Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
>> IT'S REALLY ABOUT
EXPLORATION.
IT'S ABOUT TAKING US AWAY
FROM WORRYING ABOUT THE
PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE ON THE
EARTH.
>> CURIOSITY HAS LANDED.
WILL WE DISCOVER LIFE ON
MARS?
CURIOSITY CHEMCAM SCIENCE
TEAM MEMBER DR. HORTON
NEWSOM SHARES AN INSIDER'S
VIEW OF THE MARS ROVER'S
AMAZING TECHNOLOGY AND
SEARCH FOR THE ESSENTIAL
ELEMENTS OF LIFE BURIED IN
MARTIAN SOIL.
>> WE ARE, AS A HUMAN RACE,
EXPLORING ANOTHER PLANET,
AND THIS IS FOR EVERYBODY,
AND WE'RE ALL IN IT
TOGETHER, LOOKING OUT TO THE
STARS AND THE PLANETS AND
LEARNING ABOUT THAT AS A
LEGACY FOR THE WHOLE HUMAN
RACE.
>> IN NAVAJO, THEY SAY THE
SACRED BEGINS AT THE TIP OF
MY TONGUE.
>> INSPIRED BY HER
HERITAGE, AND IMBUED WITH
FEMALE SPIRIT, RENOWNED
NAVAJO POET LUCI TAPAHANSO
SHARES WITH US HER
INSPIRATIONS AND POETRY.
>> WHATEVER A PERSON
CREATES AND BRINGS INTO THIS
WORLD IS SACRED, AND IT ADDS
TO THE BEAUTY OF THE WORLD.
IT ADDS TO THE WAY THAT ALL
OF US LIVE, AND WE ALL
BENEFIT WHEN PEOPLE CREATE
SOMETHING NEW.
>> WELCOME TO CONNECT,
WHERE EACH MONTH WE CONNECT
WITH THE GREAT PEOPLE AND
INSPIRED THINKING FOUND AT
THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW
MEXICO.
CONNECT IS NEXT!
>> DR. HORTON NEWSOM JOINS
US NOW, AND THE MARS SCIENCE
LABORATORY HAS LANDED ON
MARS - WHAT DO YOU THINK?
WILL WE FIND LIFE?
>> WELL, IT'S VERY
EXCITING, AND EVER SINCE WE
LANDED WE'VE BEEN WORKING
ALMOST AROUND THE CLOCK ON
MARS TIME, WHICH IS REALLY
INTERESTING.
AND WE'RE GETTING PHENOMENAL
PICTURES BACK, AND LOTS OF
DATA FROM OUR EXPERIMENTS.
SO IT'S VERY EXCITING.
WE'VE ALREADY MADE SOME NEAT
DISCOVERIES, IN PARTICULAR
THAT WE LANDED ON AN ANCIENT
STREAM BED.
>> THIS WAS SORT OF
PLANNED, BUT YOU DIDN'T
EXACTLY KNOW UNTIL YOU GOT
THERE HOW GREAT A LOCATION
IT WAS GOING TO BE FOR THIS
KIND OF EXPLORATION.
>> THAT'S REALLY TRUE.
WE HAD A LOT OF INFORMATION
FROM THE ORBITING
SATELLITES, AND WE SAW WHAT
WE THOUGHT WOULD BE EVIDENCE
FOR WATER AND POSSIBLY LAKES
AND STREAMS, AND SO WE'VE
ALREADY FOUND SOME OF THIS
EVIDENCE NOW.
AND THIS MEANS THAT WE WILL
BE ABLE TO USE OUR
INSTRUMENTS TO INVESTIGATE
IN DETAIL WHAT THOSE
ENVIRONMENTS WERE LIKE, AND
WHETHER THERE'S ANY EVIDENCE
OF PAST LIFE, FOR EXAMPLE.
>> WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
FINDING LIFE ON MARS, WE'RE
NOT NECESSARILY TALKING
ABOUT FINDING EVIDENCE THAT
THERE WERE HUMANS WALKING
AROUND ON MARS, OBVIOUSLY.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
MICROBIAL LIFE AND DIFFERENT
FORMS.
>> EVERYBODY CAN LOOK AT
THE PICTURES AS THEY COME
DOWN, SO IF YOU SEE A
FOSSIL, YOU CAN LET US KNOW.
