“Some 40 percent of the Navajo tribe’s 190,000 residents have no potable supply, and many receive their water out of the back of trucks.”

The Navajo Nation — which spans is the largest and, arguably, the driest American Indian reservation in the United States.

Delcon, Arizona: In the Navajo Nation, water is so scarce that some 40 percent of the tribe’s 190,000 residents have no potable supply, and many receive their water out of the back of trucks.

Now, with the help of veteran Arizona Senator Jon Kyl, a Republican and one of Capitol Hill’s senior experts on water law, Navajo leaders and their lawyers appear to be steadily inching closer to a long-awaited legal settlement to draw millions of gallons of water for the reservation from the Little Colorado River.

The settlement would be the 27th Indian water-rights agreement to reach completion since the federal government began negotiating water rights with tribes in the 1970s, during the Carter administration.

Like the others, the Little Colorado River agreement has followed years of intense mediation and legal negotiation by this western tribe, other water users, and the U.S. Department of the Interior.

More Information full article:
http://www.circleofblue.org/waternews/2011/world/water-law-racing-an-arizona-senators-retirement-dry-navajo-nation-draws-closer-to-securing-more-water/

The  Miss Northern Navajo Nation Fair Pageant

Click On the Photo Link below to see all photos from the Pageant.

Miss Northern Navajo 2011-2012

 Congratulations to Koltey Tso, the new Miss Northern Navajo Nation 2011-12.
Andrianna Alexia Yazzie – 1st runner up
Martha McCabe – 2nd runner up

First Prize $1.000.00 Scholarship

Second Prize $500.00 Scholarship

Third Prize $250.00 Scholarship

Will be located at:

Phil L. Thomas
Performing Arts Center
Shiprock, NM 87420-3578
(505) 368-2490
On US 64 near Shiprock High School

Pick up applications at:

Northern Navajo Nation Fair Office
100 North Uranium Boulevard
Shiprock, New Mexico 87420

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Must submit completed contestant application
Must be an enrolled female member of the Navajo Nation
Must be 17 – 25 years of age, never married, no children
Must be a senior this SY (2011-2012),HS Diploma or GED equivalent
Must have some knowledgeable of the Navajo culture, history & tradition
Must submit 50 – 100 word essay on:
“Why I choose to run for Miss Northern Navajo Fair Queen”.
Must not have previously held the title of Miss Northern Navajo Nation Fair Queen

Miss Northern Navajo Tanya Lister 2009-2010

CONTESTANT APPLICATION INFORMATION

Contestant Applications can be picked up at the Shiprock Fair Office located at: Shiprock Fair grounds in the ( white trailer).

Application Deadline: All applications must be in the Shiprock Fair Office by September 30, 2011, and attend the contestants orientation on September 30, 2011, at (PTPAC) center at 4:00pm.

CONTACT INOFORMATION:

Northern Navajo Nation Fair Board
PO Box 973
Shiprock, New Mexico 87420
Phone: (505)368-5789 or Mae Sandoval, Pageant Coordinator at (505)368-5549

Navajo People

on Google+

Northern Navajo Fair Open Junior Rodeo

October 6, 2011

Shiprock Fairgrounds

10:00 AM

Colin’s October 3 and fourth 2011

6 PM to 10 PM

Phone 505-612-0592

Books Open 8:00 AM Day of Rodeo

Cash only

Parents must sign a waiver form!

Mr. Roman McCabe rodeo announcer

All Women’s Open Show Rodeo

October 5, 2011 @ 7:00 P.M.

