GALLUP, NM The original Star Wars: Episode IV - A New
Hope premiered nationwide in1977, but the characters based in a
galaxy far, far away were brought a little closer to home during
the Navajo dubbed film premiere on June 30 at the El Morro Theater.
"It has a lot of humor in it," said 2012-2013 Miss
Navajo Nation Leandra Thomas adding that she caught herself smiling
throughout the whole movie. "I've never seen any of the Star
Wars movies and it made a lot of sense seeing it once (and) in the
Navajo language."
The first character the audience is introduced to in the film
is C-3PO and R2-D2 as they walk through their spacecraft while it's
being attacked. As the first line in Navajo is spoken by C-3PO the
audience erupts in cheers.
"I was very very impressed how all the recordings came
together," said Geri Hongeva-Camarillo, who played C-3PO.
As the movie moved forward the crowd reaction remained high
as the audience laughed and cheered as each character was introduced
with a Navajo voice.
"The tone in Navajo definitely makes a big difference compared
to when you listen to something in English," said Donovan Hanley
from White Cone, Ariz., who attended the premiere with his mother
Ann Maree Hanley. "It was very cool and good representation."
"It was nice to share this with her," said Hanley
of his mother. "It's a new way of connecting the older generation
with the new."
The movie is 125 minutes long and it is entirely spoken in the
Navajo language. The parts that included an alien character with
an alien language were subtitled in Navajo. No English subtitles
were shown at the bottom of the screen during the movie.
"I think this will encourage our young ones to start picking
up Navajo and learn Navajo," said the elder Hanley.
She added that the movie is a great way for the elders to understand
why the younger generations watch these types of movies.
Eroina Pahe, 13 from Window Rock, said, "Most people who
know Navajo and don't really know how to speak English can actually
understand the movie."
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Fredrick Long, a secondary character, from Church Rock, N.M
took his family to see the movie.
"My daughter and I really love Star Wars but just the fact
that it was done in Navajo is something that my kids can watch all
the time, but at the same time it's a teaching tool for my children,"
Long said.
Added his wife Kirsty, "The fact that we could bring our
daughter to it was awesome."
"I enjoyed it a lot," Thomas added. "It's only
the beginning for many more movies to come."
The Navajo Star Wars will be showing at the Window Rock Sports
Center on July 4 and 5.
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