'Art Awakening' allows artists to 'overcome'
Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola
Special to the Independent
GALLUP — "Art Awakening" is an unusual, eclectic
art show featuring the work of area artists who live with a variety
of disabilities. And most of the artists are people who were born
able-bodied, but were disabled through an accident in life; other
artists are developmentally disabled.
The show opened Saturday in the museum gallery at Red Rock State
Park. The gallery is also featuring a companion show of
arts and crafts by artisans of the Navajo Co-op in Thoreau.
Eric J. Benally of Little Water is one of the featured artists
in "Art Awakening." A former miner and rodeo cowboy,
Benally suffered a spinal cord injury in 1988 while saddle bronc
riding in a Casa Grande, Ariz., rodeo. The injury left him paralyzed
from the neck down, and he spent months recovering in a Phoenix
hospital.
"They said I might walk again, but I wouldn't use my arms
again," Benally said.
He has proved the doctors wrong. The very tall Navajo cowboy 5
feet 14 inches tall, he says now walks with just one forearm crutch,
attends college classes in Farmington and uses his hands to create
realistic paintings. His goal is to walk without the forearm crutch
and to once again ride a horse without assistance.
With the help of a saddle maker, Benally created an adaptive saddle
so that he can now ride horses. He still needs, however, help
getting on and off the saddle.
He has also made some adaptations to his approach to art. Because
his arms do not have the full range of motion, Benally paints
on a flat surface rather than on an upright easel. He also uses
acrylic paints rather than oils, so if his arm brushes the canvas,
the paint will not smear.
One of Benally's paintings on exhibit is "Little Water Warrior."
In it, the artist painted his late father, a Code Talker in World
War II, as a Navajo warrior in the mid-1800s. Benally created
the imaginary scene with the Navajo landmark, Beautiful
Mountain, in the background.
Artists in wheelchairs
Several artists in the show are confined to wheelchairs due to
accidents. Doris Dennison of Tohatchi received a spinal cord injury
from a car accident and has been in a wheelchair for the last
15 years.
Dennison has a number of craft items for sale in the show, including
silver jewelry, hair ties, wood burnt jewelry boxes and a Native
American doll. Dennison also takes commercially crafted dolls
and then custom outfits them with handmade dresses, moccasins
and beadwork.
Cecelia Fred of the Red Rock Chapter also creates a variety of
arts and crafts. For "Art Awakening," Fred just has
a few of her ceramic pieces: a mug, a drink coaster and a Route
66 ornament and magnet. She is also a silversmith.
Fred has been confined to a wheelchair since she was 6 years old
when she was injured in a gunshot accident. She and Dennison are
friends, and the two women make presentations to area school children.
They talk about a variety of subjects, from anti-drug and alcohol
messages to driving safety information to what it's like to live
as a person with disabilities.
"It's not fun to be in a chair," she said. "We
tell them what it's like."
Fred and Dennison encourage the students not to overlook the disabled
people they meet. "We're also people" is the message
she tells children, she said. "We're here."
Schools interested in presentations by Fred and Dennison can contact
Fred at (505) 722-5187.
To hell and back
Amerson "Badmobile" Dayea, a graphic artist, musician,
writer and athlete from Pine Springs, Ariz., has three pieces
of artwork in the show. Two are computer graphic designs he created
while a student in UNM-Gallup's Electronic Publishing program.
"Stormbringer," rooted in the Navajo mythological character
of Monster Slayer, has a fantasy style to its comic book cover
design. "To Hell and Back," featuring five photographic
images and a block of text, portrays Dayea's life story.
In 1985, he said, his life was radically changed by a late night
auto accident. "About a year after my accident," he
said, "I wanted to kill myself."
But with the support of his family, Dayea began to recover from
the accident with a new perspective and new priorities. A former
guitarist in a southern rock band, Dayea began to devote more
time to music, writing and art. Today, he talks about being grateful
for the accident that helped him find himself and his talents
again.
Dayea is currently working to organize "Chariot Run,"
a bike run from Flagstaff, Ariz., to Window Rock. The three-day
event, scheduled for the third week of September, will include
able-bodied and disabled cyclists riding together.
