ASU Commencement Video and Hweeldi Lecture

I hope you are having a great start to the summer! There are a couple of things I wanted to forward including an announcement for an upcoming event. Have a great summer and travel safely if you are going anywhere for the summer. Hope to see you soon!

ASU Commencement Video
Petra forwarded a recent video clip offered by her friend. It shows the group at the ASU commencement. It's a nice video of our performance. Group performance starts at about 3 minutes. Enjoy!



Hweeldi Lecture
Phoenix Indian Center, Inc. and Mesa Public School present:
The Diné Long Walk
By: Mr. Bennie Silversmith
June 24, 2009
6:00pm – 8:00pm
Mesa Public School - Student Services Center
Grand Canyon Room 1025 N. Country Club
(SE corner of 10th Street and Country Club - South of Brown Road)
Mesa, AZ
Free Admission/Free Refreshments

An unforgettable Diné History lesson! Thousands of Diné people; infants to elders, the sick and the weak, were forced to march hundreds of miles away from their sacred homelands to a Fort Sumner in Bosque Redondo, NM. Diné people were held captives for five years before the signing of the Treaty of 1868.

Long Walk Video
I recently found this on youtube, coincidentally while viewing the ASU video. It's a 10 part series regarding the Long Walk. It's a documentary that I did not hear of previously and if you have a chance, take a look at it. You will have to click on each part individually to continue viewing, it's not offered in one video so you will have to click on the next part. It has many interviews with historians, elders and community members discussing this traumatic event.

Diné Language 2009 Summer Classes

Phoenix Indian Center will have Summer Diné language classes from June 15 to July 25.
Pass the Word!

Diné Culture Classes: June 17 -July 22, 2009
Instructor: Freddie Johnson
Wednesday nights: 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Learn about self identity using the Diné Clan Philosophy through Diné Oral Traditions, Guest speakers and presentations.

Children’s Navajo Singing Class: June 20-July 25, 2009
Instructor: Jolyana Bitsuie
Classes will be held every Saturday. 11:30am - 1:30pm
For children ages 7-13, this class will focus on learning basic Navajo vocabulary words, stories, and songs through fun hands-on activities and projects.

*Beginning Navajo Class: June 15-July 22, 2009
Instructor: Jolyana Bitsuie
Monday and Wednesday: 6:00pm - 8:00pm
The class is for the beginning student who wants to learn the Navajo Language. The class will focus on the sound and alphabet system as an introduction to speaking and writing.

*Navajo Literacy: June 20-July 25, 2009
Instructor: Jolyana Bitsuie
Classes will be held every Saturday. 9:00am - 11:00am
This class is for fluent speakers; learn how to read and write in Navajo through poetry, songs, and literature.

*Classes will require a $25 materials fee. Classes are not for credit.

All classes will teach the proper Diné Introduction.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT FREDDIE JOHNSON AT (602)264-6768 EXT.2305 Fax (602)274-7486 or Email: fjohnson@phxindcenter.org

PHOENIX INDIAN CENTER
GED Classroom
4520 N. Central Ave., Suite 250
Phoenix, AZ 85012