they are awarded.

After lunch, the group drove to Window Rock to the Tribal Council chambers and interviewed Harold Morgan there.

(Above three photos by Robbie Christiano)

(above two photos by Josh Averbeck)

(Lionel Harvey interviewed Harold Morgan while Michael Ruka operated the video camera and Robbie Christiano and Alyssa Reimers took still photos.)

In the late afternoon, while on a walk near the Diné College campus, Alex Fisher and Molly Golden made a new friend.

(Above two photos by Dave Dvorak)

In the evening, the students started downloading digital video, audio and still photos, and will begin editing and transcribing tomorrow.

A third group is interviewing Jack Jackson, Sr. on Thursday. Jack served as a senator in the Arizona Legislature for nearly 20 years and is retiring from the Diné Policy Institute at Diné College this year.

The fourth team will be interviewing Keith Little a World War II Navajo Code Talker. Keith's schedule was busy this week, so that group will have their first interview on Monday. In the meantime, those team members have been helping the other groups.

The projects are off to a great start and the student teams are really beginning to gel as the students get to know each other and each individual's strengths.

Day 2 - Diné College Museum & Buffalo Pass

2011-06-07T19:15:00.017-05:00

The 2011 Navajo Oral History class met on Tuesday morning for a class session on interviewing skills and techniques. We also talked about how important it is for visual journalists to create images that truly help to communicate an intended message: the feeling, the emotion, the information, the texture, etc. of the scene.

We talked about the schedule for our first meetings with the elders which occur on Wednesday or Thursday. The journalism teams got together to make sure each knew their responsibilities for the interviews.

Alex Mitchell, director of the Ned Hatathli Museum at Diné College led us on a tour of the museum's facilities and exhibits. He described a series of murals that depict the Navajo creation stories and the history of Navajo life in the southwestern United States. He also showed us the museum's collection of Navajo sand paintings which are used in sacred ceremonies.

(Above three photos by Robbie Christiano)

(photo by Josh Averbeck)

(photo by Alex Fisher)

(photo by Dave Dvorak)

There's lots of dogs running around the Navajo Nation. They're fondly known as Rez Dogs. They don't really have homes, and they're a bit skittish around people, but they hang around hoping for a food handout. Some are friendlier than others. Dave and Alex noticed this Rez Dog hanging around that seems happy to be around people. They named her "Belle." They won't be bringing Belle back to Minnesota.

(photo by Dave Dvorak)

In the afternoon, we took a drive up the Chuska Mountains northeast of Lukachukai, Arizona, to Buffalo Pass to see a great overview of Red Valley and Shiprock.

(photo by Alyssa Reimers)

(above two photos by Robbie Christiano)

(photo by Molly Golden)

(Above two photos by Michael Ruka)

(Above two photos by Dave Dvorak)

(above three photos by Alex Fisher)

Below are three beautiful nature shots by Alyssa Reimers.

On the way down the mountain pass road, we stopped in a meadow for some walking and photos.

(above two photos by Alex Fisher)

(photo by Dave Dvorak)

(photo by Alyssa Reimers)

Josh Averbeck and Robbie Christiano set up a self-timer shot for a group portrait. (Next two photos by Josh Averbeck)

About halfway down the mountain road there's a small waterfall of spring water. It's clear, cold and great-tasting water.

(photo by Alyssa Reimers)

(photo by Alex Fisher)

(above two photos by Dave Dvorak)

We stopped in Lukachukai to take a few more photos and Prof. Grier found a pottery shard on the ground. This is possibly a shard from an Anasazi corrugated clay pot. As with all historically significant artifacts, we looked at it took a few photos, then left it where we found it.

(photo by Robbie Christiano)

(photo by Dave Dvorak)

(Photo by Molly Golden)

(Photo by Robbie Christiano)

For dinner, Alex Fisher made some delicious vegetarian sloppy joes that everyone enjoyed. (Sorry no photo of the sloppy joes, they were so good, they disappeared quickly.)

After dinner, several of our group played Disc Golf, then we relaxed by the fire in our dorm hogan.

It will be an early morning on Wednesday as we head out to the first meetings with the elders. The students will do three hours of chores for the elder as part of their service project, then they'll interview the elder, using video, still photography and audio recording equipment.

It will be a busy day tomorrow, but the group is excited to get the real journalism work of this adventure started.

Day 1 - Diné College

2011-06-07T01:12:00.015-05:00

The official first day of the field work portion of the 2011 Navajo Oral History class began with several students getting up before 6 a.m. to walk toward the east to greet the rising sun in the traditional Navajo way.

(sunrise photos by Alex Fisher)

After a cafeteria breakfast, Prof. Miranda Haskie started class by giving an overview of the founding of Diné College and it's mission, vision and values.

Our group was honored to visit briefly with Diné College's Interim President Marie Etsitty.

(above photo by Dave Dvorak)

We toured the DC campus, including a visit to the R.C. Gorman Art collection in the college library.

