Grassroots group aims to revitalize Diné Bizaad and encourage bilingualism through Shimá Storytelling.
Gallup Independent. November 15th, 2019. Christina Tsosie, Staff Writer.
GALLUP – Shimá Storytelling began with Radmilla Cody briefly informing attendees in the audience that taking photos and recording songs and performances by the trio – comprised of Cody, Pauletta Chief-Lee, and Stefanie Littlehat – was forbidden.
Anne Price of the Octavia Fellin Public Library Children’s Branch and their staff invited Shimá storytelling as their guests for Native American Heritage Month and Native Language Programming Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m..
Along with songs aimed at revitalizing Diné Bizaad, or the Navajo language, the group also hopes to promote awareness of consent. Continued after image.
Empowering Youth
Too often in this age – the age of social media – we forget that we need to ask permission to take photos or record sessions, said Cody, after all, it is their body, their choice.
“Not only do we want to empower youth by encouraging them to speak up against anyone attempting to capture their likeness or their actions, we also want to create a safe space for everyone so that they can be free to be themselves,” she said. “We’re very sensitive towards other people’s preferences – whatever those may be. This is something that we have done from the beginning.”
When Shimá Storytelling began their story in April, their goal was to bring their children together to socialize and play with one another while listening and speaking Navajo.
