Despite a successful sales career that took her overseas, Tasheena Littleben felt like something was missing. So she left the city and returned to the Navajo Nation to her childhood home in Rock Point, Arizona, to search for the one thing she didn't have. Sitting on the deck in front of her home, her gaze wanders over the expansive landscape of red mesas and impossibly big sky. She knows this place better than herself: Knows which plants produce the best dyes, knows the best wool comes from the sheep who've grazed this land, and knows that sitting under a tree working the loom brings her a deep sense of peace. Join us as we get to know Tasheena.
Vietnam Veteran and OR Nurse
In the late 1960s, joining the US Army to become an OR (operating room) nurse meant inevitably serving in Vietnam. At just 21 years old, Navajo/Hopi Rose Wiegand embarked on a path that would leave an indelible mark on her more than 50 years later. Her quiet, humble demeanor belies a remarkable woman who explains what it was like to serve as an OR nurse in Vietnam and what it was like returning to a country where many of its citizens strongly opposed not only the conflict, but also returning service members. Join us as we get to know Rose in the first episode of this two-part series.
Torreon, New Mexico, Medicine Man
After the Long Walk, Manuel Pinto's family settled in the community of Torreon on the eastern edge of the Navajo Nation. They put down roots, passed down traditional teachings, and thrived. Three generations later, his rodeo days behind him, Manuel is a keeper of precious traditional Navajo knowledge--and he was generous in sharing with us during our interview. Head east with us as we embark on this three-part series full of traditional teachings and history.
Navajo Hair & Makeup Artist
How do you walk the line between fashion and honoring your ancestors? Goldie Tom has found a way to honor the women in her family by incorporating traditional Navajo dress into her everyday wardrobe. But understanding the meaning behind traditional dress is crucial to preserving its cultural significance while avoiding relegating customs to a fleeting fashion trend. In this episode, we're talking about traditions, fashion, the life of an entrepreneur, and building an enterprise. Join me as we get to know Navajo Wonder Woman, Goldie Tom.
Navajo Teachings in Architecture
In the field of architecture, students are taught that form follows function. In other words, the shape of a space is determined by how the space will be used. But what if traditional Navajo teachings and the needs of the community inspired architectural design instead? Meet Tamarah Begay, a Navajo architect who takes a holistic approach to designing spaces for Native clients to create beautiful, functional structures that feed the soul. Join us as we dive into the life and work of Tamarah Begay, the first female Navajo licensed architect.
Navajo Skinhead from the Rez
Ryan "Rayzin" Clark grew up in the small town of Cameron, Arizona, located on the far west border of the Navajo Nation. Like a lot of kids in small towns, he turned to punk rock for something to do and became part of something bigger than himself. Decades later, he's an encyclopedia of knowledge about the punk bands that have made their way to this remote part of the U.S. Join us as we talk about shows by some of the biggest names in punk, and maybe even expand your understanding of the skinhead movement as Rayzin gives us a glimpse into his life.
To'Hajiilii, New Mexico, and the Long Walk
Just west of Albuquerque, New Mexico, is a band of Navajos (Dine') federally recognized only in the late 1960s. But the community of To'Hajiilee is older than the United States, and its surrounding canyons and hills hold sacred secrets to a history that has never been taught--even to other Dine'. Regarded as "the enemy Navajo" by many Dine', join me as we speak with Marty Monte about the major events that led up to The Long Walk and what led to To'Hajiilee being treated as an outcast by the larger community of Dine' from the Navajo Nation.