My way off this rock was through museums. Working as a preparator and then later as an exhibit designer I got to experience other cultures through art, artifacts and travel.
I met one of my best friends working at the Heard Museum in Phoenix around 15 years ago. Back in the day Manny and I would sit across from each other in the preparator's workshop making mounts (display stands) for artifacts discussing our dreams and crazy art ideas including his idea to dub STAR WARS in Diné bizaad, the Navajo language. He is very humble and makes sure to credit his team in the articles and video interviews I will link you to at the end of this post. Manny has worked really hard to make sure that this concept was presented in the right context. All these years later as director of the Navajo Nation Museum in Window Rock, Manny was just waiting for the right time to pounce. He not only pulled it off, he did it with style. I'm so proud and inspired by his accomplishment I have goose bumps writing this. Showing the movie during the rodeo on the rodeo grounds, you'd think Manny could have fulfilled one of my life long dreams to see midgets dressed like jawas riding sheep. I guess there is still time. Moral of the blog post: It is never too late to make those dreams come true.
 |
| One of my museum work related trips lead me to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. This is me holding the light saber Mark Hamill used in STAR WARS Return of the Jedi. It had just returned to Earth after its journey on the Space Shuttle Discovery in 2007. Feel the power!!! ©Louisa Kwasigroch |
 |
| This is Manny (Wearing his Boba Fett Shirt) and myself last year in Many Farms, AZ after a few days of butchering sheep and digging post holes. He called me several months ago and told me that he was on his way to Burbank to talk to big shots about moving forward with the project, but most importantly, where should he take his crew to eat while he was there. I sent them to The Smokehouse. Then just a few months later they set a date and a place to debut "Navajo STAR WARS"! ©Jana Davis |
 |
| July 3rd 2013 history was made. The first Hollywood movie to be dubbed in a Native American language was shown in Window Rock during the fair and rodeo. I was so excited from the moment I got out of bed that morning I started seeing STAR WARS in everything. On the right is obviously the Millennium Falcon. On the left is a rock I saw out in the cinders in front of the ranch house. Photo on the left ©Lucasfilm |
 |
| In Winslow, AZ off of the I-40 on the way up to Window Rock. This may be a stretch but it cracked me up. ©Jana Davis |
 |
| Now it's getting weird. We randomly stopped at a place to eat in Winslow called the Brown Mug and saw This is on the wall above a booth. |
 |
| Hello!? This obviously manipulated billboard spotted on the I-40 looks like Darth Vaders Tie Fighter. |
 |
| The drive up is beautiful. ©Jana Davis |
 |
| There is indeed a window in that there rock. When you go, stay at the Quality Inn Navajo Nation Capital. It's a great 2 star hotel with awesome people running a tight ship. |
 |
| Manuelito Wheeler and I a few hours before he had to go into action and run the show. ©Jana Davis |
 |
| While waiting for seating to start, we headed over to the fair to find some lemonade. ©Jana Davis |
 |
| I thought the lemonade should come out of here. ©Jana Davis |
 |
| We took her picture, but got our lemonade at the vendor next door. Who buys lemonade out of a fish? ©Jana Davis |
 |
| Navajo Banksy strikes again! |
 |
| We had reserved seats next to the cast. ©Jana Davis |
 |
| Me with the 501st Dewback Ridge Garrison. I took the snow troopers gun. I guess he's not used to posing with out it and copied the Vader pose. ©Jana Davis |
 |
| I wanted one of those shirts, but the guy sold out of my size. It says, "These are not the Diné you are looking for." |
 |
| During the movie, people of all ages were laughing and having a great time. I really wish I understood some of the translations. People were just cracking up every time C-3PO said anything. |
 |
| I'm your Daddy? |
 |
| If Manny doesn't pay off Jabba the Hut he's a dead man. |
 |
| My anaconda don't want none unless you got buns hun! "Bill and Jana" sounds a bit like "Bilagáana". Hi we're Jana and Bill! Check out this video of us on the news in New Mexico. ©Jana Davis |
 |
| I wasn't sure what Manny meant when he said, "We're doing this thing super bowl half time style. Roll in fast set up and get started." This is a livestock trailer with a movie screen attached rolling in to the rodeo grounds. ©Jana Davis |
 |
| As I mentioned they did it right. That projector is the same one they use in high end movie theaters. Jana did it right too. She even has little stars glued to her face. |
 |
| The anticipation while the screen unfolded and the seating was arranged made it feel epic. I saw the guy that planned and set up the screen kicking back with a smoke before the show. He said, "Manny told me to have this up in 30 minutes, I did it in 20." |
 |
| In the tradition of not making things too perfect... NO VIDEO TAPPING. ©Jana Davis |
 |
| These speakers were awesome. I felt the explosions throughout my entire body. |
 |
| Oooh the anticipation grows. Now whenever I watch STAR WARS I will always remember the sweet smell of manure and popcorn. |
 |
| Manny holding his own on the microphone. He made sure to tell everyone to make sure not to be "TAPPING" anything tonight if you want to see another movie dubbed in Navajo. I suggested Porky's 2 or Meatballs but he wasn't havin' it. |
 | ||||
| The cast. Not understanding much of what they were saying, I felt that they all got their voices to sound extremely close to the original actors. Darth Vader (wearing the black hat of course) and C-3PO (in the gold C-3PO shirt) had the crowd going every time they had a line. They all sounded great and did this major task in a very short time frame. I figured that since I was good and didn't bootleg the movie or take any photos of Greedo talking to Han with Navajo subtitles, I would do you one better and show you a a few paintings by my friend Ryan Singer. I will let the paintings and their titles speak for themselves. Click here to see more of his work. Click here to buy one of his cool coffee mugs.
©Ryan Singer Bounty Hunter Trickster Encounter, 30" X 40",
Acrylic on canvas, 2010
©Ryan Singer Princess Leia with Shiprock, 24" X 30", Acrylic on canvas, 2011
|
 |
| From Manny's NPR interview: "Language is the core of our culture, and I felt we needed a more contemporary way to reach not just young people but the population in general". Notice the collection of Boba Fetts in Manny's office at the Navajo Nation Museum at mailing address P.O. Box 1840 Window Rock, AZ 86515. He loves Boba Fett and loves receiving them as gifts. He's got a hand written letter from Jello Biafra framed on his wall too. Links to articles about Navajo STAR WARS: Arizona Central This is probably the most comprehensive article with lots of video of the voice actors. Watch the video on Indian Country There are clips from the movie. The Telegraph NPR MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU GOATLOVERS! (I would have said that in Navajo, but I need to watch the movie about 300 more times for my pea brain to retain anything.) |
No comments:
Post a Comment