Book on Navajo bands spotlights ‘gender biasness’
BY ARLYSSA BECENTI
NAVAJO TIMES
WINDOW ROCK – Before Kristina Jacobsen was an associate professor of music and anthropology at the University of New Mexico she was once an intern at KTNN.
Working at KTNN introduced the Massachusetts girl to the popularity of Navajo country bands. Initially coming to the Navajo Nation when she was 17 years old, to be a park ranger at Canyon De Chelly, Jacobsen was invited to the Chinle Community Center for a western dance.
“The seed for this book happened when I was younger… I remember a sea of western hats and cowboy boots,” reminisced Jacobsen of her first reservation western dance. “I felt profoundly out of place…and being completely fascinated by the scene.”
Through her work at KTNN, Jacobsen familiarized herself with Navajo bands. Jacobsen noticed when listeners called into KTNN to request a song most requests were for country songs covered by Navajo country bands and the callers were very specific as to which band they wanted to hear.
“It was very specific, very localized to this place, the Navajo Nation,” said Jacobsen.
Jacobsen then decided to join three local country bands in order to do field work on her dissertation. She was also able to get the band members’ permission to write about her experiences and that was the beginning of not only her dissertation, but her book: ‘The Sound of Navajo Country: Music, Language,
Kristina M. Jacobsen, right, author of ‘The Sound of Navajo Country,’ and singer Chucki Begaye sing a duet Friday in Window Rock.