Navajo Nation Ambassador Peterson Zah cuts the ribbon to the 69th annual Navajo Nation Fair. Also pictured are Attorney General Ethel Branch and Arbin Mitchell, chief of staff to Navajo Nation Council Speaker LoRenzo Bates. Photo from Facebook
The 69th annual Navajo Nation Fair is underway in Window Rock, Arizona, the capital of the Navajo NatIon. Navajo Nation Ambassador Peterson Zah, a former president of the tribe, officially welcomed visitors to the event on Wednesday. The fair features a rodeo, parade, powwow, frybread contest and the always-popular competition for Miss Navajo Nation. “It's a gathering place for the Navajo people," Zah said in a press release. "Years and years ago this is where the people came together to renew their friendship and acquaintances. This is where they came to meet relatives."
A contestant for Miss Navajo Nation showcases her butchering skills. Photo from Facebook
The parade, which Zah referred to as the "grandaddy" of all parades, takes place on Saturday. It starts in Tse Bonito, on the New Mexico portion of the reservation, and ends a couple of miles away at the tribal fairgrounds in Window Rock. Also on Saturday, the new Miss Navajo Nation will be crowned. Several contestants already started the competition yesterday, showcasing their butchering and bread-making skills to the crowd. McKeon K. Dempsey of Oak Springs, Arizona, is the current titleholder.
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