Native Skywatchers

Native Skywatchers - We are Stardust - Year 2

"Little Singer Community School, Native Skywatchers-Soundscapes Workshop" ©2023, Student field notes (lt) & Anne Simonis (center) , field site near Little Colorado River, LSCS

"Native Skywatchers - Soundscape Workshop”

A Collaborative Research Project Investigating Acoustics and Sonic Art with Moving Images!

The Native Skywatchers Soundscape Workshop was invited to meet in person at the Little Singer Community School at the end of April for a three day intensive workshop. A. Lee and A. Simonis teamed up with Little Singer teachers Tom Tomas, Wilphina Becenti, Albert Brent Chase, and Garrick Yazzie. Together we created a deep dive experience for 15 Navajo-Dine students.

Underwater and terrestrial recordings were gathered at the Little Colorade River Field Site on the second day of the workshop. Students took notes and practiced deep listening for fifteen minutes. Later that day the group was invited to a family farm. Traditional Navajo sheep, goats, horses and cows were amoung the animals recorded and listened to. Audiomoth recorders were left overnight at the school. Bats were recorded in the ultrasonic range! Traditional singing in the hogan with fire and teachings were recorded with protocol and respect.

"Little Singer Community School-Soundscapes ©2023.

Little Singer Community School - Scrolling Spectrograms - Part 1 - LSCS Hogan Soundscapes

Little Singer Community School - Scrolling Spectrograms - Part 2 - LSCS Farm Soundscapes

Little Singer Community School - Scrolling Spectrograms - Part 3 - LSCS Sound Circle

Little Singer Community School - Scrolling Spectrograms - Part 4 - LSCS Running Water Soundscape

Little Singer Community School - Scrolling Spectrograms - Part 5 - LSCS Sound of Fire

Little Singer Community School - Scrolling Spectrograms - Part 6 - LSCS Soundscape Mix

Little Singer Community School, is located on the Navajo Nation near Winslow, ,Arizona. Little Singer Community School is a tribally controlled Navajo grant school located on the Little Colorado River Basin in the far southwestern region of the Navajo Reservation. "It is our vision to help students develop a positive self-image and unlimited life-long opportunities. The Diné language and culture aids students ability to walk with confidence in the Diné and western society, through the Diné concepts on nitsáhákees, na’hat’aa, Iina, and sih hasin. Our education program focuses on learning and higher level thinking skills. The wisdom and tradition of the Diné culture and language is taught by a combination of elders, parents, and staff. Little Singer Community School stakeholders, past and present, reaffirm the dream of Little Singer to have school and family come together to bring a bright future for children."

Field site near Little Colorado River

"Front entrance, Little Singer Community School, AZ"

Native Skywatchers-Soundscapes, Students from 4-6 grades at the Little Singer Community School created place-based sonic art... Scrolling Spectrograms!

Native Skywatchers - We are Stardust - Year 2

"Little Singer Community School, Native Skywatchers-Soundscapes Workshop" ©2023, Student field notes (lt) & Anne Simonis (center) , field site near Little Colorado River, LSCS