Northern fair manager advises wearing good walking shoes

Posted by Rick Abasta | Oct 5, 2023 | News |

WINDOW ROCK – It’s been four weeks since Elmer Yazzie was appointed as fair manager for the 110th Northern Navajo Fair. The Shiprock native said he is “excited” about the opportunity.

He credits Frederick White, the owner and proprietor of Building Nations LLC, as the driving factor in his selection as fair manager. The pair are lifelong friends.

Yazzie said he recently retired after serving 44 years as a teacher and coach for various schools, including stints at Rehoboth Christian School, substitute teaching full-time in the Bozeman Valley in Montana, plus teaching and coaching in Tucson.

He said his experience coaching cross-country and track has prepared him to take the helm of the Northern Navajo Fair because it is an exercise contingent upon teamwork and working with others.

“I believe that within every team, there are the strengths brought together by the members of the team,” Yazzie said. “A good coach will cue in on those strengths.”

Building Nations is a significant part of the team operating the Northern Navajo Fair, he said, adding that they are the official financial monitors of the event, which will be cash-free across the board.

“There’s no cash exchanged. It’s all money orders or paid through credit card. I know in the past there has been money that was mismanaged,” Yazzie said.

Working as a fair manager means dealing with essential considerations such as having a fire extinguisher on all floats for the parade, conducting water tests with the Navajo Engineering and Construction Authority and the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority, securing roadway access with the Navajo Division of Transportation, and obtaining the insurance to cover it all.

Although he grew up in Shiprock, Yazzie spent a long time away from his hometown as he taught and coached at various locales. He didn’t even know where the police station was located, but thanks to his fair coordinators, he reacquainted himself with the community.

“Humility is the key ingredient to a team. Your team needs to perform in a humble manner, and our traditional teachings are like that,” Yazzie said. “It’s good to be working together with people in Shiprock.”

“I’m enjoying the experience and challenge,” he added.

Yazzie’s faith has helped him throughout his career, and the Northern Navajo Fair in Shiprock is another opportunity to build upon that spiritual foundation.

Working with his boarding school buddy (Fred White) is another personal boost aiding his responsibility of leading this year’s fair.

“Personally, for me as a Christian Protestant, I believe the team comes together automatically when people reveal their strengths as one body, as described by the Bible,” Yazzie said. “They all serve a different purpose.”

When asked about the budget for this year’s fair, Yazzie said: “It’s fluctuating, but it’s an expensive project. There’s really no difference between one dollar and $1,000.”

Yazzie said he was raised by good parents who instilled strong values and characteristics within him, grooming him for this new responsibility.

“I don’t know exactly what the budget is. That’s more of a Building Nations question. My job is to make sure that the coordinators don’t overextend their budget,” he said.

Yazzie encourages all Navajos to come to the fair and wear “some good walking shoes.”

“Come eat and use the porta-potties,” he said. “We’ll have 150 of them set up for you.”

Information: www.northernnavajofair.org