Posts Tagged ‘Navajo Code Talkers’

5
Dec

Wall of Honor in Illinois gallery pays tribute to Indian veterans

   Posted by: admin    in Code Talkers, Native American Art, Native veterans

Joe Yazzie, a Vietnam veteran, is the artist-in-residence at the Trickster Gallery, the only Indian-operated art institute in Illinois. (Chicago Tribune photo)

Joe Yazzie, a Vietnam veteran, is the artist-in-residence at the Trickster Gallery, the only Indian-operated art institute in Illinois. (Chicago Tribune photo)


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Earlier today, we blogged about the objections to a memorial honoring Medal of Honor winners that unfortunately was erected on the site of a Native American village. Some groups would like to see the memorial moved to a different part of Los Angeles.

From the Chicago area comes a much more upbeat story, about the recently opened Native American Wall of Honor at Trickster Gallery.

As this Chicago Tribune story reports, it’s the second memorial to American Indian veterans in the Midwest. And, Trickster is the only arts institute in Illinois operated by Native Americans.

Joe Yazzie is the artist-in-residence this year. His stint as the gallery is fitting, given his military background: Yazzie, who grew up in New Mexico, is an Army veteran, while his brother Harold served in the Marines.

“It’s just in our blood,” he tells the Tribune. “We want to be warriors, and we tend to join the military.”

In fact, some of Yazzie’s family members are on the Wall of Honor.

“Right here, this guy, he’s my grandfather,” he tells the Tribune’s Dan Simmons, pointing to a framed photo of 37 Navajo scouts who served as military police alongside Army forces during the late-1800s campaign against Geronimo.

“And this guy here, that’s my uncle Frank,” he says, pointing to another photo on the wall of Navajo code talkers.

Some of Yazzie’s paintings feature veterans and military themes.

“They could have been doctors or lawyers,” he says of those killed in various wars. “They could have discovered things to improve our lives. But they sacrificed. Ever since, I’ve had this guilty feeling. Why them and not me?”

Gwen Florio

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12
Nov

Ya’ah’tee from the Oakland Raiders

   Posted by: admin    in Code Talkers, Navajo

That will be the message Sunday when the Raiders commemorate Native American Heritage Month with a radio broadcast in Navajo, a performance by a Native dance group, and a ceremony honoring Code Talker and former Navajo Nation leader Peter MacDonald.

Raiders“We salute the Navajo Nation and the Navajo Code Talkers and we are proud to broadcast Raider games in Navajo for the fifth consecutive season,” Raiders Chief Executive Amy Trask says in this story on the team’s Web site. “We are committed to reaching our global fan base in a variety of languages and through a variety of multimedia options. Broadcasting our games in Navajo allows us to do this and also presents another opportunity to preserve the Navajo language and to salute the Navajo Code Talkers.”

MacDonald, from Teec Nos Pos, Ariz., will be honored during pregame on-field ceremonies, and Native Boogie and Beats will present a traditional dance performance.

The Raiders report that Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs will air in Navajo through an agreement with KTNN 660 AM. Ten Raider games have been broadcast in Navajo in conjunction with KTNN over the past four seasons – two in 2008, four in 2007, two in 2006 and two in 2005. L.A. Williams and Samuel Boyd, both veteran broadcasters, will call the action.

If you’re out of range, KTNN streams online here.

Some of the profits from ticket sales of Sunday’s game will go the American Indian Child Resource, Inter-tribal Friendship House, Indian Health Center of Santa Clara Valley and Lovelock Paiute Tribe.

Gwen Florio

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