THE TOPIC OF LIFE ON MARS,
OF COURSE, HAS CAPTURED
PEOPLE'S IMAGINATION FOR A
VERY LONG TIME.
AND WITH A LOT OF RESEARCH
OVER THE LAST DECADE OR SO,
IT'S BECOME CLEAR THAT WE
THINK THE ENVIRONMENTS
EXISTED ON MARS WHERE LIFE
COULD HAVE FORMED.
WE DON'T KNOW WHERE LIFE
ORIGINATED.
LIFE ON THE EARTH COULD
ACTUALLY HAVE ORIGINATED ON
MARS AND BEEN TRANSPORTED TO
EARTH BY METEORITES.
AND LIKEWISE, IF WE FIND
LIFE ON MARS, THERE IS
ACTUALLY A CHANCE THAT THAT
LIFE ORIGINATED ON THE EARTH
AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO MARS
EARLY IN THE HISTORY OF THE
SOLAR SYSTEM BY WAY OF
METEORITES.
AND THE KIND OF LIFE THAT WE
ARE HOPING WE MIGHT FIND, AT
BEST, WOULD LIKELY BE
MICROBIAL LIFE, AND THIS IS
THE SORT OF LIFE THAT WE
FIND IN PONDS, IN THE
OCEANS, AND, IN FACT, LIVING
IN OUR OWN BODIES.
SO THESE MICROSCOPIC
ORGANISMS, WE NOW KNOW FROM
MANY STUDIES OF SIMILAR
ENVIRONMENTS ON THE EARTH
CAN EXIST IN ENVIRONMENTS WE
THINK ARE PRESENT ON MARS.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR THOSE
ENVIRONMENTS.
AND FINALLY WITH THIS, WITH
THE MARS SCIENCE LAB, WITH
CURIOSITY, WE HAVE THE
LABORATORIES TO ACTUALLY
STUDY THE CHEMISTRY,
ISOTOPES AND CHARACTERISTICS
OF THIS KIND OF MATERIAL.
>> TELL US ABOUT YOUR ROLE,
AND THE ROLE OF YOUR TEAM.
ANY DISCOVERIES WITH THE
CHEMCAM LASER?
>> YES, WELL, THE CHEMCAM
INSTRUMENT IS ABOUT
CHEMISTRY AND ALSO HAS A
CAMERA.
IT'S MUCH LIKE THE HIGH
SCHOOL FLAME EXPERIMENT THAT
MANY PEOPLE DID, WHERE YOU
SEE THE DIFFERENT COLORS
WHEN YOU HEAT THINGS UP.
OURS IS A LOT MORE
SOPHISTICATED.
WE'RE MAKING A SPARK USING A
LASER AND THEN USING
SPECTROMETERS TO LOOK AT THE
EMISSION LINES THAT ARE
COMING BACK FROM THAT.
THAT TELLS US ABOUT THE
CHEMISTRY OF THE ROCKS AND
THE SOILS.
WE ALSO HAVE THE CAMERA, SO
WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE TAKING,
WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY
ANALYZING.
BECAUSE WE CAN ANALYZE STUFF
UP TO ABOUT 20-30 FEET AWAY
FROM US, WE CAN LOOK FOR
PARTICULAR LAYERS IN THE
ROCK THAT MAY BE VERY
PROMISING TO STUDY FURTHER
WITH THE FANCY INSTRUMENTS
THAT ARE INSIDE THE ROVER
WHERE WE HAVE TO ACTUALLY
DRILL AND SCOOP AND PUT
MATERIAL IN.
CHEMCAM IS SORT OF OUR SUPER
EYES FOR THE ROVER TO TRY TO
FIND THE BEST MATERIALS TO
STUDY WITH GREATER DETAIL.
>> AND YOU'VE ALREADY FOUND
SOME THINGS THROUGH THE
CAMERA PART OF THAT, AS FAR
AS THE PEBBLES, THE
DISCOVERY THAT THERE WAS
FLOWING WATER?
>> YES.
AND THAT WAS VERY EXCITING.
AGAIN, WE PICKED THE SITE
HOPING THAT THAT'S WHAT WE
WOULD FIND, AND WITHIN A DAY
OR TWO WE STARTED SEEING
EVIDENCE FOR ANCIENT
STREAMBED MATERIAL.
PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT THE
ROCKS BECAUSE WE WANTED TO
ANALYZE THOSE, AND I LOOKED
TO THE SIDE AND HERE'S ALL
THESE PEBBLES.
SO ADDITIONAL NEW EVIDENCE
SINCE THE PRESS RELEASE CAME
OUT, AND THESE PICTURES,
ANYBODY CAN GO AND LOOK AT.
THEY'RE ALL ONLINE AT
MARS.JPL.NASA.GOV.
THAT'S ONE OF THE EXCITING
THINGS, PEOPLE CAN SEE THE
IMAGES THAT COME BACK, AND
THEY'RE POSTED WITHIN A DAY.
SO YOU CAN WATCH YOURSELF
AND GET EXCITED ABOUT WHAT
YOU SEE IN THE PICTURES,
JUST LIKE THE SCIENTISTS.
>> YOU HAVE STUDENTS WHO
ARE NOW ENGAGED AND EXCITED
ABOUT IT, AND YOU WOULD LIKE
TO CONTINUE THAT PROCESS.
>> WELL, THERE'S A LOT OF
IMPORTANT ASPECTS I THINK
INVOLVING THE STUDENTS, AND
BOTH THE STUDENTS WHO GET TO
ACTUALLY WORK ON THE
MISSION, WHO ARE VERY FEW,
BUT LUCKY, AND ALL OF THE
MILLIONS OF STUDENTS ACROSS
THE UNITED STATES, IN
PARTICULAR, WHO WE HOPE WILL
GET EXCITED ABOUT DOING
MATH, SCIENCE, ENGINEERING.
THAT'S REALLY ONE OF THE
PRINCIPLE BENEFITS OF THE
MISSION.
WE HAVE TO FIND WAYS TO GET
STUDENTS EXCITED ABOUT GOING
INTO THESE DIFFICULT FIELDS.
>> AND THAT'S ONE OF THE
BIG BENEFITS, WHAT SPACE
EXPLORATION CAN DO FOR
MANKIND, ONE OF MANY.
>> AND FOR THE UNITED
STATES, IN PARTICULAR,
BECAUSE WE HAVE HUGE
COMPETITION FROM LOTS OF
OTHER COUNTRIES.
INDIA, CHINA, EUROPE.
FOR US TO MAINTAIN OUR
TECHNOLOGICAL EDGE, WE HAVE
TO CONVINCE STUDENTS TO GO
INTO THESE HARD FIELDS.
>> AND AS FAR AS THE
TECHNOLOGY TO DO THIS TYPE
OF EXPLORATION, WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT INSTRUMENTS
THAT HAVE BEEN FINALLY
PERFECTED OVER THE YEARS,
AND MADE MUCH SMALLER, AND
THEN EVEN THE APPLICATIONS
THAT WILL WORK HERE ON
EARTH, AS YOU SAID, TO DO --
>> RIGHT.
I THINK THAT'S A REALLY
IMPORTANT POINT, THAT THE
TECHNOLOGY SEEMS VERY
ESOTERIC, BUT ACTUALLY THE
KIND OF ANALYTICAL
INSTRUMENTS THAT ARE BEING
BUILT, SOME OF THEM HAVE
ALREADY BEEN COMMERCIALIZED
AND AVAILABLE.
INSTRUMENTS THAT USED TO
TAKE UP A WHOLE ROOM, YOU
CAN NOW FIT IN A LITTLE
SUITCASE, AND YOU CAN GO BUY
ONE AND ANALYZE THE
MINERALOGY OF EVERYTHING
FROM ROCKS AND DRUGS AND
MANY DIFFERENT THINGS.
OUR OWN INSTRUMENT, CHEMCAM,
HAS NEVER BEEN USED LIKE
THIS BEFORE, SO THIS IS
REALLY A NEW TECHNOLOGY THAT
HAS POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS,
AS WELL.
>> WHAT DO YOU THINK THE
MOST EXCITING ELEMENT OF
THIS STORY RIGHT NOW IS?
>> I THINK IT'S REALLY
ABOUT EXPLORATION.
IT'S ABOUT TAKING US AWAY
FROM WORRYING ABOUT THE
PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE ON THE
EARTH AND FOCUSING EVERYBODY
ON PLANET EARTH.
