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Noted Navajo artist earns nomination to Who's Who

James Peshlakai, noted Navajo artist, educator and student mentor, was recently informed of his second consecutive nomination to Who's Who among America's Teachers. The nomination came from Navajo students at Northern Arizona University who count Peshlakai's influence and guidance as part of their success at the university.

According to the publisher of this listing, nominated teachers have "made a difference in the lives of former students."

Further, according to the announcement letter, only 5 percent of the nation's teachers are honored in the listing. Less than 2 percent are included in more than one edition.

Peshlakai has been listed in the 2004-05 edition, and will be featured in the following 2005-06 edition. He shared the news in an interview on Jan. 30, held at the Wupatki National Monument 30 miles northeast of Flagstaff.

According to Peshlakai, being nationally honored as a teacher inspired his wife Mae to ask him who taught him to teach.

"The question caused me to think about the people who really raised me," Peshlakai said. "I lived at boarding school throughout my education. Women like Marjorie Thomas, Sally Preston, Ms. Numkena and Alice Sekastewa helped raise me."

He said is grandmother, Gasheoma, was also influential in his life.

"My people have a style of teaching that I've picked up over the years," Peshlakai said. "They teach with songs. They go back into the course of the history of the Dine, the stories of the past. That's how I learned. When I teach, I use the songs that my people have sung."

Although Peshlakai enjoys the respect of many, he said he's also had his detractors.

"Some people have gotten upset because of my teaching," Peshlakai said. "Some have objected, perhaps because of their religion, political correctness, sexual orientation or other beliefs. You can't satisfy everyone. I try to be objective when I teach. I've even been accused of practicing witchcraft, but many of my people tell me, 'Hey James, don't worry about it.'

"I think about the observation by the late Mother Teresa that people can be unreasonable at times. She advised that if you are kind, keep being kind ­ if you are giving, keep on giving. If you are teaching, keep on teaching and if you are honest, keep on being honest," Peshlakai continued. "Your business is between you and God."

Peshlakai has also drawn inspiration from the militant activist Che' Guevera.

"With Che', he observed during meetings with the people he fought for that many of them did not know how to read or write. The first thing he did was to teach them to read and write," Peshlakai said.

Peshlakai emulated Guevera, teaching those chapter members who showed up early for meetings about car insurance, comprehensive insurance and more.

"I taught about geography, how the branch government worked, how to budget and about stock market prices," Peshlakai said. "I showed them how to look in the newspaper to see the current prices of cattle and metals as guidance of how to price their own livestock and goods."

He chuckled as he recalled that period during the 70s and 80s when he would see the older men sitting around reading the newspapers ­ no longer just looking at the cartoons but at the stock market section. Peshlakai also noticed that many of the people could not sign their names, inspiring him to join forces with Marjorie Thomas to start an adult education program in Tuba City.

"We taught people how to write their name, and what different numbers stood for. Traders were having a field day with my people back then because they didn't understand what numbers stood for," Peshlakai said.

Peshlakai has served his people in many capacities, including as chapter president of Cameron Chapter. He said this position honed his skills as an advocate for the people in land issues with entities such as the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the Hopi Tribe and the Babbitt Cattle Ranch. He soon discovered however that he could get more done as the secretary of his chapter.

Peshlakai, who had been accepted to the Navajo Nation Bar in the 70s and also served with the tribe's law enforcement department, was adept at advising the chapter administration and assisting in the drafting of resolutions.

Peshlakai also served as the secretary of the District Council, including Tuba City, Coalmine, Cameron and Gap/Bodaway chapters.

He served in these roles for almost two decades before a health condition forced him to take some time to recuperate.

Peshlakai said that when he teaches people, he tries not to grade or judge them.

"When I teach people, I just want them to learn," he said. "People have different learning styles."

Although teaching is part of his traditional Navajo upbringing, there are other aspects of his culture deeply imbedded in Peshlakai's being.

Peshlakai stood about a quarter of a mile from the small stone house where he was born and raised, on land that has since been taken over by the Wupatki National Monument and the historic Chambers Ranch. His roots are deep here, and as he calmly surveyed the landscape where he and his sister, Eleanor, once herded sheep, he recalled weekends at home from boarding school.

"Up there on the flats, I would lay across my horse and work on homework while watching the sheep. I'm a sheep man to this day. Sheep is in my blood."

But so ­ according to his many students ­ is teaching.


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