In addition, Dayea is interested shooting a film that would document
"how disabled people live on the Rez," creating a line
of sportswear for disabled athletes and organizing a wheelchair
sports group for disabled people. He can be contacted through
e-mail at dayea@yahoo.com.
Developmental disabilities
"Art Awakening" also includes artwork by several artists
with developmental disabilities. Fred Freeland of Brimhall has
a number of pieces that feature Native American inspired designs.
Freeland, who also enjoys depicting animals in his art, said he
has created art since he was a child.
Gallup artist Dan Berry has a number of pieces in the show. Berry,
whose developmental disabilities severely limit his ability to
verbally communicate, is assisted by Richard Hollow Horn, his
job coach from McKinley Opportunity and Resource Enterprises.
Berry expresses himself through his abstract watercolors and pastels,
while Hollow Horn talks for his client.
According to Hollow Horn, it is obvious that Berry enjoys creating
art, particularly watercolors and particularly in front of an
audience. About twice a week, Hollow Horn takes Berry to The Coffee
House, where Berry is allowed to work.
"That's where he produces the majority of his paintings,"
Hollow Horn said. Kelly Schukar, owner of The Coffee House, has
let Berry exhibit his work in "Kelly's Gallery" the
bathroom and Berry has sold many pieces from that frequently visited
location.
Berry will be giving a watercolor demonstration at 10 a.m. Tuesday
at the museum gallery and Hollow Horn will again be Berry's voice
for the event.
For further information about "Art Awakening," call
the museum gallery at (505) 863-1337.
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Postal workers help 'stamp out' hunger
Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola
Special to the Independent
GALLUP — Letter carriers from the Postal Service will do more
than collect and distribute mail this Saturday. They will also be
collecting and distributing donated food to benefit needy families
in the community.
It's all part of the "Stamp Out Hunger" campaign, an annual
food drive sponsored by the National Association of Letter Carriers.
Community members are asked to donate non-perishable food items by
leaving the bags of food by their mailboxes on Saturday. The letter
carriers will deliver the food to the Community Pantry, the local
food bank, where it will be used to make emergency food boxes.
Although the Community Pantry has three different food assistance
programs, the emergency food box program is the only program dependent
on donated food. Last month the food bank experienced a crisis when
its inventory of donated foods was almost entirely depleted.
Claresia Montoya, food bank office manager, said many people responded
to the food bank's request for assistance.
Unfortunately, she said, the emergency food supply is low once again.
"It's depleted almost daily," she said.
The Community Pantry is looking toward the letter carriers' efforts
and local people's generosity to ease the current situation.
Any type of non-perishable food would be helpful, Montoya said, particularly
rice, pasta, canned meats, juices and fruit. There is also a need
for jars of peanut butter and jelly.
"When there are children in the family, we like to give them
that," she said.
Government commodity food is also welcomed by the food bank. Montoya
was pleased with the response last month by people who donated unwanted
commodity food. Many times such government issued food is thrown away
by recipients who do not know how to prepare it.
Montoya is hoping the letter carriers will collect at least 5,000
pounds of food just as they did last year. Only two
organizations, the letter carriers and local Catholic teens, conduct
annual citywide food drives, Montoya said. The teens, who conduct
their drive in the late fall, will also help to unload, sort and shelve
the food on Saturday. Other volunteers from the community are welcome
to help out.
If it's not feasible to leave donated food by a mailbox, Montoya added,
food can also be dropped off at the Community Pantry. Financial donations
can also be made to the Community Pantry, with the emergency food
box fund earmarked on the check. Otherwise, Montoya said, the donation
will be put toward the different costs of running the food bank.
Big monthly expenses are utility bills and the warehouse's rent. Community
Pantry officials have been searching, without success, for another
warehouse that has more space and costs less. Several larger buildings
are available, Montoya said, but the rents are beyond the financial
budget of the non-profit organization.