WE ARE, AS A HUMAN RACE,
EXPLORING ANOTHER PLANET,
AND THIS IS FOR EVERYBODY.
WE ARE ALL IN IT TOGETHER,
LOOKING OUT TO THE STARS AND
THE PLANETS, AND LEARNING
ABOUT THAT AS A LEGACY FOR
THE WHOLE HUMAN RACE.
>> WILL WE FIND LIFE?
>> WELL, THAT'S THE $64,000
QUESTION, OF COURSE.
ALL THE RESEARCH IN THE LAST
DECADE OR SO HAS REALLY
POINTED OUT THAT IT IS
EXTREMELY UNLIKELY THAT LIFE
EXISTS ON THE SURFACE OF
MARS, AS I MENTIONED.
WE THINK THERE ARE CERTAINLY
ENVIRONMENTS, AND WE'VE
ALREADY FOUND ONE THAT
INDICATES IN ANCIENT MARS,
BILLIONS OF YEARS AGO, THERE
WERE ENVIRONMENTS WHERE LIFE
COULD HAVE EXISTED, AND
WE'RE LOOKING FOR POSSIBLY
EVIDENCE OF WHAT THOSE
ENVIRONMENTS WERE LIKE, AND
ALSO WHETHER THERE WAS, IN
FACT, ANY LIFE PRESENT AT
THAT TIME.
THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT
LIFE IS STILL PRESENT ON
MARS, BUT IT WOULD ALMOST
CERTAINLY BE DEEP
UNDERGROUND, AND NOT VERY
ACCESSIBLE TO US.
WE DO HAVE A DRILL.
WE CAN GET A LITTLE BIT DOWN
UNDERNEATH THE IS SURFACE
AND GET SAMPLES.
SO WE ARE LOOKING FOR THAT
EVIDENCE.
AND THE SOPHISTICATION IN
THE LABORATORIES IS JUST
HUGE.
I THINK THERE ARE ORGANIC
MATERIALS DELIVERED BY
METEORITES, FOR EXAMPLE, AND
SO WE ARE GOING TO LEARN A
HUGE AMOUNT ABOUT THE
PROPERTIES OF THE MATERIALS,
THE EVOLUTION OF MARS, HOW
IT WENT FROM BEING A PLANET
THAT SUPPORTED LAKES AND
RIVERS AND MAYBE EVEN OCEANS
TO THE DRY PLANET THAT WE
SEE NOW.
>> HOW LONG IS THIS
EXPERIMENT EXPECTED TO LAST?
>> THE MARS ROVERS, THERE
WERE TWO OF THEM, SPIRIT AND
OPPORTUNITY, AND WERE ONLY
EXPECTED TO LAST NINETY DAYS
OR SO BECAUSE THEY HAD SOLAR
PANELS, AND SO THE IDEA WITH
CURIOSITY WAS TO USE NUCLEAR
POWER.
SO WE HAVE A PLUTONIUM HEAT
SOURCE.
THIS POWER SOURCE ELIMINATES
A LOT OF THE PROBLEMS THAT
THEY'VE HAD WITH THE OTHER
ROVERS, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO
JUST CONTINUALLY WORK FOR AS
LONG AS WE HAVE POWER AND AS
LONG AS THE EXPERIMENTS HOLD
UP.
IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT
ENVIRONMENT.
IT'S 20 DEGREES DURING THE
DAY, SO YOU COULD STAND OUT
THERE WITH A LIGHT JACKET.
BUT AT NIGHT IT'S
100 DEGREES BELOW ZERO.
VERY DIFFICULT TO BUILD
EQUIPMENT THAT WILL LAST FOR
A REALLY LONG TIME.
OUR PRIME MISSION IS TWO
EARTH YEARS, OR ONE MARS
YEAR, BUT WE HOPE IT LASTS A
LOT LONGER.
I THINK I CAN'T EMPHASIZE
HOW AMAZING THE GROUP OF
PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING ON
THIS PROJECT ARE.
THEY'RE ALL BRILLIANT,
FASCINATING PEOPLE.
SO IT'S A HUMAN ENDEAVOR TO
DO THIS.
>> LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT NEW MEXICO'S
CONNECTION.
>> VERY GOOD, OKAY.
