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The University of New Mexico

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Contact: Carolyn Gonzales 277-5920 cgonzal@unm.edu

April 9, 2007

Final Film in Series is ‘Weaving Worlds’

The University of New Mexico’s Center for the Southwest and Kiva Club present “Weaving Worlds” (2007), the final film in this year’s Southwestern Film Series, on Thursday, April 26 at 6 p.m. in SUB Ballroom C.

“Weaving Worlds,” featured during UNM’s Nizhoni Days, highlights Navajo tales of “how the west was spun.” The film explores personal stories of Navajo weavers and their complex relationship with reservation traders. It also examines the delicate balance between cultural survival, economic independence and artistic motivation evident in everyday lives of Navajo weavers. While weavers’ creations are highly valued and collected around the world, foremost is their constant quest for cultural continuity through creating textiles as well as the effects of globalization on their land, sheep and livelihoods.

Bennie Klain, a Navajo, is well known for creating documentaries and fictional films to challenge cultural assumptions. He co-produced “The Return of Navajo Boy” (2000) which screened at more than 60 festivals and received many honors. His short film “Yada Yada” (2002) won the Teueikan Second Prize at Montreal’s First Peoples’ Festival in 2003. In 2006, Klain directed “Share the Wealth.”

He is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and his production company, TricksterFilms, is based there. Klain, along with Diné linguist Roseann Willink of UNM’s Department of Linguistics and their research team, will discuss “Weaving Worlds” (2007).

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 277-7688.

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