Casual Navajo Oral History Project Reunion Held

On Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013, several Winona State University alumni of the Navajo Oral History project got together in Winona to visit, reminisce and reconnect.

About a dozen alumni spanning the first four years of the documentary journalism project came to the reunion, held at Brewski's Pub & Grill in the Riverport Inn.

"The reunion was put together in a hurry," Tom Grier, NOH director, said. "Often people who have been involved in the project ask why we don't get together more often, so I just planned an opportunity for a social time."

People gathered, enjoyed snacks or a meal and watched a rotating slide show with hundreds of candid photos from all the years of the student journalism projects. There was a lot of laughter and memories of fun moments of days spent on the Navajo Nation with classmates from Diné College.

Door prizes were given to most who attended, including caps embroidered with the Navajo Oral History project logo, and some tall pilsner glasses from the WSU Alumni Society.

Below are some photos from the reunion (by Tom Grier).


Josh Averbeck (left) and Robbie Christiano.

Kelsey Foss (left) Emily Gust, Brianna Klapperich and Josh Averbeck.

Josh Averbeck (left) and Elisenda Xifra Reverter model Navajo Oral History Project caps.

Katie Boone and her roommate, Chelsea, enjoy the reunion. 

Elisenda Xifra Revereter and Sammi Luhmann.

Kelly Kusilek, Elisenda Xifra Reverter, Matt Wandzel, Brianna Klapperich and Katie Boone all won Navajo Oral History project embroidered caps.

Sammi Luhmann, Robbie Christiano, Josh Averbeck, Kelsey Foss and Emily Gust each won a WSU Alumni Society pilsner glass. 

"This was sort of a test reunion," Grier said. "The big event will be this fall when we will celebrate five years of the Navajo Oral History project."

On Friday, Sept. 13, the 2013 Navajo Oral History project students will host a reception and premiere to show off their new films and welcome back to campus all alumni of the NOH program.

2010 Navajo Oral History receptions

The life stories of four Navajo elders are featured in student-made documentary films that will be premiered at Winona State University, Winona, Minnesota, on Friday, Oct. 8, and at Diné College, Tsaile, Arizona, on Monday, Oct. 11.

The Winona State reception begins at 5 p.m. in the atrium of the WSU Science Laboratory Center. The Diné College reception begins at 5 p.m. in the Fourth Floor Classroom of the Ned Hatathli Center at Diné College's Tsaile campus.

Six students from Diné College collaborated with seven students from Winona State University to research, interview, photograph and video record Navajo elders over a two-week period in May 2010. The students, participating in the 2010 Navajo Oral History project, wrote, edited and produced documentary films that will be archived at the Navajo Nation Museum and Library. This is the second year of the documentary journalism project.

This year's films feature Andrew Brady, an air force veteran, retired coal miner, and farmer from Shiprock, N. M.; John Kinsel, Sr., a World War II Navajo Code Talker from Lukachukai, Ariz.; Lettie Nave, an educator and community leader from Tsaile; and Marjorie "Grandma" Thomas, an educator, author and fundraiser for a Navajo youth center from Chinle, Ariz.

The documentaries were part of a collaborative project led by Dr. Miranda Haskie of Diné College and Dr. Tom Grier of Winona State University.

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

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

The premiere will include comments from the faculty and students involved. Several Diné College students will travel to WSU to be present at the Winona reception, and several WSU students will travel to Diné College for the reception there. At the Diné College reception, the featured elders present will also speak about the experience.

Light refreshments will be served before the presentation of the films. The reception and premiere events are free and open to the public.

The students who researched, wrote, edited and produced the documentaries are: from Diné College: Altyn Burnside, Marcus A. Lake, Revaline Nez, Shaina Nez, and Ernestine Sanisya; and from Winona State University: Ben Chambers, Robbie Christiano, Sawyer Derry, Brianna Klapperich, Michael Ruka, Kelly Sharratt, and Jennifer Westman.

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

Day #14 – TeePee Help - Horses in Canyon Del Muerto

This may sound strange to say, because we've had so many amazing activities and experiences in the past two weeks ... but, today (Saturday, May 29, 2010) might be the highlight day of the trip.

We started the morning by getting up before the sunrise and heading up into the Chuska Mountains above Tsaile, Arizona. Altyn Burnside, one of the Diné College students that is part of our 2010 Navajo Oral History project, is a ceremony singer and he invited us to help him set up a TeePee for a Native American Church ceremony.

(above two photos by Michael Ruka)

Of course, we said "yes" and got up before dawn to get there early and help. Turns out we not only helped with the TeePee, but also to clean up the property, assemble a 20 foot by 20 foot awning, and constructed a shade arbor area out of logs, pine branches and a tarp. All of this was to help a Navajo family get ready for a graduation party for one of their daughters who just graduated from Northern Arizona University.

(above photo by Brianna Klapperich)

(above six photos by Michael Ruka)

(above three photos by Brianna Klapperich)

(Both Robbie and Ben poked themselves in the palms of their hands while working on a sun shelter, so Prof. Grier patched them up: he is a doctor, you know! -- Well, not THAT kind of doctor. Photo by Michael Ruka)

It was hard work, and they fed us sausage, eggs, fry bread, and blue corn mixed oatmeal. We felt blessed to be able to help and to be a part of the TeePee raising, a sight most white people are not able to see.

We got back to the residence hall in time for a quick lunch, then headed to Wheatfields Lake to meet up one last time with Grandmother Thomas so Kelly Sharratt, Robbie Christiano and I could say goodbye to her. A few more photos were taken, hugs were shared all around, and Grandma Thomas signed some autographs on a book Robbie bought, and on posters for Kelly and I.

In the afternoon, we drove to Chinle, to the mouth of Canyon de Chelly. On the way, Sawyer Derry finally relented and allowed his hair to be braided.

(above photo by Michael Ruka)

We rented horses for a two-hour Navajo-guided trail ride through the north spur of the canyon, called Canyon del Muerto.

(above photo by Michael Ruka)

It was a fun ride, but just the right length. Some of us are sore -- me probably more than the students.

Tonight, we'll stay in the residence hall, work on edits for our projects, pack all our gear, and get ready for an early check-out and drive to the Albuquerque Airport.

(above photo by Sawyer Derry)

It has been a great trip -- more than expected in so many ways. Last year was the first year of the collaborative Winona State University-Diné College Navajo Oral History Program. It was a great program with talented and committed students, and the finished documentaries were excellent. By all indications, the projects this year will eclipse last year (sorry 2009 students).

For this year, Prof. Miranda Haskie and I ironed out some bugs, tightened the schedule, and increased our expectations. In every case the students have impressed us. Even Chops Hancock who was along for the 2009 trip said he hated to admit it, but he thought this group of students seemed even more dedicated than last year.

To all you parents, friends, family members, etc.: THANK YOU for loaning your students to us for these two weeks for this very important project. I know they all miss home and are excited to be coming back to you all. But, I also know they have a special place in their hearts now for the Navajo Nation. They'll be sad to leave here, and I have no doubt they'll soon make plans to return.

Thanks again for everything ... I'm looking forward to sharing the finished projects with you this fall.

-- Tom Grier