WELL, NEW MEXICO HAS A LOT
OF CONNECTIONS TO PLANETARY
SCIENCE AND MARS.
IN TERMS OF MARS, THE
INSTRUMENT THAT WE'RE
RUNNING RIGHT NOW WAS
BUILT -- HALF OF IT WAS
BUILT UP AT LOS ALAMOS BY
ROGER WIENS AND HIS TEAM.
HE'S THE LEADER OF OUR BIG
GROUP.
AND THE OTHER HALF WAS BUILT
IN FRANCE.
THEN WE HAVE PARTNERS, THE
PEOPLE WHO ARE THE
SCIENTISTS WHO ARE A PART OF
THE ORIGINAL GROUP THAT
PLANNED IT, INCLUDING MYSELF
HERE, MY STUDENTS.
MY COLLEAGUE, WOLF ELSTON,
HE'S EVEN BEEN HELPING WITH
SOME OF THE MAPPING EFFORT,
EVEN THOUGH HE RETIRED 20
YEARS AGO.
SO WE'RE COVERING HUGE
GENERATIONS HERE FROM HIGH
SCHOOL STUDENTS THROUGH OUR
RETIRED COLLEAGUES WHO ARE
ALL CONTRIBUTING TO THE
MISSION.
>> IT'S REALLY KIND OF
COOL, ALL KINDS OF NEW
MEXICO CONNECTIONS.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT
MORE ABOUT HOW THE ROVER IS
BUILT, THE MAKE-UP OF THE
ROVER?
>> THE ROVER, MSL
CURIOSITY, IS THE SIZE OF A
SMALL CAR, AND THE MAST THAT
STICKS UP, WHERE OUR
INSTRUMENT IS LOCATED AND
MOST OF THE CAMERAS, IS
ABOUT SEVEN FEET.
SO WE HAVE THE VIEWPOINT OF
AN NBA BASKETBALL PLAYER
LOOKING OUT OVER THE
LANDSCAPE.
SO WE HAVE THIS CAR-SIZED
ROVER, IT'S NUCLEAR POWERED
WITH A PLUTONIUM HEAT SOURCE
THAT GENERATES ABOUT 120
WATTS OF POWER ON A
CONTINUOUS BASIS, THAT
RECHARGES THE BATTERIES.
AND THEN WE HAVE A BIG ARM,
THIS HUGE ARM THAT CAN REACH
OUT, AND IT HAS A GIANT POD
OF INSTRUMENTS AT THE END OF
THE ARM, AND THAT CAN DO
BOTH CHEMICAL ANALYSIS, AND
IT CAN ALSO SCOOP UP
SAMPLES.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S
VERY EXCITING IS IT HAS A
DRILL, AND WE CAN DRILL INTO
ROCKS AND THEN TAKE THOSE
SAMPLES AND DELIVER THEM
INTO THE LABORATORIES THAT
ARE INSIDE THE ROVER.
THE ABILITY TO EITHER SCOOP
UP MATERIAL OR DRILL IT AND
PUT IT INTO THE
SOPHISTICATED LABORATORIES
INSIDE THE ROVER IS A
TOTALLY NEW CAPABILITY.
AND THEN WITH OUR INSTRUMENT
UP ON TOP OF THE MAST, ALONG
WITH THE CAMERAS, WE CAN USE
THAT TO EXPLORE AND LOOK FOR
THOSE EXCITING MATERIALS
THAT WE THINK WILL TELL US
MORE ABOUT THE EARLY
HISTORY.
>> THANK YOU, DR. NEWSOM,
FOR JOINING US.
REALLY INTERESTING STUFF.
>> GLAD TO BE HERE.
>> AND JOINING ME IS
PROFESSOR LUCI TAPAHANSO.
NOW, YOU ARE A CREATIVE DIN?
POET.
TELL ME YOUR NAME IN NAVAJO.
>> CH? LUCI TAPAHANSO.
(SPEAKING NAVAJO)
SO I SAID A LOT MORE THAN MY
NAME.
MY NAME IN NAVAJO IS
TAPAHANSO, WHICH MEANS EDGE
OF A BIG WATER.
I TELL YOU MY CLAN, AND I'M
FROM SHIPROCK.