Shiprock Fair Grounds

Berrel Racing $40

Breakaway roping $40

Team roping 2x $30 per Roper

flag Racing $30

Goat Tying $30

$20 rodeo fee per contestant

Must be 18 years older

CES: kim R. Jim

Call Ins: October 3, 2011

6 PM to 10 PM

Phone 505-612-0592

Books open one hour prior to rodeo

First to enter last to compete

Cash only

The Northern Navajo Nation Fair is held in Shiprock, NM

Theme

“100 Years of Harvest and Healing”

The fair will be held from Wednesday, September 28,   to Sunday, October 9, 2011

Parade Begins Saturday, October 8, at 2011 7:45 am

Click here for Parade Entry Form (PDF file)

Northern Navajo Nation Fair

General Information
Northern Navajo Nation Fair Office
100 North Uranium Boulevard
Shiprpock, New Mexico 87420

Any questions about the Northern Navajo Nation Fair for 2011 call this number.
Shiprock Fair office: 505-386-5789

Northern Navajo Nation Fair Schedule of Events

Click Here to download a 8 1/2 by 11 pdf file of the below schedule

Northern Navajo Nation Fair Schedule of Events

According to the 2000 census, 42.9 percent of residents of the Navajo Nation live below the poverty level, meaning they had an income of less than $8,350 per year.

This proportion of impoverished people is more than four times the average poverty level in the United States. In addition, 21.4 percent of Navajo families lack plumbing, and 62.6 percent lack basic telephone service.

Three quarters of all people living without electricity in the United States reside on the Navajo Indian Reservation in the Four Corners region. It is conservatively estimated that around 18,000 of the 48,000 households on the Navajo Nation lack electricity.

These families use kerosene, propane, and firewood for light and heat. Navajo families spend $20-$40 per month on candles.

Despite being located in the United States, the Navajo Nation suffers from extreme poverty.

According to the 2000 census, 42.9 percent of residents of the Navajo Nation live below the poverty level, meaning they had an income of less than $8,350 per year.

This proportion of impoverished people is more than four times the average poverty level in the United States. In addition, 21.4 percent of Navajo families lack plumbing, and 62.6 percent lack basic telephone service.

The cost of extending power lines through the rugged terrain of the Navajo Nation is extremely high. The average cost to extend a line a single mile is about $27,000 and this cost often cannot be split because a line extension may only reach a few new customers.

Many elderly Navajo have lived their entire lives without electricity, despite promises from the Tribal Government and NTUA. As a result, many people have lost hope that they will ever be provided electricity.

One woman interviewed by Eagle Energy volunteers said that the government promised that electricity would arrive by Christmas over 15 years ago and it had still not arrived. Despite a clear wish for electrification, many Navajo communities have no choice but to burn kerosene and wait.

At a cost of $25 to $35, Eagle Energy’s lights are not much more expensive than a kerosene lantern, and incur no additional monthly cost after purchase. Furthermore, solar technologies provide health benefits by reducing indoor air pollution and help to protect the environment by decreasing greenhouse gas emissions when compared with kerosene use.

Economic Benefits

Cost is also an issue for families that currently have access to grid electricity. With the high poverty levels that exist on the Navajo Nation, many who have access to grid-tied electricity cannot afford their monthly bills.

Many Navajo families interviewed by Eagle Energy volunteers expressed an interest in solar-powered lighting technologies as a way to lower their monthly electricity bills.

Eagle Energy’s solar-powered lights provide a distinct economic advantage compared to kerosene and propane-fueled lanterns because they do not require users to buy multiple replacement fuel canisters per month. Although solar-powered lights come with rechargeable batteries that must be replaced after one or two years, the $5 cost is negligible compared to replacement fuel canisters.

Health Benefits

Solar Lanterns also provide a health benefit over the kerosene lanterns commonly used by the Navajo Nation. Although the health impacts caused by using fuel lighting is an understudied field, a recent article in the International Journal of Indoor Environment and Health attempted to quantify the risk.

The authors found that vendors using simple kerosene lanterns where exposed to particulate matter concentrations significantly greater than the amount present in the ambient air. Such exposure can present long-term health risks. The article concluded that the best solution to combat this problem is the use of solar LED lighting.

Educational and Productivity Benefits

Candles and kerosene lanterns provide a low-quality light source, making it difficult for children to read and do homework, while Eagle Energy’s solar technologies provide high-quality light.

Providing children with access to sustainable energy technologies is also important, as children will be responsible for making sustainable energy choices in the future. Solar lighting technologies can also provide a benefit to people without electricity who work from home, allowing them to work after dark at a lower cost compared to kerosene lanterns.

