All posts by Manuel Fernandez

Diné Culture Night — Infant Touch & Massage Instruction: Miltina Chee

Infant Touch & Massage Instruction

We will be hosting Miltina Chee on February 25th, 2021, who will be presenting an introduction to Infant Touch and Massage Instruction in Navajo for our Diné Culture Night.

The meeting will be live-streamed via Zoom. Register to attend with Eventbrite via the button below, or at: https://dineculturenight-022521.eventbrite.com


https://dineculturenight-022521.eventbrite.com

Miltina’s Bio

Yáʼátʼééh. My name is Miltina Chee. I am from Lake Valley, New Mexico. I have 3 children; Matthew, Mary, and Kʼéiłdeezbaaʼ. I have a BA in Criminal Justice and Social Welfare and a MA in Counseling. I have been in the Early Intervention field for about 15 years. Upon returning to work for the Navajo Nation Early Intervention Program I saw the need for healthy attachments and bond between newborns, babies, and toddlers and their parent(s)/caregivers. I became certified as an Infant Touch & Massage Instructor in April of 2018 through The International Institute of Infant Massage in Albuquerque, NM.

This webinar will touch on teaching and sharing the benefits of infant touch and massage for you and your baby and how it may help with tummy troubles such as colic to sleeping to creating healthy bonds. When teaching, I integrate how infant touch and massage promotes all areas of development. In addition, I include when massage is practiced within my family and what I have learned when it comes to my own healing. I also encourage the use of Navajo Language during infant touch and massage with your baby.

Diné Culture Night — Journey of Hero Twins to their Father: Kevin Belin

Journey of Hero Twins to their Father

We will be hosting Kevin Belin on February 4th, 2021, who will be presenting an introduction to the Journey of Hero Twins to their Father for our Diné Culture Night.

The meeting will be live-streamed via Zoom. Register to attend with Eventbrite via the button below, or at: https://dineculturenight-020421.eventbrite.com

Kevin Belin’s Bio

Yá’át’ééh ałtah aasį́į́łgóó, adoone’é nishłį́nígíí éí Tódich’íi’nii nishłį́, Tł‘ógí báshíshchíín, Ta’neeszahnii dah shicheii, Chíshí dah shinálí. T’iis ts’ózí ndeeshgiizhdę́ę́’ naashá, Tsé bó’oos’ni’dóó Jádí hadít’įįhdi shiyaahoo’a’. Navajo Preparatory Schooldi naashnish, Diné bizaad bináhoo’aahígíí bá’olta’í nishłį́. Kevin Belin yinishyé, ndi Mr. Belin dah shijiní.

Greetings, My name is Kevin Belin, I am the Navajo Language teacher for Navajo Preparatory School in Farmington, NM. I Bitterwater, born for the Weavers, my maternal grandfather is the Tangled people and my paternal grandfather is Chiricahua. I am from Crownpoint, NM of eastern Navajo, and raised around Antelope lookout mesa and Where the lightning struck the rock.

https://dineculturenight-020421.eventbrite.com

Diné Culture Night — Navajo Ceremonial System: Adair Klopfenstein

Navajo Ceremonial System

We will be hosting Adair Klopfenstein on December 1st, 2020, who will be presenting an introduction to the Navajo ceremonial system for our Diné Culture Night. This is a collaborative community effort and we are happy to be part of it. This is part one of a webinar series called Ceremony is Prevention.

This presentation will be an overview of the scope and purposes of the various traditional healing ceremonies and the processes required to organize and put a ceremony together for yourself or a loved one.

The meeting will be live-streamed via Zoom. It will not be posted on YouTube afterwards so sign-up to catch it live! Register to attend with Eventbrite via the button below, or at: https://dineculturenight-120120.eventbrite.com

Adair Klopfenstein’s Bio

I am Áshįįhį́, born for Bilagaana. Tsédeesgiishnii are my cheii’s and Bilaganaa are my Nalii’s. My mother is from Coalmine Mesa and I grew up in Salt Lake City. I have been a practitioner of Hózhǫǫjí, Dził Kʼijí, Nayeeʼeejí, and Wóláchiiʼjí bee Hochxǫʼíjí for over 18 years. I have a beautiful wife, two wonderful children, and I currently reside in Cameron, AZ.

https://dineculturenight-120120.eventbrite.com

Diné Culture Night — Ádístsiin: Dr. Jennifer Wheeler

Nov23

Diné Culture Night — Ádístsiin: Dr. Jennifer Wheeler

When:

Dr. Wheeler will demonstrate how to make a set of Navajo stirring sticks and explain how they are used when preparing traditional foods.

Ádístsiin

Ádístsiin (ídístsiin) are traditional Navajo stirring sticks that are made from a bush (diwozhii, diwozhiishzhiin, diwozhiiłbéí) that is native to the Navajo Nation and surrounding area. Dr. Wheeler will demonstrate how to make a set of stirring sticks and explain how they are used when preparing traditional foods. She encourages the audience to engage with her presentation by showing their sets and stories about ádístsiin.

The meeting will be held via Zoom, and live-streamed on our Facebook page, and a recording will be posted to our YouTube channel afterwards. Register to attend with Eventbrite via the button below, or at: https://dineculturenight-112320.eventbrite.com

Dr. Jennifer Wheeler’s Bio

Jennifer Wheeler, PhD., is a long-time educator of Diné language and culture as well as English and literature. As an advocate of Diné language sustainability and revitalization, she shares Diné language and culture through presentations for schools, parents, and communities. She is originally from Many Farms, Arizona. Yooʼí Diné nilį́. Kin Yaaʼáanii dabizhéʼé dóó dabicheii. Tó Díchʼíiʼnii dabinálí. Wheeler’s videos of traditional and modern food demonstrations, narrated solely in Diné bizaad, can be found on her YouTube channel — Bead Clan Kitchen.

https://dineculturenight-112320.eventbrite.com

Celebrating 50 years of Navajo at UNM with HDLS 14

https://hdls.unm.edu/

The Navajo Language Program is commemorating fifty years of Diné language instruction at the University of New Mexico. We started as a single class in 1970 and have overcome numerous challenges and celebrated achievements while continuing to teach the Diné language throughout the years. During the 2020-2021 academic year, we celebrate five decades of memories, highlight our history, and recognize those who made the program what it is today. In this panel presentation, we will share our successes by focusing on our current work.

Since 1970, we have taught hundreds of classes, inspired new generations of Navajo speakers,studied the structure of the Navajo language through data-driven research, and produced seminal texts on the Navajo language and culture. The Navajo Language Program continues to work towards our mission of providing quality instruction of Navajo language and Navajo linguistics.

Today, we nurture diversity and promote the incorporation of culture into language instruction as together they contain a knowledge system and values unique to the Diné identity. Now more than ever, we recognize that the Navajo Language Program contributes to the maintenance and revitalization of the Diné language. This program continues to enhance and increase the landscape of diversity in scholarship at the University of New Mexico. Join us at HDLS celebration of our 50th anniversary.

Register to attend HDLS 14 and our panel at: https://secure.touchnet.com/C21597_ustores/web/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCTID=1375&SINGLESTORE=true