(Josh Averbeck taking a photo of a display case in the R.C. Gorman Art Collection of the Diné College Library. Photo by Dave Dvorak)

During the tour, several students encountered a horned toad... which is considered good luck (photo of Alex Fisher holding the horned toad by Dave Dvorak).

We came across Ernestine Sanisya, a Diné College student who participated in the 2010 Navajo Oral History project last year.

After lunch at the Snack Bar in the Student Union Building, we gathered in the North Hogan for a session on Navajo culture led by Damien James, Sr. He began by burning some cedar wood and explained that cedar smoke is used for cleansing the mind and body to open yourself to new information. He sang portions of songs and chants from Navajo ceremonies and explained their meaning and purpose.

Damien had Jessica, a member of the class, help tie his hair in the traditional Navajo bun.

Back in the classroom, Damien explained more about the Navajo clan system and the origin of the Navajo in the Southwest United States and their relationship with other tribes and pueblos of the region.

We spent the late part of the afternoon getting the internet set up on our computers with the help of the Diné College Information Technology staff.

After dinner in the cafeteria, most of the Diné College students of the class joined the WSU gang in the dorm for a fun evening. Alex and Molly made a delicious guacamole that was enjoyed by all (including those of us who generally have not liked guacamole in the past).

Trevor Foster (above) has a great sense of humor and has kept us laughing all day. We all already know we have made many new good friends among our classmates.

Later, after a run to the local Trading Post, we made 'smores over the fire in the middle of our hogan and enjoyed more laughter and discussion. It was a nice evening of getting to know our classmates and building solid team relationships.

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Some informational notes:

-- Diné College is the first and largest tribal college in the United States. It was established in 1968 as Navajo Community College and later changed it's name to reflect an expanded mission and the addition of a four-year bachelor's degree granting program in elementary education.

-- A hogan is an octagon-shaped building used in Navajo life as a home or place for ceremonies or both. A hogan's main entrance faces east to greet the rising sun. Many of the buildings on the DC campus-- including the residence halls-- are shaped like a hogan.

-- The wild fires in Arizona are a long way from us. The fires are near Alpine, Arizona, which is more than 100 miles to the south of Tsaile. We certainly have noticed the smoke in the air here. We had a brisk wind today which helped clear most of the smoky haze from the sky.

-----------

It was a great first day.

Arrival on the Navajo Nation

2011-06-06T17:18:00.011-05:00

Hello from the Navajo Nation.

The Winona State University group arrived at the Albuquerque Airport Sunday (June 5, 2011) around noon.

We packed the van and drove to the Navajo Nation. After a brief stop at the Window Rock Tribal Park and the grocery store, we continued on to Tsaile, Arizona, and the Diné College campus.

(above three photos by Alex Fisher)

We got all loaded into our rooms and then went for a walking tour across campus, playing Disc Golf along the way. (Disc Golf photos by Alex Fisher)

For dinner, we baked several pizzas we bought at the grocery store since we arrived on campus after the cafeteria's dinner hours.

Everyone was tired so we went to bed early, to get a good night's sleep and be ready for our first class at 8 a.m. Monday morning.

--------

A couple comments from your blog editor, Tom Grier:

-- I'm sorry if you were looking for a blog update last night. We didn't have internet access until Monday afternoon. I'll try to do a blog update every evening. Often I don't get these done until very late. Some days when we're camping in Canyon de Chelly, or out in the field at various locations across the Navajo Nation we won;t have access to internet.

-- Thanks for following the Blog. We're pleased so many people are interested in our work. We hope you enjoy it and learn from it as well.

-- The students check the blog frequently as well, so I've opened the blog for comments. I know we'd all like to see what you think or try to answer your questions.

Class Day #3 - June 2, 2011

2011-06-02T23:36:00.004-05:00

Today our Navajo Oral History class met via ITV again for the third and final time prior to our field work which begins on Monday (June 6) on the main campus of Diné college in Tsaile, Arizona.

Diné College class participants join the Winona State University class via ITV. (Photo b y Josh Averbeck)

Michael Ruka, Alyssa Reimers and Molly Golden (photo by Josh Averbeck)

The WSU students gave research presentations on a variety of aspects of Navajo culture and life. The topics included: demographics, government, judicial system, health care, education, economy and workforce.

(David Dvorak (left) and Robbie Christiano (photo by Josh Averbeck)

Alex Fisher (left), Josh Averbeck and Molly Golden (photo by Michael Ruka)

Alyssa Reimers and Michel Ruka (photo by Josh Averbeck)

Following each presentation, all members of the class discussed the facts and figures presented.

Near the end of class we took care of lots of last minute planning to ensure our projects can get a good, quick start next week.

The WSU students helped me load the van with our gear and luggage.

The blog will be quiet for a couple days while I drive to New Mexico where I'll meet the students' planes, and then drive to the Navajo Nation. We'll start sharing more information and photos on Monday.

2011 Navajo Oral History Project Is Underway

2011-06-01T22:29:00.009-05:00

There are 11 students from Diné College (Tsaile, Arizona) and Winona State University (Winona, Minnesota) participating in the 2011 Navajo Oral History project which got underway on May 31.