CO2 Emission Benefits

Kerosene lanterns also produce CO2 emissions, causing harm to the environment. The average kerosene lantern, when used for four hours per night, produces over 100 kilograms of CO2 emissions per year.

If we assume that each of the 18,000 households on the Navajo Nation has just one lantern and uses it for four hours per night, the net greenhouse gas emissions reduction from kerosene lanterns on the Navajo Nation would be over 1.8 million kilograms per year.

For reference, this is equal to driving over four million miles in the average car. Replacing these lanterns with solar-powered lighting technologies would eliminate these harmful emissions.

Navajo Home

Elephant Energy has expanded to the Navajo Nation in the United States with the help of a small grant from the University of Colorado and our partners Dine Care.  Eagle Energy (as Elephant Energy is known on the Navajo Nation) is working to address the energy needs of rural Navajo families,

Eagle Energy, with the help of Melton Martinez and Dine Care, is currently working with four Navajo Chapters in the Eastern Agency of the Navajo Nation, including Baca Chapter, Thoreau Chapter, Pinedale Chapter, and Mariano Lake Chapter to discuss the most effective ways to finance and distribute ASETs in these rural communities.

Please visit www.elephantenergy.org and donate to help us solve this American injustice through our unique market-based model.

http://www.elephantenergy.org/Navajo_Solar.html

Source: Eagle Energy – Navajo Solar Light Project Summary & Operational Report

The Oldest and Most Traditional of the Navajo Fairs is held each fall in the Navajo Land where the Navajo people of the Four Corners come to celebrate the year’s harvest with a community celebration.

The Shiprock Fair started in 1911 and we have photos below of the 1913 fair.

Ya’at’eeh (Welcome) 

The fair will be held from Wednesday, September 28,   to Sunday, October 9, 2011

The Northern Navajo Nation Fair for 2011 Official Website

Facebook Page

Parade Begins Saturday, October 8, at 2011 7:45 am

Click here for Parade Entry Form (PDF file)

My name is Delilah Goodluck, I am the Public Information Officer for the Navajo Nation Nation Museum’s Special Events Section, otherwise known as the Navajo Nation Fair Office in Window Rock AZ.  The Special Events Section has been called in to assist the Northern Navajo Nation Fair (NNNF) staff in Shiprock, NM. Currently, an official website is not available for the NNNF. I have information on the NNNF.

Please call the NNNF Office at 505-368-5789

Or reach me at me 928-309-0207 or  email me at delilah@navajonationmuseum.org

Thank you.

The Shiprock Navajo Fair for 2011 is celebrating its 100th year anniversary.

Shiprock Northern Navajo Nation Fair for 2011 theme:
100 Years of Harvesting and Healing as we teach our children our heritage and come together with our neighbors, friends, and family.

Northern Navajo Nation Fair Schedule of Events

Click Here to download a 8 1/2 by 11 pdf file of the below  schedule

Northern Navajo Nation Fair Schedule of Events

POW WOW Contest -Traditional Song & Dance

The Shiprock Northern Navajo Fair is the oldest and most traditional Navajo fair on the Navajo Nation.

Shiprock Fair 1913, trader's booths, Navajos and cattle

It is held to coincide with the conclusion of an ancient Navajo healing ceremony. The Night Way, a nine-day chant is commonly called “Yeiibichei” ceremony.

The fair offers  events including NNRA Sanction Rodeo, POW WOW Contest, Traditional Song & Dance, Gourd Dancers and crafts, exhibits of horticulture, science, agriculture and livestock. The Miss Northern Navajo competition, a baby contest, concerts to comedians, song and dance competitions. Food concessionaires, a carnival and of course the SNF parade through the main street of Shiprock on Saturday, October 8, 2011 at 7:45 AM.