A more complete list of needed emergency food includes: juices, canned
fruits, vegetables and beans, cereal, soup, tomato sauce, tomatoes,
pasta, instant potatoes, crackers, cookies, Helper mixes, rice, dry
beans, flour, Bisquick mix, peanut butter, jelly, macaroni and cheese,
Ramen noodles, cheese, dry milk, canned fish and canned meat.
The Community Pantry is located at 107 S. Dean; its phone number is
726-8068. Its new hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday. Except
for this Saturday's food drive, it is now closed Saturdays.
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Press kept from review on Title IX
Tara Drolma
Staff Writer
GRANTS — A school board member and a reporter were barred from
the U.S. Department of Education review of the federally funded Title
IX program in the Grants/Cibola School district this week.
Mary Brayboy and Bernard Garcia, team leaders for the review, and
Superintendent Linda Coy approached the Independent before the meeting
and said the press would be allowed to stay for opening remarks, but
the rest of the meeting and exit interview were closed.
Brayboy said that Coy decides who attends the meetings. She said the
team prefers to work privately with the school because the group is
freer to discuss issues, which might include children's private files.
Mitzie Baca, a board member who worked for the district 40 years,
and board member Lloyd Felipe were also asked to leave the meeting.
Baca was told she would have to have Coy's permission to attend the
exit interview. Baca said she did not ask Coy for permission.
Felipe said he did not feel he had been run off. He said he respected
the request from the Washington "experts" that they need
to work privately. He said Coy had questioned whether three board
members (a quorum) could be present at the meeting.
Brayboy said the district would receive a report from the team in
three to four weeks and that Coy is not obligated to make the report
public.
Carol Owensby, community liaison for the district, told the press
before the meeting that it would be open for the session covering
the needs assessment. The assessment is a survey given to Indian children,
Title IX staff, and parents to determine if the Indian education programs
are meeting the needs of Native Americans and what changes should
be made.
The meeting was never announced as a closed meeting.
Brayboy did not answer when she was asked if the review of the needs
assessment would include individual files.
Board members Rita Suazo, Felipe and Lloyd Tortalita of Acoma attended
the exit interview. Tortalita said he did not have to ask permission
to attend the exit interview and no one questioned him.
Tortalita wanted to know: "Why is it (the review) so hush hush?
What are we trying to hide"?
Tribal members were frustrated by last-minute agenda changes that
left most Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) members unable to attend
the review.
Last week Lucille Hooper, a member of the Laguna Tribal Council, said
the district's Indian Program Policy (IPP) and the Federal Impact
Aid Law mandate cooperation and those statutory mandates are not being
met. Hooper said, "I reported to them (the review team) there
was no cooperation or coordination between the school district and
the Pueblo of Laguna."
As an example, Hooper said she received an agenda for the first time
at the May 2 PAC meeting. On that agenda the PAC committee was scheduled
to meet with the review team on Tuesday afternoon.
The new agenda distributed Monday showed them meeting with the team
Monday afternoon. The committee members had not been notified of the
changes and Hooper said only two were able to attend the review.
A spokesperson for the Department of Education told the Independent
Coy had received a tentative agenda in early April.
The last day of school is May 24 and the district has not approved
the IPP or bylaws for PAC, which are required by law.
The school board had to postpone approval of the Indian Policies and
Procedures in February because Federal Program Coordinator Adela Holder
had not coordinated with the PAC or the tribal administrations in
developing the policies. Board member Bob Murdoch questioned whether
the process could be legitimate if the PAC had not reviewed the policies.
Tribal officials have been asking for accountability in the Title
IX program since January. In February, Frank Siow, a past board member
from Laguna, asked the board for a line item accounting of Title IX
funds. PAC has requested the same information from Holder, but the
information has never been provided.
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Grants eliminated from singles, doubles
field
Michael Peretti
Staff Sports Writer
ALBUQUERQUE — The Grants tennis players competing in the state
individual and doubles tournament were unable to advance, despite
playing well according to their coaches.
The Grants boys were represented by Kevin McFarland and the Grants
girls were represented by Bethany Bibo and Marcie Malaj in doubles
competition.
