NAS PH.D. CANDIDATE PARTICIPATES WITH 2012 NAVAJO ORAL HISTORY PROJECT

Christine with Navajo Code Talker Chester Nez. Photo: Kaitlyn Haskie

By: Christine M. Willie

Yá'át'ééh Shik'é, Shi dine'é, dóó Shik'is

This summer I attended Dr. Miranda Haskie’s (Diné) sociology class SOC 205: Qualitative Research Methods at Diné College in preparation for my upcoming Ph.D. dissertation fieldwork in Navajo Nation. The class’ ultimate goal was to produce documentaries for the 2012 Navajo Oral History Project, a collaborative effort between Diné College (DC) and Winona State University (WSU) to learn and document the living histories of WWII Navajo Code Talkers and Diné community leaders, according to Diné methods and principles of research.

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Video and Photography research near Eagle Rock. Photo Credit: Kelly Jo Kusilek

With the guidance of Dr. Haskie (DC), Dr. Tom Grier (WSU), and Robbie Christiano (WSU) students from both schools learned Diné culturally appropriate research, oral interviewing, and documentary making techniques. For Diné this means approaching research through the methods and principles of Sa’ah Naghaii Bik’eh Hoozhoon, which include: Nitsáhákees (Thinking), Nahat’á (Planning), Iiná (Living), and Siihasin (Assurance).

In teams of 5, our class set out to listen to the stories of 4 Navajo Code Talkers: Kee Etsicitty of Chichiltah, New Mexico; Samuel Tom Holiday of Kayenta, Arizona; and Joe Vandever Sr. of Haystack, New Mexico, and Chester Nez of Chichiltah, New Mexico as well as Diné College employee and mentor Agatha Spencer of Chinle, Arizona.

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Navajo Code Talker Samuel Holiday being interviewed by Christine, Miranda Haskie, Liam Krause, Rachel Rivers, and Kelsey Curtis Photo Credit: Tom Grier

While we met and talked with all the elders, my group was honored to interview Navajo Code Talker, Samuel Tom Holiday. Using the pedagological paradigm of Nitsáhákees, Nahat’á, Iiná, and Siihasin we documented and now share Sam’s stories of his youth, military service, and life after the war. Although the documentary only shows some of these stories, two prevalent overarching themes truly help the listeners to understand how Sam has faced the ups and downs of his life: family and laughter.

I feel very fortunate to be a part of this project that aims to show respect and honor to our elders by listening to their stories and helping others to hear the knowledges that they possess. Going through this experience has reconnected me with the stories of my Father’s brother, John Willie Jr, who was one of the original 29 Navajo Code Talkers. Additionally, this project has made me more aware of what research means as a Diné person. As I prepare to conduct research within Navajo Nation for my dissertation entitled “Sheep Is Life and Diné Decolonization: Dis-membering and Re-membering the Spanish and Mexican Arrivals to Navajoland,” the lessons learned from my participation with this class will carry on throughout my academic career and personal endeavors.

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Thank you to the Tinker Foundation and the Department of Native American Studies at UC Davis who contributed to my travel and stay in Navajoland and to Miranda Haskie, Tom Grier, and Robbie Christiano for encouraging me to participate. Thank you to my team members Kelsey Curtis (DC), Liam Krause (WSU), and Rachel Rivers (WSU) for their abilities to listen and work together. And most importantly, thank you to Samuel Tom Holiday, for whom I wove this rug, and to his loving family for sharing their stories and inviting us not only into their home but their lives.

In addition to gifting copies of the documentaries to each family, our research will be archived at the Navajo Nation Library, the Diné College Library, and the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of the American Indian. Copies of the DVD are also available for purchase, with all funds from sales going to a scholarship fund at Diné College. Information about purchasing the DVDs is available from Tom Grier; email: tgrier@winona.edu.

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Please visit the YouTube versions of our documentaries here to offer feedback:
Chester Nez Living History Film: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAlNguQju4Q

Kee Etsicitty Living History Film: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDh4v_sea3c

Samuel Tom Holiday Living History Film: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jZ_Z1s6G7s

Agatha Spencer Living History Film: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHR0kzRtZUw

Joe Vandever Sr. Living History Film: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gf8IGiYN6JM

Ah’ééh’éé   :)