Oprah visit to air today
Taping spurred controversy on reservation

By Natasha Kaye Johnson
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — Oprah Winfrey's surprise visit to the Navajo Nation will be televised today at 4 p.m. on Channel 7.

Her visit to the Nation will be included as a short segment of a road trip that Oprah and her best friend, Gayle King, took across the United States this past summer.

On May 31, the renowned television host and international philanthropist unexpectedly arrived in Window Rock with an entourage of film personnel and security.

Organizers and spectators alike were stunned by the star's visit, since they were told only her production company would be on-site to do filming of a staged powwow.

A visitation by Oprah was sparked after Harpo Productions replied to an e-mail sent by a To'nanaas'deezi Chapter House employee requesting a show on the poor jail conditions in Tuba City. Instead, Harpo Productions requested to do a show on Native Americans.

According to tribal officials, Harpo Productions insisted that a powwow be staged and be the focal point of the taping, although officials did make recommendations that the crew tape footage that was original to Navajo.

While Oprah's visit to the Navajo Nation tickled many spectators, many Navajos expressed concern that the filming of Navajos doing a powwow could further increase stereotypes of Native Americans, especially since powwow is not traditional to Navajoland.

Because it was not explained to Oprah on camera that powwow is not traditional to the Navajo, some Navajo people are worried that audiences who see the taping will be misled, and other Native American tribes, especially Northern tribes, will take offense at seeing Navajos representing something that is not original to their culture.