McFarland was eliminated by Portales' Paul Brown 6-1, 6-1 while Bibo
and Malaj fell to the Portales doubles team of Rebecca Burns and Kristen
Van Wethering 6-0, 6-1.
"Kevin played very well," said Grants boys head coach Kory
Piccioni. "Kevin played a tough opponent."
Piccioni said that McFarland had played well all season, and that
he has played very good against some of the best opponents he has
faced this year.
McFarland will be competing with the rest of his team on Friday against
N.M.M.I. in the team state tournament.
"The team looks strong," said Piccioni. "We have been
playing really good. I think we will play well on Friday."
She added that N.M.M.I. looks to be the Pirates toughest competition
and that they are one of the favorites to win the state tournament.
The Grants boys will play on Friday at 1:30 at Albuquerque Academy.
Grants girls coach Ann Mattilia said that the Lady Pirates doubles
team did not have their best game on the court when they lost to the
Portales doubles team.
"They didn't play as well as I've seen them play," Mattilia
said. "At state you have to play your absolute best and that
just didn't happen."
Mattilia said that Bibo and Malaj got beat by a more experienced team.
"They were two older girls and they felt comfortable at the net.
They had a lot of great shots and we got just got outplayed."
Mattilia said that the doubles team has come together well.
"They have really grown together as a doubles team," she
said.
Though the team was eliminated in the doubles competition, they will
have another chance in the team competition as Grants will take on
Portales in the first round on Friday. Mattilia said that Bibo and
Malaj will not face the same Portales team that eliminated them on
Wednesday.
"They will play one of the same girls, the other one will play
in the singles competition," said Mattilia.
She said that the Portales girls team that the Lady Pirates will face
will be the toughest they will face in the tournament.
"We should do alright," she said. "(The doubles team)
I think will do fine. They have already seen one of the two girls
tha they will face so I think they will feel more confident and will
be able to play together."
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Monument Valley gets boost
Marketplace to add jobs
Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — An economic development project in Monument Valley
should add jobs in the winter.
The project has an Indian marketplace for residents and visitors to
enjoy traditional Diné food and genuine Navajo-made arts and
crafts.
Utah officials signed a multiple-agency contract Wednesday at the
St. Michaels Days Inn for the Monument Valley Welcome Center and Rest
Area, a $3.761 million project just north of the Arizona-Utah border
in the Oljato Chapter. Navajo President Kelsey A. Begaye will sign
the contract as soon as he returns from Washington, D.C.
Oljato has been famous for decades for the Goulding's Trading Post
at the north end of the most progressive business community on the
reservation. Monument Valley-area people turned to commerce for jobs
since the area lacks an Indian Health Service full-service hospital
and Kayenta is the largest community on the reservation that is not
an agency center for government offices...
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Ex-election super says not guilty
Jim Maniaci
Diné Bureau
WINDOW ROCK — Paul Redhouse, a veteran Navajo Board of Election
Supervisors member, pleaded not guilty Wednesday during his arraignment
in the controversial aborted 2000 general election.
Redhouse, a pastor in Teec Nos Pos, will have his first pre-trial
conference May 22 in Window Rock District Court before Judge T.J.
Holgate. Holgate also will conduct second pre-trial conferences the
same day for Eunice Begay, LeNora (Fulton) Johnson, Jackie Burbank
and Roy Tso Sr.
Defendant Harry Brown Sr., a former tribal judge who was Holgate's
mentor, will have his second pre-trial conference May 24, after being
granted a one-week delay.
Lead prosecutor John Kern said all eight defendants were offered the
same plea bargain. Two defendants Juliette Largo and Jay DeGroat,
both of the Eastern Agency accepted the two-year deferred prosecutions
in exchange for admitting they abused their power and failed to carry
out their duties...
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Underrated Scouts in semis
Santiago Ramos
Staff Sports Writer
PEORIA, Ariz. — Window Rock finds itself in relatively unfamiliar
territory, advancing to the Final Four of the Class 3A state baseball
semifinals.
The Window Rock Fighting Scouts (15-7) will be paired against No.
