‘It feels amazing’, Acacia Williams crowned 2023-24 E’e’aahjígo Diné Bich’eekį
TUBA CITY
Acacia Williams is the newly crowned Miss Western Navajo.
In a packed McKesson tent where the powwow is held, Western Diné anxiously watched contests get called for runner-up Saturday evening.
Williams, 19, is from Kaibeto, Arizona. She is K’aalógii-Áshįįhí and born for Tł’ízíłání. Her maternal grandfather is Kinłichíi’nii, and her paternal grandfather is Táchii’nii.
She is the daughter of Larry and Kimberlee Williams.
Navajo Times | Kianna Joe
Dayhenoa Yazzie, the 2022-23 Miss Western Navajo, crowns Acacia Williams the 2023-24 Miss Western Navajo on Saturday evening during the 53rd Annual Western Navajo Fair in Tuba City.
The Miss Western Navajo pageant began Thursday morning with a sheep butchering and then went into a traditional skills competition.
Four young women competed for the Miss Western Navajo title. They were Angilique Yazzie from Tonalea-Red Lake, Arizona; Thomasina Wero from Coalmine Mesa, Arizona; Amber Blacksmith from Kaibeto; and Williams.
The contestants competed in traditional bun-tying, impromptu Navajo knowledge questions, and traditional skills.
While the other women have competed before in pageants and know the etiquette, Williams didn’t.
Williams was nervous but preserved each day with crowd-whooping skills and answers.
When day two came around for the modern portion of the competition, Williams said she had to think hard about a skill to share because she has been primarily involved in a traditional environment.
“I think I didn’t do the best out of the four, but it’s been great to get the exposure to pageants and to meet new people,” said Williams.
While it may seem like a disadvantage to compete with women knowledgeable in pageants, Williams sees this as an opportunity to learn from them.
“It’s like a team effort. I get to learn from them, and then we all learn together, too,” said Williams.
The 2022-2023 Miss Western Navajo, Dayhenoa Yazzie, didn’t pass off her crown but put a new crown on Williams.
Ednei E. Yabeny, a self-taught jeweler, made the crown.
When Williams’ name was called, she said she did not expect to be the new Miss Western Navajo.
“It feels amazing, I’m so surprised,” said Williams.
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