Arizona’s Canyon de Chelly National Monument is a place where many Navajo families come to reconnect with their roots. The area was once inhabited by Ancient Puebloans and some believe that the ancestral spirits still remain. Every year, sisters Tonisha and Tonielle Draper spend time in the Canyon learning about their Navajo heritage from their father and grandmother. In this short film from the
National Park Experience, watch Tonisha share her knowledge in the Miss Central Navajo Pre-Teen pageant and continue the tribe's traditions for another generation.
For guided tours of Canyon de Chelly National Monument, contact Daniel Draper by
phone or
email. Credits: Directed and produced by
Dana Romanoff and Amy Marquis; edited by Greg Snider (Blue Chalk Media); cinematography by Dana Romanoff and Jason Greene (Blue Chalk Media); audio mix by Mike Cramp (Postmodern Company).
The
Short Film Showcase spotlights exceptional short videos created by filmmakers from around the world and selected by National Geographic editors. We look for work that affirms National Geographic's belief in the power of science, exploration, and storytelling to change the world. The filmmakers created the content presented, and the opinions expressed are their own, not those of National Geographic Partners.