Navajo Nation set to celebrate Veterans Day

Copyright © 2008
Gallup Independent
By Karen Francis
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — People around the Navajo Nation will be celebrating Veterans Day with activities at local agencies and chapters.

Veterans will be honored with parades and recognition, and treated to luncheons at chapters throughout Navajo. With Native Americans serving at a higher rate in the military than any other minority group, Veterans Day is important for many Navajos to honor those who have served.

“A lot of them, they are forgotten,” Lou Antone Sr. said. Antone served in the Air Force during Vietnam and is the commander for the Crownpoint veterans. He’ll be at the Eastern Agency Veterans Day celebration on Monday.

Rippy Williams, of Gallup, said he usually goes to Window Rock for Veterans Day and to Golden Corral when it offers a free meal for veterans. A student at University of New Mexico-Gallup branch, he said he may attend activities for the student group there.

Williams served in the U.S. Marines from August 1996 to August 2000.

“I always bust out my old photo albums — I go back and reminisce,” he said.

According to the Tohatchi chapter, members of the Tohatchi Veterans Organization will be in Washington for Veterans Day this year.

The festivities on the Navajo Nation started on Saturday in Tuba City with the Western Agency celebrating Veterans Day with a parade to the community center followed by gourd dancing. A lunch was sponsored by the Tohnaneesdizi local government.

Activities to honor veterans continue today by the Eastern Agency Department of Navajo Veterans Affairs in Crownpoint. Beginning at 10 a.m., a parade is scheduled to take place, followed by lunch at the Crownpoint Middle School gym. Entertainment will be provided by Miss Navajo Nation Yolanda Charley and the Navajo Wranglers. A gourd dance with Southern Guns and Quanah Henry as the southern drum will be held. The theme for the Eastern Agency celebration is “Honor and Love Our Veterans.”

Information: 786-2030.

Navajo Technical College in Crownpoint is also sponsoring activities to honor veterans, Eastern Agency DNVA said, including a clean-up of Highway 371, which is a veterans’ memorial highway, and a fun run/walk.

The bulk of the Veterans Day activities will take place on Tuesday. Lukachukai veterans will get their first-ever parade in that community tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. There will be prizes for first, second and third places. All veterans are also invited to a dinner to be held at the chapter house after the parade.

In Chinle, the Central Navajo Veterans Organization and the Department of Navajo Veterans Affairs are sponsoring activities all day Tuesday with the theme “Honoring the New Generation of Veterans.” The day will begin at 8 a.m. at the Chinle DNVA parking lot with a flag raising, Donald F. Bizadi singing the national anthem, invocation by Father Blaine and a moment of silence.

A parade will commence at 10 a.m. on Navajo Route 7 beginning at the Pic N Go store to the Chinle chapter parking lot. A luncheon will be provided at the Chinle DNVA with entertainment by Tibb Armboy and Donovan Charley.

At 1 p.m., a song and dance will start at the Chinle chapter house and a veterans’ gourd dance will be held at 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. The activities will conclude with a country and western dance by Nelson Brown & “The Four Winds” from 8 to 10 p.m. also at the chapter.

The Pinon Veterans Organization will be sponsoring a parade and luncheon at the veterans grounds across the Pinon chapter house.

The Black Mesa Chapter Veterans organization will also host activities in its community beginning at 10 a.m., Chinle DNVA said.

Iyanbito is holding its Veterans Day celebration on Nov. 16 beginning at 7 a.m. with a flag raising ceremony at the chapter house. A parade starts at 9 a.m. with 1st through 3rd place awards for entries including walking/marching, vehicle/float and horse. The parade concludes at the Iyanbito chapter house where an awards ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. and a community dinner will be held at noon.

Activities will also include the “Salute to Our Veterans Gourd Dance” at 1 p.m. with Southern Medicine from Fort Defiance and Leonard Sheka, head singer, as the gourd drum. Arnold Collins, from the Western Gourd Society, is the head dancer and the master of ceremony is Donald Tolino of Gallup.

Information: 488-5650.