With drums and Navajo dances, American Indian families celebrated their culture as the Intertribal Student Association announced Rose Yazzie, a junior in elementary education, as the new American Indian Woman Scholar at a pageant at the Union on Wednesday.
“I’m really thankful for this position to not only serve as a role model, but mentor students that are coming through,” Yazzie said. “That’s all that really matters.”
All four candidates will receive a scholarship, but Yazzie will also represent the U’s American Indian student population at events. She will speak at the U’s powwow on Saturday, as well as at the events for the American Indian Resource Center through the upcoming year.
Matthew Makomenaw, director of the center, said the events are open for everyone and bring cultural awareness to the community, as well as allow people to celebrate together.

Haily Augustine, a sophomore in athletic training and first runner-up in the pageant, switched off every two years living with her grandmother, who only speaks Navajo, on the Oljato-Monument Valley reservation in Utah where she learned “traditions and superstitions” with her mother in Nevada.
Augustine also represents the Inner Tribal Student Association at the U. Her grandmother, who has diabetes, inspired her to major in athletic training.
“On the reservation we lack in the area of medicine,” Augustine said. “The Navajo population suffers a lot from diabetes, alcoholism and suicide, so I want to try and help in any of those ways.”
Many of the candidates introduced themselves with their four clan names in Navajo, such as Bitter Water, Meadow People, Folded Arm and Black Streak Wood — all of Augustine’s clans. These names are not only important in representing where an individual is from, but it also shows who you can and cannot marry, Augustine said.
The candidates were asked the question, “ ‘With hope there is strength and power to profess.’ What does this sentence mean to you?” Two of the candidates brought the question back to how the American Indian culture does not have to die, and the Navajo population must have hope to keep their culture going. Others talked about improving life on the reservation, as well as education.
At another part, the candidates were able to show their talents. Augustine sang Navajo songs titled “The Return Home,” “Beautiful Dancer” and “Secret Beauty.” Jessica Begay, a freshman in biology and third runner-up, showed her drawings, such as a dream catcher and a feather, as well as her photography. Yazzie performed the traditional basket dance and Andi Mcbryde, a freshman in business and second runner-up, did her sister’s hair with a tsiiyeel, a string-like cloth that is a part of traditional Navajo attire.