Overview
Throughout Shiprock, people prepare for the fair.
Those who will sell food, jewelry, pottery, and other items
set up at their booths and tables alongside the roads.
Music drifts through the air, and people hope
for a bit of rain so it won't be too dusty.
The scents of fry bread, stew, and roasted mutton
rise from outdoor grills. It makes everyone hungry.
The smell of strong, fresh coffee mingles
with the noises of passing cars, country music,
sizzling fry bread, and children begging for candy,
The whole town brims with excitement.
It is almost time for Shiprock fair. 1
When I was a child, there was always excitement and anticipation in the air as Shiprock Fair came closer. Everyone at school would talk about their favorite event or favorite part of the fair. I remember loading mattresses, blankets, ice chest full of pre-cooked food, jugs of water, jackets, and folding chairs into my dad's truck early in the morning before the sun came up. We didn't mind getting up very early. In fact, we stayed up late the night before, despite warnings from our parents to go to sleep, because we could not contain our excitement. My young siblings and I would pile into the camper, while my mom, dad, and two older siblings would ride in the cab. The excitement intensified as my dad zoomed through the busy traffic to get a parking spot as close to the venue as possible, and to selected a good spot to watch the parade. The parade was always a favorite event. The excerpt of the poetry by Luci Tapahonso which I use as an epigraph to this unit tells the story of how Shiprock Fair elicits excitement among children and adults alike.
Shiprock Fair is the oldest and most traditional Navajo fair on the Navajo reservation. The event is held annually the first week of October to celebrate the year's harvest and Navajo culture and tradition. Shiprock Fair is a unique event on the Navajo reservation because it lasts a week-long and includes Indian Markets, Social Songs and Dances, and Pow-wows. Navajos dress in their best traditional outfits and finest turquoise jewelry or in colorful regalia and feathers ready to enjoy an evening of cultural assembly and union through pow-wows and Navajo Social Song and Dance. Contemporary events like rodeos, carnivals, and parades balance out the celebration with cowboys trying to beat the 8 second ride, sounds of children yelling and screaming with elation on carnival rides and enjoying the colorful floats that promote culture, health, and organizations.
The intent of the unit is not so much to reconnect my students with the Navajo Language, but to use their knowledge of their culture and the Navajo culture around them as a tool to introduce and study poetry and through poetry to help my students develop English Language speaking and reading fluency. Research suggests that oral proficiency in English is associated with English reading comprehension and writing skills. 2
Every child on the Navajo reservation can relate to Shiprock Fair. The Beauty of using Shiprock Fair as my topic is every child can relate to the many different cultural events and activities. In addition, the fair provides many opportunities to introduce and teach poetry and songs that celebrate culture. Navajo culture present at the fair will serve as a connection to cultural identity for the students. As a teacher I recognize that there is a link between cultural background and approaches to learning. In this unit, I intend to teach my ELL students that Native American poets are storytellers. Although Native American poets have their own style, there is rhythm involved. Furthermore, the unit is meant to improve language development by reciting poems, building vocabulary, reading fluency, and challenge students to read and interpret poems with more text complexity.
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