Indian Week honored with festivities at Hopi Jr/Sr High School
Celebration includes traditional Hopi meals, pageant, clan run, crowning of royalty and dances

Miss Hopi High Leigh Naha and Mr. Hopi Junior High Kaden Mahle. Stan Bindell/NHO

Miss Hopi High Leigh Naha and Mr. Hopi Junior High Kaden Mahle. Stan Bindell/NHO

POLACCA, Ariz. - Hopi Jr/Sr High School honored Indian Week last week with festivities including a pageant, a clan run and finally, an Indian Day filled with dances.

The students, staff and community packed the Bruin gym as Hopi, Navajo and Havasupai were just some of the dances performed on Indian Day Sept. 14.

Randall Mahle and Hopi High Student Council President Quentin Ramirez served as emcees this year.

Traditional Hopi meals were served at a couple places throughout the campus.

The royalty winners this year were Trey Koyawena as Mr. Hopi High, Leigh Naha as Miss Hopi High, Kaden Mahle as Mr. Hopi Junior High and Betty Dewakuku as Miss Hopi Junior High.

Koyawena, a 17-year-old junior, said winning the crown was emotional for him.

"I thought I was going to cry because I was so happy," he said.

Koyawena said his grandparents cried out of happiness for him.

"Now, I hope to go everywhere to represent the school," he said.

Koyawena said he was not nearly as nervous as last year. He noted that his parents, friends and teachers congratulated him.

"My dad was proud," he said.

For his talent, Koyawena sang in Hopi about praying for rain and going to his father's fields to watch the corn grow.

"My message is that students should work hard and reach for their goals. That's what it took for me to win this," he said.

Koyawena, who plays baseball and is active in the Native American Club, maintains a B average. He hopes to become an artist and a singer.

Naha, a 14-year-old freshman, said she was excited about winning the Miss Hopi High crown because it's the first time she has won royalty.

For her talent, Naha sang a song in Hopi about losing the Hopi language. She said her parents were proud, her classmates were happy and her teachers congratulated her for winning the crown.

Naha plays volleyball, basketball and softball. She is in the Native American Club. She has an A average and hopes to go to college.

She is the daughter of Lyann and Shannon Naha who reside in Polacca.

Mahle, a 12-year-old seventh grader, said he felt good about winning the crown because it was a good experience. He plans to put the crown in a case.

For his talent, Mahle sang a song in Hopi about how butterflies and birds are flying. He said his parents, friends and family were happy about his winning the crown.

Mahle, who runs cross country and plans to play basketball, maintains a B average. He is looking forward to attending high school.

He is the son of Onita and Randall Mahle Jr.

Dewakuku, a 13-year-old eighth grader, said winning the Miss Hopi Junior High crown was awesome because, "I finally did it."

Dewakuku said she plans to use the crown to make the school a better place by making it more fun.

For her talent, Dewakuku made tsukuviki. She said her parents, friends and teachers told her that winning the crown was "awesome."

Dewakuku plays volleyball, basketball and softball. She is in the Native American Club. She maintains an A average and is looking forward to attending high school.

She is the daughter of Sandra Ovah and Hawthorne Dewakuku.

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