Rhiana Yazzie facts for kids

Rhiana Yazzie is a talented Navajo writer, actor, and filmmaker. She lives in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota. In 2009, she started a theater group called New Native Theater.

Early Life and Storytelling

Rhiana Yazzie is a member of the Navajo Nation. She grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her mother says that Rhiana has been telling stories since she was a little kid.

Education and Building a Career

Rhiana Yazzie went to the University of New Mexico from 1995 to 1999. There, she studied theater. Later, from 2000 to 2002, she went to the University of Southern California. She earned a degree in professional writing.

She moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota to join a special program for playwrights. She called Minneapolis a "Mecca" for Native arts and culture. Rhiana received the Playwrights' Center Jerome Fellowship twice. This was in 2006/2007 and again in 2010/2011.

Starting New Native Theater

In 2009, Rhiana Yazzie created the New Native Theater (NNT). This theater group creates and performs real Native American stories for the stage. Rhiana started NNT to connect the many theaters in the city with the large Native community.

Being in charge of one of the few Native theater companies can be challenging. But Rhiana knows how important NNT is. It helps her and other Native people find their creative voice. The company offers classes and shows. It has an open-door policy, meaning Native people of all ages can work with the group.

Rhiana Yazzie's Creative Works

Plays for the Stage

Rhiana Yazzie has written many plays. Here are some of them:

• 2012: The Musical is a funny musical. It's about Native people in Minneapolis who think Indian Alien ancestors will return. This happens as the Mayan calendar is ending.
• Ady tells the story of a Navajo woman. She finds an old photo from 1937 of a woman who looks just like her.
• Asdzani Shash, The Woman Who Turned into a Bear is a new version of a Navajo legend. It's about a woman who can turn into a bear. She has to choose between being human or an animal when her life gets complicated.
• Las Madres is a short play. It's told from the view of grandchildren. Their families in Argentina were affected by the government taking Native children away.
• The Long Flight is another short play. It's about a Navajo man finding a way to make things right in his life.
• Rainbow Crow is a musical. It's based on an old Lenape legend with the same name.

Audio Stories

Rhiana has also created stories for listening:

• Little Apple, Big Apple is a podcast. It follows two sisters in the Twin Cities. They start an acting group to help with mental health. They try to make a difference while dealing with their own lives.
• The Best Place to Grow Pumpkins is a short audio play. It's about a young girl on a Navajo reservation. She dreams of having a magical pumpkin patch.

Films by Rhiana Yazzie

Rhiana Yazzie has worked on several films:

• A Stray (2016) is about a Muslim person in Minneapolis. They meet a stray dog.
• Homecoming (2015) tells the story of a marine. Their partner dies while fighting.
• Injunuity (2013) is an animated film. It explores what it means to be Native.
• A Winter Love (2021) is a modern love story between people from different Native tribes.

Awards and Recognitions

Rhiana Yazzie has won several awards for her amazing work:

• In 2017, she won a Sally award. This award celebrates people in Minnesota who are dedicated to the arts.
• In March 2018, she received a Bush Foundation fellowship from St. Paul. Rhiana plans to use this award to connect with aboriginal theater groups around the world.
• In 2020, she was one of the winners of the Steinberg Playwright Awards.