Yá’át’ééh.
Hello.
Shí’éí Jeneda Benally yinishyé.
My name is Jeneda Benally.
Shí’éí Red Coat People nishłi.
I am of the Red Coat People.
To’dich’níi”ii bashishchíín.
I am born for the Bitter Water.
Naakai diné’é éí dashinálí . The wandering people are my paternal grandparents.
Aadóó Polish éí dashicheii nááná.The ones that are called the Polish people are
my maternal grandparents.
I am originally from Black Mesa Arizona on the Navajo Nation.
But I reside here in Flagstaff.
My first experience in the Museum of Northern Arizona goes back so far that I don’t think
that I can remember.
The Museum of Northern Arizona has always been a large part of my life—of my family’s
life, of the Jones-Benally family.
We’ve performed at the Navajo show with our traditional Diné —traditional Navajo—dances
for many, many years.
And much later, we performed here with our contemporary rock band, Black Fire.
And, even more recently, performed here at the Museum of Northern Arizona with our new
group, the rock duo called Sihasin.
Most often, when people think of a museum they think of history.
They think of something that they can read about but they can’t necessarily experience
or touch.
And my experience with the Museum of Northern Arizona is unique because my experience is
a journey of empowerment, a journey of understanding the incredible leadership that comes out of
this community house.
The Diné Discovery camp here at the Museum of Northern Arizona is really a place that
provides a growing sense of leadership for our youth.
And that’s so important and that’s so rare to find.
Not only does it build a good foundation for youth for understanding who they are as a
Diné person, as a cultural person, but it provides that foundation to make decisions
based on their understanding of what their foundation is.
The Museum of Northern Arizona is a safe place.
And it’s always been a safe place for artists, for people to come, for spiritual leaders
to come and share.