The students are meeting three times this week via Interactive Television connecting classrooms at the two schools. During these meetings the students are getting to know each other, learning some basics of journalism and visual communication and discussing many aspects of Navajo culture.

Students are also getting tutorials on how to work video camera equipment, sound recorders, digital still cameras and software.

The WSU students travel to the Navajo Nation this weekend and with their DC counterparts will spend more than two weeks together in small groups in the field doing a service project for a Navajo elder and interviewing the elder several times. Each group will produce documentary films about the elders.

Over the next several weeks, this blog will cover the activities of these students and their progress. The blog's editor is Tom Grier, professor of mass communication at Winona State University. All photos are by Tom Grier, unless otherwise noted. (Once the group is in the field, the blog aims to feature more student photography and writing.)

To introduce the students, I'm taking a "mugshot" of each. I made images of the Winona students today and will do shots of the Diné students when we hold our first class on campus there on Monday.

Here are some shots of the class activities today (Wednesday, June 2, 2011). NOTE: click on any image to see a larger version.

WSU Professor Robin O'Callaghan gave a tutorial on how to most effectively set-up and use professional digital video cameras and microphones.

The students spoke with each other via ITV from Diné College's main campus is Tsaile, Arizona, on the Navajo Nation, to Winona State University's campus in Winona, Minnesota. We could see and hear each other, watch PowerPoint presentations and videos of previous years' Navajo Oral History documentaries.

I hope you enjoy this blog and follow along during our adventure. Please feel free to share your comments below, and share the link to this blog to anyone you think might like to see it.

-- Tom Grier

P.S.: For fun, here's a picture of Dave Dvorak modeling his new form-fitting hiking shoes. He and Alex Fisher bought these and have been breaking them in while in class.

2011 Navajo Oral History project begins soon

2011-05-23T11:50:00.005-05:00

On May 31, the day after Memorial Day, a group of Winona State University students will gather in a classroom on campus in Winona, Minnesota, and will begin meeting with their partner students at Diné College in Tsaile, Arizona, on the Navajo Nation.

This Interactive Television class marks the beginning of the 2011 Navajo Oral History project. The students will meet via ITV three times that week as they prepare for more than two weeks of field work on the Navajo Nation beginning June 5.

The Minnesota students will stay in residence hall facilities at Diné College and will work in partnerships teams with DC students. The teams will provide a service project for a Navajo elder, and then interview the elder three times over two weeks. The groups will produce documentary film projects about the elders.

The documentaries will be archived at the Navajo Nation Museum and Library and at the WSU and DC Libraries.

While on the Navajo Nation, the Winona State students will participate in many Navajo cultural activities including visiting the Navajo Tribal Government Center, enjoying a Navajo Rodeo, participating in a KTNN Radio sponsored Drums of Summer event, and experiencing a camping weekend at a Navajo family's sheep camp in Canyon de Chelly.

For the next several weeks, this blog will cover the Navajo Oral History project. I'll introduce the students, and follow their daily activities in text and photos.

Please bookmark or "favorite" this blog and check it often to stay up to date on this important and fun learning adventure. Feel free to look back through past year's blog entries for a glimpse at how the project has progressed, changed and improved over the years.

Also, share the link to this blog with friends, family members and anyone that may be interested in following this project.

Thanks for your interest.

-- Dr. Tom Grier

Winona State University

Mass Communication Department

New WSU Book by Bill Meyer & Tom Grier

2011-03-16T21:15:00.010-05:00

Book Released -- Campus Of Trees: Winona State University

In February 2011, Winona State University released a new book about the variety and beauty of the trees that are found all over the university grounds. “Campus of Trees: Winona State University,” was written by Bill Meyer and Tom Grier, and photographed by Tom Grier.

The 127-page hardcover book includes 29 articles about specific trees on campus with a photo of the tree itself, and three photos of its unique aspects: the fruit, flower, bark, leaves, etc. Also included are directions for three self-guided tree tours of campus, as well as an introduction by Winona State University President Judith Ramaley, and a foreword by Gary Johnson, University of Minnesota professor of urban and community forestry.

The book includes a list of all trees considered native to Minnesota; at least one of each are growing on the WSU campus. In addition the book includes an article and photos of the many colorful crabapple trees on campus, and another feature that focuses on the wide variety of non-native trees that thrive on WSU grounds.

Authors Meyer and Grier held a book launch event in mid-February at the WSU Bookstore. The authors visited with people who came to purchase the book and autographed copies of the book. Meyer is a retired senior groundskeeper at WSU; Grier is a WSU professor of mass communication and teaches journalism and photojournalism courses.

“Campus of Trees” may be purchased online for $20 at the WSU Bookstore website: www.wsubookstore.com. All proceeds benefit the WSU Tree Fund, which is used to maintain tree diversity on campus and care for or replace damaged or diseased trees.

For more information, contact Tom Grier via e-mail: tgrier@winona.edu.

Below are images of a few of the tree features from the book.