Begay, Shonto. NAVAJO: VISIONS AND VOICES ACROSS THE MESA. New York: Scholastic Inc., 1995. ISBN 0590461532.
2. PLOT SUMMARY
In this volume, Shonto Begay, celebrated Navajo artist, pairs 20 of his paintings collected from his body of work with 20 of his original poems and prose writings to present an intimate view of Navajo life. From the perspective of someone who endures the “constant struggle for balance – balance in living between the “New World” and the ancient world of [his] people, the Navajo,” we see the past and the present, the ancient and the modern, the spiritual and the every day expressed in his deeply personal words and pictures.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Shonto Begay begins this volume with an Introduction which is both touching and revealing. He describes the painful time in the past when he was sent to a boarding school at the age of five as required by law, and moves into the present where he splits his time between his “square-cornered house” during the week surrounded by all the modern conveniences, to his Hogan built on the site of his birthplace where he spends his weekends with no electricity, running water, television or telephone, and where no English is spoken. The Introduction sets the stage for the words and pictures that will reveal a life that embraces both past and present.
Begay dedicates this volume to those who do not know what it is like to be an Indian. “To those who yearn for vision into our world, I give this collection of paintings, which are pieces of myself.” And it is the paintings which are the strength of this volume. Most are originally acrylic on canvas, with a few being watercolor, pencil and ink on paper. But they all present strong pictures of the life of the Navajo, both past and present, drawing the viewer into a sparse but warm kitchen, to a deserted hogan where someone has died, or out to the empty villages of the Anasazi who were blown away by a strong wind for their disobedience long before the Navajo arrived. Portrayals of people still living are warm and welcoming – people we would like to meet if we had the chance. Spirits of the past subtly haunt the backgrounds of some where the people are no longer present in the physical sense.
The poems are intensely personal and strictly Navajo, but do not have the same power as the paintings. Still, they will give the reader a sense of what the life of the modern Navajo is like as the traditions and teachings of the past meld with the modern world. Begay’s volume is organized “in a certain order to recreate the essence of my world.” He begins with the spiritual world and the traditional stories, to the Navajo community and rituals, and finally ends on a note of hope for this and future generations. “In My Mother’s Kitchen” is my personal favorite, both the painting and the poem. In the hectic suburban lifestyle I lead, it is a chance to escape to a peaceful, warm, restful place, and in some regards, experience life as it seems it should be and as I often wish it were.
This volume is a wonderful collection that will speak to readers through both words and visuals. Navajo: Visions and Voices Across the Mesa should be included in libraries and classrooms where readers can experience the beauty that is the Navajo Nation. This volume is the newest addition to my personal library.
4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
*Publishers Weekly: “With these heartfelt paintings, poems and memoirs, the noted Navajo artist fulfills his stated goal of taking the reader ``into the corners of my world, the Navajo world. . . . each reveals an intimate knowledge of a people in harmony with the land.”
*Children’s Literature: “By pairing his striking oil paintings with powerful and graceful poetry, Navajo artist Shonto Begay shares many aspects of his life and culture in a very personal way. As explained in the introduction, the twenty paintings and poems cover a wide range of Navajo life, from memories of his past, to rituals, and his feelings about protecting the earth. This beautiful, large-format picture book should appeal to a wide range of readers.”
*Booklist: “Although his poetry especially speaks to the ongoing struggle of living in a "dual society," his paintings are firmly rooted in the Navajo culture. His work is not angry or sentimental; there is an honesty and straightforwardness that allows his readers/viewers insight into his world-view. The variety of images reflects the complexity of life that many contemporary Navajo face. An excellent addition to poetry and art collections.”
*School Library Journal: “Powerful and appealing in both word and image, this reflective book should find a wide audience of sympathetic readers.”
5. CONNECTIONS
• Create a sensory chart by labeling five columns “sight,” “sound,” “taste,” “touch,” and “smell.” Place the images from the poem “In My Mother’s Kitchen” (p. 21) into the chart in order to see how Begay uses all the senses to help us feel like we are in the kitchen with him.
• Have students use “In My Mother’s Kitchen” (p. 21) as a template for writing a poem about a room in their own house or apartment. Use sensory images (as analyzed above) to help the reader feel as if he or she is there.
• Compare the creation story of “Creation” (p. 10) with the creation story from Genesis 1 in the Bible. Find creation stories from other cultures to read and compare. How are they alike? How do they differ?
• Many of the paintings seem to be inspired by pointillism – a style of painting where the paint is dotted onto the canvas. (See pp. 19, 20, 38, 41-42 for examples) Try creating a piece of art using the same technique.
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