Category Archives: Events

Diné Culture Night — Diné Art: Don Whitesinger

Join us for our next Diné Culture Night on March 23rd, 2022, from 5:30pm – 6:30pm! We will be hosting Don Whitesinger, who will be presenting on Diné Art.

The meeting will be live-streamed via Zoom. The Zoom link will be sent to your email before the event starts. Please register by clicking the button below.

Don Whitesinger’s Bio

My art epitomizes my strength, control and personality. As a contemporary abstract artist, I spontaneously create art for the sake of art. My work represents both the energy and life of my endeavors at Canyon de Chelly near Wild Cherry Canyon on the Diné Nation. I think of the past of the Diné people and the modern art movements in the art world. My work is full of spirit and innovative sporadic spontaneity. I call my work “Daz Art”, Nidaaz, heavy, is a word whose meaning is closely associated with those of power and burden.

When my self-conscious is ready to produce art I tend to be obnoxious. I have a tendency to let my unconscious flow in producing art. Art and culture play a major part in my production in art especially when a culture survives through the arts. I believe in order to produce art one has to adapt with certain ways of life. An artist is a healer through visual concepts the accomplishment is rejuvenation for new ideas. As life changes so does my content of my work. At this point in my life I am painting landscapes with spiritual motifs as my guide also Covid 19 Pandemic has affect our production of art.

The whole concept of virtual teaching in a visual oriented society, the Diné world is very complex. Some students are not oriented to abide by the rules that were set aside by the Holy People in our dual Navajo world. Students are more oriented toward instant gratification. In Navajo society there are rule to governor you to. Where as in the dominate society it a lot easier to governor yourself. I try to incorporate certain value into my teaching, which are Diné and Western values. I know at times it hard for student because of certain temptation that hinders their place in Diné society. Art is healing process for a person, which was given to us by the Holy ones.


		Diné Culture Night —  Diné Art: Don Whitesinger image

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