2 ranked Fountain Hills, the West No. 2 team, in one of the state
semifinal matchups at the Peoria Sports Complex Friday at 3 p.m.
In the other state semifinals, South No. 2 Globe will play South
No. 3 Coolidge also at 3 p.m. The state finals are set for Saturday
at 7 p.m. at the main stadium at the Peoria Sports Complex. The
forecast for game time is between 103 and 106 degrees.
It will mark the second time in 10 years that Window Rock has made
it to the state semifinals. The last time was in 1991 when Window
Rock lost to eventual state champion Miami in the semis but this
was before the Sweet 16 format was used. Back then one win would
put a team in the semifinals while now it takes two wins to make
it to the Final Four, which Window Rock did.
"The players are very excited and real pumped," Window
Rock head baseball coach Kevin Rhinehart said...
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Tewawina changes schools in Tuba City
Stan Bindell
Special to the Independent
TUBA CITY, Ariz. — Milfred Tewawina, who coached the Tuba City
High School girls' cross country teams to four straight state titles,
has verbally resigned as coach of the Lady Warriors.
Tewawina recently left his full-time post as a special education
teacher at Tuba City High School to become co-coordinator of the
21st Century Community Learning Grant based at Greyhills High School,
also located in Tuba City.
Tewawina knewpeople would not be comfortable with him working full-time
at one school and coaching at another, so he decided to also make
the coaching move.
"I want to express my appreciation for the support I received
for the years I coached at Tuba City High School," he said.
"I graduated from Tuba City High School and I'll always be
a Warrior at heart. But as a runner, I want to coach kids and teach
them about running. It doesn't matter who they represent..."
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Leaders pleased with findings
Tara Drolma
Staff Writer
GRANTS — Tribal leaders were pleased with the preliminary findings
of the U.S. Department of Education's review of Title IX programs
in the Grants/Cibola County School District.
Lloyd Tortalita of Acoma said he was pleased with the findings,
especially the ones dealing with the needs assessment, staff development,
and the Indian Policies and Procedures (IPP) for the Title IX program,
the federally funded program for Indian
Education. He said these are areas he has concerns about and the
district needs to work on them.
Tortalita said the team emphasized training for the Parent Advisory
Committee (PAC), improved communication, and
professional development.
In March, Federal Programs Coordinator Adela Holder told PAC she
intended to use the Quality of Education Survey as the needs survey.
PAC said the questions on that survey did not represent Native American
children and they wanted to develop their own assessment...
Death sought in Shiprock case
AZTEC, N.M. (AP) — A judge has ruled there's enough evidence
for the district attorney to pursue the death penalty against a
man charged in the June bludgeoning death of a Shiprock woman.
Robert Ray Fry, 27, of Farmington faces charges of first-degree
murder, kidnapping and attempted rape in the death of Betty Lee,
36.
"I find that ... the murder was committed with the intent to
kill in the commission of kidnapping," state District Judge
William Birdsall said Tuesday. "I further find that probable
cause exists in that the murder was committed with the intent to
kill ... in the attempt to commit criminal sexual penetration."
Currently, state law allows the death penalty under certain aggravated
circumstances, such as killing a witness to a crime...
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Deaths
Barbara Jean Mora
GANADO, Ariz. — Services for Barbara Mora, 68, will be held at
10 a.m. Friday, May 11, at St. Michaels Catholic Church. Father Flann
O'Neil will officiate. Burial will follow at Ganado Community Cemetery.
Visitation will be held from noon to 7 p.m. today and a rosary will
be held at 7 p.m. tonight at Rollie Mortuary, Palm Chapel.
Mora died May 7 in Albuquerque. She was born July 21, 1932, in Ganado
into the Red Streak Running into the Water People Clan for the Towering
House People Clan.
Mora attended Sacred Heart Academy in Waterflow and College of Mount
St. Joseph with a bachelor's degreein nursing. She and her husband
owned and operated Mora's Conoco and Grocery in Ganado. She was a
registered nurse at Fort Defiance and Shiprock PHS.
