Day 9 - Interviewing, B-Roll

On Tuesday, June 12, the 2012 Navajo Oral History project groups split and went separate ways. Two groups went to Chinle, Arizona, to do a service project for Navajo Elder Agatha Spencer, and then interview her for at the Living History documentary project.

 

Eli Xigra and Joel Farber cleaning up at Agatha Spencer's place.

 

Ashleigh Clyde helps clean.

 

Lionel Harvey cleaning up. 

 

Shannon Bolte found an old lunchbox. 

 

Eli Xifra cleaning up trash. 

 

Joel Farber organizing things at Agatha Spencer's place.

 

Laura McCormick cleaning up around Agatha Spencer's place. 

 

Shannon Blote and Laura McCormick cleaning up.

 

Lionel Harvey and Shannon Bolte organizing piles at Agatha Spencer's.

 

The group found some of Agatha's old high school yearbooks while cleaning and showed them to her later. 

 

The work team at Agatha Spencer's: (left to right) Shannon Bolte, Laura McCormick, Lionel Harvey, Agatha Spencer, Eli Xifra, Joel Farber and (not pictured) Robbie Christiano.

After the service project, Agatha provided a delicious lunch of Navajo tacos for the group. 

(all above photos by Robbie Christiano)

Following lunch, the journalism team completed their third and final interview with Agatha.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(above seven photos by Shannon Bolte)

 

The Navajo Oral History project team for Agatha Spencer's documentary: Laura McCormick, Lionel Harvey, Agatha Spencer, and Eli Xifra... not pictured is Ashleigh Clyde. (photo by Robbie Christiano)

The other groups drove to Kayenta, Arizona, to interview Samuel Tom Holiday, a Navajo Code Talker during World War II.  Unfortunately, Samuel had an appointment out of town and was unable to be interviewed.  The group responsible for his interview felt a bit disappointed.  This is a true journalism situation.  Sometimes the sources are unavailable.

Instead, these groups made the best of the situation by visiting the Navajo Code Talker's Museum in Kayenta and then driving to the Monument Valley Tribal Park where they found the area where Samuel Holiday grew up and shot B-Roll video for later use in the documentary of his life.

 

Sammi Luhmann and Rachel Rivers in front of the Navajo Code Talkers Museum in Kayenta, Arizona.  The Navajo Code Talker Foundation is in the process of raising $42 million to build a new National Code Talker Museum and interpretive center near the Navajo Nation capital in Window Rock, Arizona. 

 

James McKenzie and Liam Krause shooting B-Roll video of an exhibit of Navajo Code Talker radios and gear used during World War II.

 

Katilyn Haskie shoots a digital copy photo of a ceiling-mounted poster.

 

Liam Krause, James McKenzie and Emily Gust shooting B-Roll video in the Navajo Code Talker Museum.

The group enjoyed a quick meal before heading on to research and sightseeing in Monument Valley.

 

 

After a long drive, crossing the border into Utah, the group stopped at the Navajo Tribal Park, "Monument Valley," and then drove on to Eagle Mesa, where Samuel Tom Holifay was born more than 90 years ago.

 

 

 

(above three photos by Kelsey Foss)

Eagle Mesa where Samuel Tom Holiday was born and raised.

Kelly Kusilek behind the camera. Photo by Emily Gust.

 

James McKenzie, Kelsey Curtis, Liam Krause and Christine Willie.

Liam Krause. Above two photos by Kelly Kusilek.

B-Roll video crew. Photo by Sammi Luhmann.

 

The journalism team members coming back from shooting B-Roll video of Eagle Mesa.

The famous Monument Valley rock formations. Photo by Kelsey Foss.

Another view of Monument Valley; by Elena Lavorato.

Yet another view of Monument Valley; by Sammi Luhmann.

And, now, finally, two more views of Monument Valley by Stefani Schmidt:

 

Here's the group hanging out at Monument Valley. (Photo by random European tourist guy.):

 

 

 

 

Kelly Kusilek and Rachel Rivers at Monument Valley. Photo by Sammi Luhmann.

Christine Willie at Monument Valley. Photo by Kelly Kusilek.

 

Elena Lavorato at Monument Valley. Photo by Kelsey Foss.

 

Kaitlyn Haskie taking a photo of Monument Valley. Photo by Elena Lavorato.

 Elena Lavorato taking a photo of Eagle Mesa and Monument Valley. Photo by Stefani Schmidt.

The student journalists spent the evening transcribing interviews and preparing for their next visit with the elders.

On Wednesday, the groups will try again to interview Samuel Tom Holiday.  If that doesn't work out, the class will go to Window Rock, Arizona, the capital of the Navajo Nation and visit the Museum, Library and Zoo there, as well as the beautiful Tribal Park that includes the famous Window Rock formation.