Shiprock Fair Parade

Some of the events

Thursday, October 6, 2011
4:00 pm – 11:00 pm Blues Festival Jam

Friday, October 7, 2011
7:00 pm Northern Navajo Nation PBR “Suicide Prevention Awareness Day” – Wear Purple & Turquiose
4:00 pm – 11:00 pm Rap/Hip Hop Show

Saturday, October 8, 2011
7:45 am Parade BEGINS
1:00 pm NNRA Sanction Rodeo
7:00 pm NNRA Sanction Rodeo
7:00 pm – 11:00 pm Country Concert
10:00 am – Midnight Metal Show

CONTEST POW WOW

OCTOBER 6th  THURSDAY
7:00 PM 11:00 PM Round Dance

OCTOBER 7th  FRIDAY
3:00 PM Registration Opens
5:00 PM Gourd Dance Begins
7:00 PM Grand Entry

OCTOBER 8th  SATURDAY
9:00 AM Registration Opens
11:00 AM Gourd Dance Begins
1:00 PM Grand Entry; Registration Closes
5:00 PM Supper Break; Gourd Dance Begins
7:00 PM Grand Entry

More photos of the 1913 Shiprock Fair

Shiprock Fair1913, Ed Davies' Two Grey Hills Trading Post Booth

Shiprock Fair 1913, Ed Davies' Two Grey Hills Trading Post Booth

Shiprock Fair 1913, San Juan School display of produce and Navajo blankets

Shiprock Fair 1913 - Navajo men, women and children with Navajo Rugs

The Locust,  was the first to reach the next world. He looked around, and saw that the world was covered with water that  glittered and everything looked white. This is why they call it the Glittering World or White World.
The other beings followed Locust, and everyone came into the White World. The place where they came is called Hajinei. Many people say this place is somewhere in the La Plata Mountains, in Colorado.
Note:(Locust also means grasshopper, cicada)

Mask representing Talking God from the Navajo creation story

Even though they escaped the water in the Third World, the beings were not safe. The water kept rising up after them.

First Man asked the Water Buffalo why she had come and why she had sent the flood. She said nothing. Then the Coyote drew the two babies from his coat and said that it was, perhaps, because of them.

The Turquoise Boy took a basket and filled it with turquoise. On top of the turquoise he placed the blue pollen,  from the blue flowers,and the yellow pollen from the corn; and on top of these he placed the pollen from the water flags,  and again on top of these he placed the crystal, which is river pollen.

This basket he gave to the Coyote who put it between the horns of the Water Buffalo. The Coyote said that with this sacred offering he would give back the male child. He said that the male child would be known as the Black Cloud or Male Rain, and that he would bring the thunder and lightning. The female child he would keep.

She would be known as the Blue, Yellow, and White Clouds or Female Rain. She would be the gentle rain that would moisten the earth and help them to live. So he kept the female child, and he placed the male child on the sacred basket between the horns of the Water Buffalo. And the Water Buffalo disappeared, and the waters with her.

Soon, First Man and First Woman began to make things the way they were supposed to be. The Holy People helped them. Their first job was to rebuild the mountains. They had brought soil from the Yellow World. With this they made mountains in all four directions.

Then, the people made a fire. To start it, they used flint. The flint also was brought from the Yellow World. The fire was started with four kinds of wood: fir, pinyon, spruce and juniper. lt is said that these kinds of wood should be treated with respect, even today. They should not be misused.

The fire made a loud noise. The noise was so loud that some of the beings were afraid. One of them broke a branch from a tree, and stuck the branch in the fire. This made the noise go away. Because of this, a song and a prayer were made for the tree branch. This branch was the first fire poker. To this day, the poker is respected.

When they had fire, the people made a sweatbath. They built a sweathouse. They made songs and prayers for it. First Man was the first to use these things.

First Man and First Woman wanted a hogan. They wondered where to build it. They looked around, and saw many trails leading to other beings’ homes. But there were no other hogans at Huerfano Mesa. So first Man and First Woman built their home there. Talking God helped to build the first hogan. This was a male hogan. lt was like the forked stick hogan we have today. lt had a doorway facing east. This let in the early morning light. The male hogan was only for ceremonies.

First Man and First Woman still needed a home where they could live. With the help of other beings, they built a female hogan. This hogan was made of mud and logs. lt was shaped like a circle. This was the place where the people lived and worked.

By now First Man and First Woman had become human. They were like us. They lived at Huerfano Mesa. For food, they ate wild plants and animals. The Holy People made a song and prayer to let plants grow. Then the people planted their own food.

