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Photographs by Gayle Williamson |
Maternal clan: Ma'ii deeshgiizhinii, Coyote Pass--Jemez Paternal clan: Tsenahabilnii, Sleepy Rock People Maternal Grandfather: Tachii'nii, Red Running into the Water Clan Paternal Grandfather: Naakaii Dine'e Mexican Clan Leo Natani takes white corn outside every morning at Table Mesa, where he lives, and facing East he blesses Mother Earth and asks to have a good day. It doesn't stop there. At noon he pulls a deerskin pouch from his pocket, faces South, sprinkles corn pollen, and prays again. In the evening he faces the West, prays and sprinkles yellow corn, and at night he faces the North or Father Sky and prays. He doesn't use the corn at night. He does this because he was born and raised traditionally, in Toadlena. Leo Natani recently retired from Shiprock Judicial
District Court as a Peacemaker Liaison, but was immediately
hired as a traditional consultant for Health Promotions at
Northern Navajo Medical Center. Anyone who knows Leo, knows
of his passion for keeping the Dine Bizaad alive, and even
if you don't understand it, he will probably leave you a
phone message in the Navajo language. He has been married
for 42 years to a weaver, Sarah Natani. In 2000, Leo starred
in the Dine video, Horse Song. |
Return to Leo and Sarah NataniFebruary 2003 |