Calendar Girls
15th edition of Women of the Navajo calendar a big hit

Tashina Redhouse of Chinle autographes her photo in the Women of the Navajo Nation Calender for Kobe Teller, 6, of Greasewood at the 60th Annual Navajo Nation Fair in Window Rock. The yearly calender and autograph session is one of the most anticipated events at the fair. [Photo by Matt Hinshaw/Independent]

By Natasha Kaye Johnson
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — It's the most talked about calendar in Indian Country, and anyone who hasn't heard about it probably has been living under a rock.

It's the Women of the Navajo calendar, which just debuted its 15th limited edition this year at the Navajo Nation Fair.

The popular annual calendar has become an unofficial part of the fair, drawing in people from across the Navajo Nation.

Because of the crowd that the unveiling of the calendar attracts each year, it became coined as being the best-loved calendar in Navajo history, and from the looks of it, it seems as though it will remain so.

Just as in previous years, people lined up elbow to elbow in Gorman Hall this past weekend to purchase the calendar, as well as meet and greet this year's featured models.

Of over a hundred booths set up at the hall this year, the Women of the Navajo booth was the only one that required security assistance to help with the large volume of people.

"It's just a fun little calendar," said a modest Larry Thompson, executive producer of the calendar, who insists that the calendar is about the featured women and not the company.

The calendar is produced and published by Southwest Marketing, a graphic design company based out of Fountain Hills, Ariz.

Larry Thompson, a Gallup High School graduate originally from Pinedale, was the mastermind behind that project that initially began as a marketing project for a college course. Ironically, Thompson never expected it to take off and become so embraced by the Navajo people.

"People just started expecting it each year," said Thompson.

Because of a modest budget, the first calendar, in 1991, featured only four models, but the layout and photography was professional. Since then, the calendar has developed and become a much anticipated novelty.

Beautiful women's hometowns
While the beautiful women are reason enough to pick up the calendar, people are also anxious to find out where the featured women are originally from.

"People always look forward to (seeing) someone in their community featured," said Thompson. "That's what really gets people excited every year."

As people flip through the pages of the calendar, they are thrilled to find someone from their community represented, especially if they know the featured model or are familiar with their family.

And each year, the calendar only gets better.

Over the years, the company strives to come out with the best possible product and has found that simplicity works.

"As long as we keep it simple and creative, someone will always be willing to buy it," said Thompson.

While attractiveness is the top indicator of being selected, Thompson said that attitude and personality are also weighed in during the selection process.

"Beauty is what this calendar is all about," said Thompson, adding that the company focuses on making the girls look approachable.

While the featured women are selected primarily on beauty, Thompson said a majority of them are college bound and are bright and intelligent individuals.

Thompson also has a preference to work with women who were born and raised on the reservation.

"We really want to show the real Navajo reservation girl," he said.

Challenging project
Thompson admits that creating the calendar is not an easy project and takes about eight months to complete. The company must conduct auditions, select models, work with photographers, select hair and make-up artists, direct photo shoots, design, print, and distribute the calendar.

Though the calendar requires a great deal of work, Thompson feels that the most challenging part is selecting only 12 women when over 100 audition each year.

Those who are selected take much pride in representing both their families and communities.

Chantel Francis, 18, of Houck, Ariz., who's featured in this year's calendar, said her family was proud to find out she was selected to be featured in the calendar.

"My grandma was really happy about it," said Francis. "It's a respectable calendar.

"She's glad that we're representing the Navajo Nation," she added. "That's a good thing about the calendar; it's representing Navajos."

While Francis is currently a full-time college student studying architecture, she is interested in doing future modeling and acting projects.

Cynthia Yazzie, who is the also featured, said she auditioned simply to see if she would get picked.

And while 19 year-old criminal justice student from Tohatchi doesn't necessarily have plans to pursue modeling, she enjoyed the experience and was happy to see that Navajo women are being showcased through the calendar.

"These are unofficial ambassadors for the Navajo Nation wherever they go," said Thompson, who is planning a reunion for all the featured models for sometime next year.

Each year, the company prints a minimum of 3,000 calendars, and sells out within two months.

Inquiries for the calendar come not only from across the Navajo Nation, but also from all over the country, from both Native and non-Native people.

After 15 years, Thompson has officially passed the project onto his daughter Krista Thompson, 18, a recent high school graduate of Navajo Prep and current student at Arizona State University.

And though the calendar has been quite successful, the company is also entertaining the idea of selling the project, which won't be hard since the reputation and popularity of the calendar only keeps getting better.

Thompson said one thing that will be maintained is the respectable images in the calendar, and the pride that is within the calendars.

"A lot of them are just super proud to say that they are Navajo," said Thompson. "That's what I hope for in the future; that they will always be proud to be Navajo."