After this, there were four seasons. ln the spring, the plants came up from the ground. ln the winter, the plants died and were hidden under the snow. Then in the spring they came up again. The plants grew into crops like corn, beans and squash. But all was not well. There were monsters who hurt people. Horned Monster chased people and killed them with his horns. There was a monster that kicked people off the edge of a cliff. Another monster killed people by staring at them until they were under his spell. Then he ate them.

First Man and First Woman could not stop the monsters. They did not know what to do. Then one day they looked up. They saw a cloud over Gobernador Knob. First Man went to the top to see what the cloud was. ln the cloud was a baby girl.

First Man lifted the baby into his arms. He carried her down to First Woman. The Holy People helped First Man and First Woman raise the baby girl. They named her Changing Woman. ln time, Changing Woman grew to be an adult. She had twin sons. One was named Ghild Born of Water. The other was called Monster Slayer. The twins grew to be tall and strong. One day they went hunting. They looked down, and saw a hole in the ground.

Smoke was coming out of the hole. They looked closer, and heard a voice say, “Come in.” They climbed down into the hole. At the bottom, they found Spider Woman. The Twins always wondered who was their father. They asked Spider Woman about this. “The Sun is your father,” she told them. The Twins decided to meet their father. They left Spider Woman, and went toward the Sun.

It was long, hard trip. Many things tried to keep the boys from their father. Finally, they reached the Sun. They told him about the monsters that were hurting people. The Sun promised to help get rid of the monsters. Before the Twins left, their father gave them weapons and knowledge. “Use these to kill the monsters,” the Sun said.

So the Twins left. Monster Slayer used his new weapons to kill many monsters. His brother helped.

The boys stripped off his helmet and coat-of-mail and put them in his two big baskets, to carry home to their mother. Then the younger brother, Child-of-the-Water, cut off the giant’s scalp, whence his other name, the Cutter. When the twins got back to the Holy Hohrahn, they found their mother making baby-tracks of corn-pollen, as a prayer for the return of her sons. She also had a long piece of turquoise, which she held up to the Sun. When smoke arose from the upper end, it was a sign that the boys were in danger. When drops of blood appeared at the lower end, it was a sign they had killed their enemies.

The next morning the Slayer went out alone and killed the great one-horned monster which had tried to eat him up. The next day he went to Winged Rock, where the harpy which had pursued him dwelt; and so on each day he went out, until the last of the monsters was dead. But when he thought the land was freed of all evil, he spied four ugly strangers. They were Cold and Hunger, Poverty and Death, and straightway he went to destroy them.

Cold was an old woman, freezing and shivering.

‘You may kill me if you wish,’ she said. ‘But if you do, it will always be hot. There will be no snow, and no water in the summer. You will do better to let me live.’

‘You speak wisely, my grandmother,’ he answered; and so we still have the cold.
‘If you kill me,’ said Hunger, ‘the people will all lose their appetites. There will be no more pleasure in feasting and eating.’ So the Slayer let him live.

Poverty was an old man, in filthy garments.

‘Kill me,’ he said, ‘and put me out of my misery. But if you do your old clothes will never wear out, the people will never make new ones. You will all be ragged and dirty, like me.’ So the Slayer spared his life.

Death was old and bent and wrinkled and the Slayer determined to kill her.

‘If you slay me,’ she said, ‘your people will never increase. The worthless old men will not die and give up their places to the young. Let me live and your young men will marry and have children. I am your friend, though you know it not.’

‘I will let you live, my grandmother,’ he said. And so we still have Death.

The Yellow World

On the wands, the beings passed into the Third World. Blue Bird was the first to come through. He found the world was yellow. After Blue Bird, First Man, First Woman, Coyote and one of the insects came. After that, the other beings entered the Yellow World.

The Yellow World was large. Many new things were there. A great river crossed this land from north to south. It was the Female River.
There was another river crossing it from east to west, it was the Male River. This Male River flowed through the Female River and on  and the name of this place is tqoalna’osdli, the Crossing of the waters.