THOSE ARE MY RELATIVES AND
THE PLACE THAT I COME FROM,
WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT
AND KIND OF LETS PEOPLE KNOW
YOUR STANDING, OR YOUR
IDENTIFICATION AS A NAVAJO
PERSON.
>> IT GIVES A LITTLE BIT OF
HISTORY IN DOING SO, AND
LIKE YOU SAID, A BACKGROUND.
WHEN DID YOU FIRST DISCOVER
THAT YOU WERE A POET?
DID YOU START WRITING AS A
CHILD?
>> I WAS WRITING AND
KEEPING JOURNALS WHEN I WAS
IN JUNIOR HIGH, AND I REALLY
ENJOYED MY ENGLISH CLASSES.
BUT I ACTUALLY DIDN'T START
WRITING POETRY, PER SE,
UNTIL I WAS IN COLLEGE.
AND I TOOK A CREATIVE
WRITING WORKSHOP WITH LESLIE
SILKO, WHO WAS JUST A
WONDERFUL TEACHER, AND SHE
JUST ENCOURAGED ME, AND I
WAS SO SURPRISED THAT WHAT
REALLY IN NAVAJO
CONVERSATION AND NAVAJO
DAILY LIFE WAS CONSIDERED TO
BE A STRONG -- TO HAVE LIKE
A STRONG POETIC FOUNDATION.
>> YOU TALKED ABOUT THE
PERSON WHO MENTORED YOU WHEN
YOU FIRST GOT INTO THE
UNIVERSITY.
WERE THERE OTHERS?
>> LESLIE MARMON SILKO WAS
PROBABLY MY MAIN INFLUENCE,
BUT THERE WERE MANY OTHERS.
YOU KNOW, MANY WONDERFUL
POETS THAT I READ, AND GOING
TO POETRY READINGS, AND
MEETING OTHER PEOPLE WHO
WERE WRITING AT THE TIME.
JOY HARJO.
SIMON ORTIZ.
PEOPLE THAT ARE MY
CONTEMPORARIES.
BUT IT WAS REALLY A MATTER
OF DISCOVERING FOR MYSELF,
AS WELL, AND THROUGH MY
STUDIES, YOU KNOW, ALL TYPES
OF POETRY.
SO I WAS SO EXCITED WHEN I
DISCOVERED, LIKE, THE
SONNET, AND THE VILLANELLE,
SHAKESPEARE.
IT WAS JUST AMAZING TO ME,
BECAUSE I REALIZED I ALREADY
HAVE THAT.
>> IT'S GOT TO FEEL REALLY
GRATIFYING TO YOU TO SORT OF
BE THAT LINK TO THE
GENERATIONS THAT WILL COME
AFTER YOU WITH YOUR POETRY.
>> MY WRITING IS MOSTLY
CONCERNED WITH DAILY LIFE
AND, YOU KNOW, HONORING THE
WAY THAT WE LIVE, AND NOT
JUST NAVAJO PEOPLE, BUT, YOU
KNOW, AMERICAN LIFE IN
GENERAL.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FALL
HERE IN NEW MEXICO, THE
SCENT OF GREEN CHILI, YOU
KNOW, THE CRISP AIR IN THE
MORNING, AND THE WAY THAT
THE EVENINGS ARE SCENTED
WITH WOOD SMOKE.
AND IT'S ONLY IN NEW MEXICO.
THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF
MEMORIES AND THE KINDS OF
MOMENTS THAT I REALLY LIKE
TO CAPTURE, BECAUSE WHEN
PEOPLE READ THAT, IT JUST
BRINGS THEM HOME IF THEY'RE
AWAY.
AND IF WE'RE HERE, IT JUST
CONNECTS US IN A WAY THAT
NOTHING ELSE CAN.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
OFTEN IN YOUR POETRY, THE
FEMININE IS A SOURCE OF
POWER AND BALANCE.
DOES THAT COME FROM YOUR
DIN? HERITAGE?
>> IT DOES. WE'RE
MATRILINEAL PEOPLE, WHICH
MEANS WHEN I INTRODUCE
MYSELF, I SAY (SPEAKING
NAVAJO) AND THAT'S MY
MOTHER'S CLAN.
BUT WHEN I SAY HER CLAN IS,
WHEN I SAY(SPEAKING NAVAJO)
THAT MEANS, I AM.
