Ya' at' eeh - Hello Friends

Diné Bé Iiná’ was founded in 1991. Our mission is to restore the balance between Navajo culture, life, and land. We seek to preserve, protect, and promote the Diné way of life.

"Sheep is Life" - "Dibe' Be' Iina" is a our flagship event. It is a Celebration of Shepherding and Weaving culture: our traditional Navajo lifeway as well as cultures from around the world. This year, 2016, will be our 20th annual celebration to be held June 17-19th. We have added a third day with even more activities and plan to invite sheepherders and fiber artists from around the world. With your help and input, we want to make this the best event ever. Donations of any amount are appreciated.  Volunteers are welcomed.

Funds raised with this campaign will support educational activities and help us cover the costs of facilities and materials. Funds not used for this event will be held for future Sheep is Life events.

This three day event is offered free to the public. It includes educational programs and hands-on demonstrations about Navajo weaving, felting, spinning, dying and other arts and crafts; culinary arts featuring lamb and traditional foods; sheep production; land management; stories and presentations about traditional lifeways; a Navajo-Churro sheep and wool show/clinic; demonstrations on discussion of important issues; sheep camp activities, shade house activities, youth activities, and an awards ceremony.

This year we will make a special effort to honor all who have been involved in our organization over the last 25 years and all who have been involved in saving our beloved Taa' Dibei' (Navajo-Churro Sheep) from extinction. Our annual awards include the Youth Horizon Leadership Award, the Gold Tooth Begay Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Dr. Annie Wauneka Shepherdess of the year Award (sponsored by Dr. Lyle McNeal).

We also will add events such as a hand spinning contest, fiber arts sales booth, museum display by Diné Youth Fiber Artist Apprentices, special guests and more.  We also will be offering pre-celebration workshops with Navajo fiber artists on the Monday-Thursday preceding the main celebration. More details and updates are at our website www.navajolifeway.org

This is YOUR Event

Please let us know if you have ideas or requests for the planning team. Please let us know if you would like to participate with a presentation, demonstration, workshop or information booth. We also welcome vendors. We are asking our friends and supporters to lend a hand as volunteers. Better yet, you are welcomed to join our DBI team as a leader!  

Financial donations will help cover our expenses for Sheep is Life. These expenses include stipends for presenters and guests, sheep and wool clinics, youth activities, materials for fiber arts demonstration, equipment, facilities such as Porta Potties, as well as dorm rooms and stipends for helpers for this year's 2016 Sheep is Life Celebration.

We plan to attract 300 or more participants from across the Navajo Nation, the Four Corners Region and beyond. The Dine College and Land Grant Office are our hosts and The Christensen Fund is a major supporter of DBI.

“Sheep in every essence an important part of our culture and traditions. It is important to celebrate our sheep traditions and our lifeways. Our Sheep Is Life Celebration re-centers us in the cosmos of our universe; it is our blessingway ceremony for our continuance here on earth, and for the next generations to come.” – Roy Kady, former President of DBI

More about DBI
Dine' Be' Iina' programs help people learn about and honor the Dine’ lifeways which revolve around land stewardship, traditional shepherding, agriculture, weaving and the extended family. We seek to address the needs of Diné sheep and goat producers with a focus on, but not be restricted to the Navajo-Churro Sheep and promote a community-based food system.

By encouraging local leadership, cross-generational interaction, and providing “train the trainer” experiences for Diné presenters we are building capacity for cultural expression and self suficiency.

In addition to the annual Sheep is Life event, other core outreach, community development and educational programs sponsored by Diné Bé Iiná (DBI) include community based Spinoff Groups, the Navajo-Churro Lamb Presidium, and mini Sheep is Life events. We collaborate with Northern Dine Youth Council and other youth programs, Tribal Extension and Land Grant Office, Diné College, and Crown Point Technological College on events they sponsor. Our aim is to be sustainable in providing community outreach, build grassroots involvement in our organization, and encourage a leadership ethic with a focus on youth.

Funds not used for this year's event will be earmarked for the 2017 Sheep is Life. Your assistance will be very much appreciated.  Please share this with others who may share your enthusiasm for our mission.

Your assistance will be appreciated.

Ahéhee', Thank you

Ron Garnanez, President, Dine Be Iina

Aretta Begay, Managing Director