Navajo view of stars offered

Independent staff

GALLUP — The Indigenous Institute of Native Arts is presenting a night of Navajo star gazing Monday in Yah-ta-hey.

Gloria Begay, who will be the host, said this is something that she presents annually to give people both Navajo and non-Navajo a chance to learn about the Navajo view of the constellations.

It's going to be held at the Training Center in Yah-ta-hey, which is the old Marty's Diner.

The program begins at 8:30 p.m. with Begay explaining some of the Navajo stories about the stars. That will be followed by a Navajo Star Gazing Party at 10 p.m. at which time people can observe the constellations that the stories are about.

There is a charge of $10 for adults and $5 for children.

On the following night, Begay will present a similar program on the top of Mt. Taylor in the Grants area.

"We get a lot of health service professionals as well as teachers," she said, adding that traditionally these stores can be told after the summer solstice, which is on Thursday.

For more information, people can call the institute at 505) 409-3320 or 505-726-4412 or visit the website at www.gpac.info/iina