SO IN A SENSE, I SAY I AM MY
MOTHER WHEN WE INTRODUCE
OURSELVES.
AND ALL OUR -- LIKE OUR MAIN
PRIMARY RELATIONSHIPS ARE
THROUGH OUR MOTHER.
>> YOU HAVE A UNIQUE
ABILITY TO THINK AND WRITE
IN DIN?, BUT THEN THERE'S
ALSO, FOR US, WHEN YOU
EXPLAINED HOW YOU SAID, YOU
KNOW, I AM MY MOTHER, THE
PROTOCOL, OR THE TRANSLATION
OF IT, IS REALLY AN ART IN
AND OF ITSELF.
>> SOMETIMES I HEAR A
NAVAJO WORD AND I THINK, LET
ME SEE HOW MANY PARTS --
WHERE DOES THAT WORD COME
FROM, HOW MANY MEANINGS ARE
IN IT.
I HAVE A POINT IN MY BOOK,
AND IT'S ABOUT TORTILLAS;
YOU KNOW, MAKING TORTILLAS.
BUT THE WORD HAS ROOTS IN,
LIKE, TO GO FORWARD.
IT ALSO IS -- N?H IS ALSO
THE GROUND.
IT'S ALSO A WORD THAT IS THE
ROOT WORD FOR CORN, WHICH IS
REALLY ESSENTIAL IN THE
SOUTHWEST.
NAAD??.
SO N?A, N?Z, AND N? N?Z IS
TO PAT SOMETHING FLAT.
C? D?H AND C?HD IS THAT
ACTION OF MAKING THE BREAD.
AND THEN THIS MEANS, THIS IS
FOR YOU, (SPEAKING NAVAJO)
I MADE THIS FOR YOU.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT REALLY IS
DELIGHTFUL WHEN I THINK
ABOUT THE WORDS, AND THEN
THINK ABOUT HOW THEY BREAK
DOWN IN NAVAJO.
BUT THEN, ALSO, TO THINK
ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS IN
ENGLISH.
AND IT'S TRULY POETIC, YOU
KNOW.
IT'S LIKE ONE WORD CAN BE A
POEM BY ITSELF, BECAUSE IT
CONTAINS SO MUCH, AND
THERE'S SO MUCH CONNOTATIONS
OF FAMILY, AND NURTURING,
AND MEMORY, AND SHARING, AND
FOOD.
>> WHERE DO YOU CONTINUALLY
LOOK TO GET YOUR
INSPIRATION?
>> YOU KNOW, MY WORK REALLY
FOCUSES ON THE ORDINARY, AND
HOW IN OUR RELATIONSHIP TO
OUR COMMUNITIES, AND OUR
FAMILIES, AND OUR KIN, AND
TO PLACE.
I'D LIKE TO THINK THAT THE
ORDINARY IS THOUGHT OF AS
THE SACRED.
IN NAVAJO, YOU KNOW, FOR THE
WAY THAT YOU GO OUT IN THE
MORNING, THE DIRECTION YOUR
HOUSE FACES, EVEN THE WAY
YOU COOK CERTAIN FOODS, OR
THE WAY YOU CLEAN YOUR
HOUSE, ALL THOSE HAVE A
RITUAL ASPECT TO IT.
POETRY CAN REPRESENT THAT.
AND I DO THINK THAT POETRY
IS IMPORTANT TO EVERYBODY,
WHETHER WE REALIZE IT OR
NOT.
YOU KNOW, WHEN PEOPLE GET
MARRIED, SOMETIMES THEY READ
A POEM.
A BABY'S BORN.
AT A FUNERAL.
WHEN PEOPLE FALL IN LOVE.
THERE'S ALWAYS POETRY OF
SOME SORT IN OUR LIVES AT
PIVOTAL MOMENTS.
>> HOW DO YOU TEACH POETRY
AND INSPIRE YOUR STUDENTS?
>> WHEN I TEACH CREATIVE
WRITING, WHICH IS THE
WRITING OF POETRY, I
APPROACH TEACHING THE WAY
THAT I WAS TAUGHT LEARNING
IN NAVAJO, WHICH IS TO TALK
ABOUT HOW PEOPLE WERE GIVEN
LANGUAGE IN THE BEGINNING.
