Billy earns the Miss Navajo Nation title

Billy earns the Miss Navajo Nation title
By Natasha Kaye JohnsonDiné Bureau

Jocelyn Billy of Chinle holds back tears of joy as she is crowned Miss Navajo Nation 2006-07 by Miss Navajo Nation 2005-06 Rachel James at the 60th Annual Navajo Nation Fair in Window Rock on Saturday night. Billy graduated from NAU and was crowned Miss Indian NAU while attending school there

WINDOW ROCK — Each year, one Din woman is given the honor to become one of the most distinguished and well-known ambassadors of the Navajo Nation. This year, that honor was given to Jocelyn Billy, 24, of Chinle, when she was crowned Miss Navajo Nation 2006-07 at the Dean Jackson Memorial Rodeo Arena on Saturday night. "It's finally a dream come true," said Billy, her voice still filled with awe and excitement on Sunday evening. Only a day into her reign, Billy's Saturday evening and Sunday were eventful, with people anxious to shake her hand and have their picture taken with her. "My breath was taken away," recalls Billy, after Cassandra Bitsuie, 23, of Steamboat was announced first runner-up. With only four women competing in this year's competition, Billy felt Bitsuie was her strongest contender and knew when Bitsuie was announced as runner-up, that she would be crowned the new Miss Navajo. Ironically, Billy and Bitsuie are good friends and former college roommates. Billy's clans are the Within His Cover Clan born for the Bitter Water Clan. Her maternal clan is Salt People Clan and her paternal clan is Near the Mountain People Clan. Since she was a young girl, Billy recalls seeing former Miss Navajos and aspired to one day wear the same crown. "I always wondered how they related to me," said Billy. Because Miss Navajos are required to be familiar with Navajo teachings and culture, Billy always viewed Miss Navajo as being quite similar to the deities of the Navajo people. "They were the modern day Changing Woman," said Billy, adding that she wanted the opportunity to carry out those same duties as other Miss Navajos had. Billy will be moving into her new office immediately and will soon begin to form her platform. Already, Billy is contemplating how she will begin to make a positive change and impact for the people, especially the youth. "I really believe our Navajo youth are very troubled because they're not motivated because they don't know the history of the people," said Billy. To to address this issue, Billy wants to begin promoting self-esteem through storytelling, songs, and traditional teachings. Billy feels that if Navajo youth knew more about these teachings, they would have more pride and a better understanding of who they are. As a result, she feels that youth would then be able to progress and begin to achieve great things. "We need to get out there and revitalize our teachings," said Billy. For her traditional talent, Billy wrote an original song in Navajo, and for her traditional skill, talked about corn grinding and sang a corn grinding song. For the modern talent category, Billy talked about the importance of communication and played the "Star Spangled Banner" on her flute. Billy is no stranger to pageantry. She was Miss Ceremonial 2003-04, Miss Indian NAU 2002-03, Miss Chinle High School 1998-99, Miss Central Teen 1995-96, and second attendant for Miss Indian Arizona 2005-06. And like most pageant queens, Billy has a formal education. In 2005, Billy received a dual degree from Northern Arizona University, with a BA in political science and a BS in applied Indian studies. Eventually, she plans to attend ASU School of Indian Law to become a lawyer.

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