In the great story of Navajo Creation, the Hero twins are a constant presence of adventure in warring against the Monsters of the Fourth World. It is through the conquest of this world, this dimension, that we are allowed peace and prosperity in the present world.
The “people” were forced to move from one world level to another for their own misdeeds and sacrilege. In the First World, as insect beings, in the darkened and frozen world where little survives, they moved. In the Second World as small mammal beings, such as birds and lizards, they moved. In the Third World as arguer beings such as Coyote, bear and turkeys, they moved, exiled from the garden world through Coyote’s antics, angering the gods of the underworld. They were forced to move into the Fourth World, and into human forms. This was the world already occupied by super race of Yeii’ Tso’ (big wild monsters). In preparation of life on this world by the first people, war had to be waged to clean the surface of these walking threats of all kinds. This is the purpose of the birth of Hero Twins. This was the gift of White Shell Woman, the great matriarch pillar of our culture. The Hero Twins came into the world through miraculous conceptions and delivery, born for the Sun and the Water, thus Monster Slayer and Born for Water came to be. The timeless stories, ceremonies and games are woven in with the very fabric of these “calming” times here in the Fourth World. Young ears and minds are molded to the chants of these stories for they are still very relevant to this time—especially this time.
I first heard of the Monster Slayer Project some month ago and supported the effort to reach young Dineh’ people, allowing them to tap into that Monster Slayer within. The metaphorical monsters still reign terror here in the form of environmental degradation, social and familial breakdowns, and addictions of all sorts. Obstacles we throw in our own paths and those perpetrated upon our beliefs are the latter-day staggering, relentless and corrosive monsters. Self doubts and low self esteem seem to introduce many young people on the Rez to embrace and dance with these creatures.
My grandmother, years ago when she was still alive, hung a line of truth in my face I still refer back to: “When you choose to leave the path of self destruction, you choose to take up the supernatural arms of the great Hero Twins; one of might and delivery of the deathblows, one of heart and compassion. Might cannot overcome alone.” One needs the gentleness of “Born for Water,” the yin-yang of the “Tsi’ a, naa’ gha , bi’ ke’ Hozho” (the petition of harmony and prosperity into the future unknown).
She told me, “My grandson, you are on a holy quest and now the target of these unkind beasts. Know that and walk that path where arms are taken up against our collective and your personal demons. Do not let go of your father’s weapons.” I had decided to give the bottle a rest that decade.
The Monster Slayer Project attempts to explore the realms of these Monster/obstacles in film with a cast of five young Dineh’, me and the “monster.” Who and what are our current adversaries and how would we deal with them? The stage is set in the present day and an old truck is our beam of Rainbow, the original twins’ mode of transport. I really like the fact that our main “Slayer” is a young lady. It seems only right since much is credited the maternal and female energy in the conquest of the Fourth World.
We will be filming east of Gallup in the hottest time of the summer—seems only right. Fire and heat play major roles in these adventures along sides the great Ma’ii’, Coyote. Chaos is released through the antics of Ma’ii’ and thus the great Warring time. I really hope and believe that the youth of all cultures will benefit in being invited to tap into that great Hero Twins within.
To bring this to reality, we still need your support in delivering the slumber blow to the funding Monster. I look forward to being part of this worthy project. I am honored and humbled to play Woodrow “Cowboy” Yazzie, the grandfather with much wise advice. Like a Sam Elliott-like character, I will dispense wisdom from beneath my cowboy hat, calm in the storm, cool in the heat. Please stay in the loop with the Monster Slayer Project. We all have demons to calm. Happy hunting. Peace.