Survivors include her sons, Joseph Mora of Ganado and Robert Mora
of Albuquerque; daughters, Jeanna Dowse and Jo Ann Mora, both of Ganado,
Dianne Gutierrez and Josette Rivera, both of Albuquerque, Paula Mora,
MD of Tucson, Ariz., Angela Riley of Las Cruces and Lynette Tsabetsaye
of Santa Fe; brothers, Raymond Brown of St. Michaels, Ariz., Wilbert
Brown of Ganado and Wilfred Brown Sr. of Kinlichee, Ariz.; and seven
grandchildren.
Mora was preceded in death by her husband, Joe R. Mora, and parents,
Henry and Jeanette H. Brown.
Pallbearers will be Michael Daniels, James Dowse, Chris Gutierrez,
Louie Martinez, Joseph Mora, Robert Mora, Allen Riley,
Phil Rivera, Andrew Tsabetsaye and Andrick Tsabetsaye.
Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
John H. Begay
NAVAJO ESTATES — Services for John Begay, 65, will be held at
10 a.m. Friday, May 11, at Rollie Morturay Palm Chapel. President
Lee A. Yazzie will officiate. Burial will follow at Sunset Memorial
Park.
Begay died May 7 in Gallup. He was born March 16, 1936, in Tocito
into the Red Bottom People Clan for the Folded Arms People Clan.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Louise Begay of Navajo Estates; sons,
Brent Lee Begay of Gilbert, Ariz., and John Earl Begay of Albuquerque;
daughter, Lisa Begay of Albuquerque; brother, Johnny H. LaPahie of
Toadlena; sisters, Emma Lou Barney of Kirtland, Alice R. Begay of
Two Grey Hills and Betty L. Moses of Sanostee; and six grandchildren.
Begay was preceded in death by his parents, Francis H. LaPahie and
Anita Begay, and brother, Lester H. Begay.
Pallbearers will be Brent Begay, Freddie Begay, John E. Begay, Arthur
Brite, JR Moses and Wilford Moses.
Rollie Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Stephen K. Warner
ALBUQUERQUE — Stephen Warner, 75, died May 5 in Albuquerque.
Cremation has taken place and his ashes will be spread in Orange County,
Calif. No services are planned.
He was born Aug. 27, 1924, in Santa Ana, Calif.
Warner was a resident of the Gallup area for 23 years. He lived in
Flagstaff, Ariz., and Orange County. While in Gallup, Warner worked
in retail sales and owned a restaurant.
In California, he had worked as a ceramic tile contractor and was
a deputy sheriff with the Orange County Sheriff's Department. He was
a veteran of the Army Air Corps during World War II.
Survivors include his sons Curtis K. Warner of Santa Maria, Calif.,
Christopher E. of Orange County, Calif., Glenn S. Warner II of Lakehead,
Calif., stepson Dewey Wetzel of San Diego and 16 grandchildren.
Warner was preceded in death by his wife, Annette, and brother, Ted.
Donations can be made to the American Legion or a favorite veterans
group.
Isabel B. Carrillo
ALBUQUERQUE — Memorial services for Isabel B. Carrillo, 89, will
be held at 10 a.m. Friday, May 11, at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin
Mary Catholic Church, Fourth and Alameda, Albuquerque. Father Nathan
Celebrant will officiate. Interment will follow at Mount Calvary Cemetery,
1900 Edith Blvd. NE.
Carrillo died May 7 in Albuquerque. She was born Dec. 28, 1911, in
Grants.
A rosary will be recited at 7 tonight at Mount Carmel Catholic Church,
7807 Edith NE.
Survivors include her son, George V. Carrillo Sr.; sisters, Mrs. Andy
Miera of Santa Fe, Mary T. Bowen of Valparaiso, Ind., Lily Chavez
of Albuquerque and Feliz Molina of Grants, and three grandchildren.
Carrillo was preceded in death by her husband, Vicente V. Carrillo;
daughters, Rosaline B. and Mary Rebecca; brothers, Julian Blea and
Jesus Blea; and sister, Ventura Montoya.
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