IN NAVAJO, THEY SAY THE
SACRED BEGINS AT THE TIP OF
MY TONGUE.
SO THERE'S VERY MUCH LIKE A
SACREDNESS, OR A HOLINESS
THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH
CREATIVITY, LIKE WHATEVER A
PERSON CREATES AND BRINGS
INTO THIS WORLD IS SACRED,
AND IT ADDS TO THE BEAUTY OF
THE WORLD.
IT ADDS TO THE WAY THAT ALL
OF US LIVE, AND WE ALL
BENEFIT WHEN PEOPLE CREATE
SOMETHING NEW.
>> I WOULD LOVE TO ASK YOU
TO READ ONE OF YOUR POEMS.
HANEZBA? WOLY?.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN, BEFORE
YOU READ IT? TELL US.
>> IT JUST MAKES ME HAPPY.
HANEZBA? IS THE NAME OF OUR
YOUNGEST GRANDBABY, AND IT'S
ACTUALLY MY MOTHER'S NAVAJO
NAME.
H? MEANS STORIES, NEZ IS
TALL, AND SHE'S GOING TO BE
A TALL BABY.
>> YOU CAN ALREADY TELL.
>> YEAH.
AND BA? IS THE CLASSIC
NAVAJO NAME FOR A NAVAJO
GIRL, AND IT MEANS WARRIOR.
WOLY? MEANS, THAT'S HER
NAME.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'LL READ.
>> OH, GOOD.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
SHE BRINGS STORIES OF HOPE
FROM THE WAR.
SHE BRINGS STORIES OF HOPE
TO REMIND US OF OUR
STRENGTH.
SHE BRINGS STORIES OF HOPE
TO RESTORE OUR FAITH.
SHE BRINGS STORIES SO THAT
WE WILL ENDURE, SO THAT WE
MAY LAUGH AGAIN.
YESTERDAY AS I WAS FEEDING
HER, SHE WATCHED WITH DARK
SHINING EYES.
I MURMURED, SMOOTHING HER
SOFT THICK HAIR.
THEN SHE STOPPED DRINKING
MILK AND SMILED.
HER EYES BECAME CURVED SLITS
OF JOY AS DROPS OF MILK
SLIPPED DOWN HER CHIN.
LATER, WHEN I CHANGED HER
DIAPER, HER ARMS AND LEGS
WERE FINALLY FREED FROM
BEING SWADDLED, AND SHE
BECAME A SWEET BLUR OF
MOTION AND SOFTNESS.
SHE STRETCHED HER LIMBS AND
YAWNED, THE WHOLE TIME
SMILING.
SHE KEPT SMILING, HER MOUTH
WIDE OPEN, AND HER ARMS
TWIRLING AND LEGS KICKING.
SHE WEARS LITTLE PINK
MITTENS TO PREVENT HER FROM
SCRATCHING HER FACE.
I SAID TO HER, GOO GOO, ARE
YOU IN A BOXING CLUB?
YOU BETTER NOT BE.
YOU'RE ONLY TWO MONTHS OLD,
BABY.
WAIT UNTIL YOU'RE 18, OKAY?
SHE WAS JUST SMILING AND
BATTING HER GLOVES AROUND.
THEN I NUZZLED HER AND SAID,
NO BOXING CLUB, OKAY?
OKAY.
THEN SHE LAUGHED, A SWEET
EVEN RIPPLE OF HAPPINESS.
THEN WE WERE BOTH LAUGHING,
LOOKING INTO AN EACH OTHER'S
FACES.
SILLY BOXING CLUB, SILLY MY
SONNET CLUB, SILLY GOO GOO.
SHE WAS TOUCHING MY FACE AND
HAIR AS I KISSED AND NUZZLED
HER LITTLE TUMMY.
AT THAT MOMENT, I
RE-DISCOVERED MYSELF IN HER
RADIANT LAUGHTER.
THE EARLIER FATIGUE, WORRY,
AND CONSTANT ACHES THAT HAVE
BECOME MY COMPANIONS FELL
AWAY.
I WAS MADE ANEW AGAIN.
WE ARE ALL MADE ANEW AGAIN
BY THE CLEAR RADIANCE OF A
BABY'S LAUGHTER.
HER NAME IS HANEZBA? LORNA
WOLY?.