Navajo creation story sandpainting

In this world there were six mountains. These are the mountains that are important to Navajos today.

The Four Sacred Mountains

In the East was  Blanco Peak  Sisnaajinii, the Standing Black Sash. Its ceremonial name is Yolgaidzil, the Dawn or White Shell Mountain.
In the South stood Mount Taylor Tsoodzil, the Great Mountain, also called Mountain Tongue. Its ceremonial name is Yodoltizhidzil, the Blue Bead or Turquoise Mountain.
In the West stood the San Francisco Peaks  Dook’oslid,  Its ceremonial name is Dichi’li dzil, the Abalone Shell Mountain.
In the North stood the La Plata Mountains Debe’ntsa, Many Sheep Mountain.
Its ceremonial name is Bash’zliinidzil. Obsidian Mountain.

Other Sacred Mountains

ln the middle was Huerfano Mesa.  Dzilna’odili, the Upper Mountain. It was very sacred, and its name means also the Center Place, and the people moved around it. Its ceremonial name is Ntl’isdzil. Precious Stone or Banded Rock Mountain.

Near this was a cone-shaped mountain called Gobernador Knob,  called Chori’i or Dzil na’odilicholi, and it was also a sacred mountain.

Different animals lived around these mountains. Squirrel, Chipmunk, Turkey, Deer, Snake and Lizard lived there. But these animals looked different from animals we see today. They were spirit beings.

The beings were happy in the Yellow World. Then one day something happened. Coyote took Water Monster’s baby. Water Monster was very angry. He was so angry that he decided to make it rain. lt rained and rained. The water rose higher and higher.
Then the water began to flood. The beings did not know where to go to escape the flood. First Man tried to help them. He told them to come to Blanco Peak. But the water kept rising. It rose higher than the mountain.

First Man wondered what to do. He planted a cedar tree. But this did not grow higher than the water. He planted a pine tree. But the pine tree was too short. He planted a male reed. The reed was still too short. Finally, First Man planted a female reed. This reed grew to the sky.

The beings climbed onto the reed. They started to climb up. When they got to the top, they found another world. This was the Fourth, White World. This is the place where all beings live today.

Because of the strife in the First World, First Man (Atse Hastin), First Woman  (Atse Estsan)  , and the Coyote called First Angry, followed by all the others, climbed up from the World of Darkness and Dampness to the Second or Blue World.

Navajo Gods - 1. Hastsehogan - House God 2. Hastseyalti- The Talking God 3. Dsahadolssa - Fringe-mouths of the water 4. Yebaad Female Yei Goddess 5. Ganaskldi - Humpback Mountain Sheep People divinity

Many beings lived in the Blue World. There was Blue Bird, Blue Hawk, Blue Jay and Blue Heron. Big insects also lived there. Wolves lived in a white house in the east. Wildcats lived in a blue house in the south. Kit foxes lived in a yellow house to the west. Mountain lions lived in a black house in the north.
The powerful swallow people lived there also, and these people made the Second World unpleasant for those who had come from the First World. There was fighting and killing.

The animals of the Blue World were at war with each other. First Man knew this, and he killed some of them. For doing this, First Man received certain songs and prayers. He said the prayers and sang the songs. When he did, the animals came to life again.
Coyote also lived in the Blue World. Coyote traveled all over. He went to all four directions. On his trips, he saw that the beings were not happy. They wanted to leave the Blue World.
When First Man heard this, he tried to help them leave. He smoked some sacred tobacco. He blew the smoke in the four directions. This made the insects feel better, but all the beings still wanted to leave. First Man tried again to help them. He tried many things, but he could not find a way for them to leave.

Finally, First Man found a black stone, called jet. He made a wand with the jet. He made three other wands. One was made of turquoise, One was made of abalone, and one was made of shell. Then First Man carved four footprints on the wands.

The beings climbed on the wands. The wands took them through an opening in the south. Before they left they made an offering. This was their way of thanking the Holy People for helping them leave. Today, people still make offerings like this.

The First Four found an opening in the World of Blue Haze  and they climbed through this and led the people up into the Third or Yellow world.