Zachariah and his father Joe
Navajo Sand Painting Artist
Zachariah was born June 14th, 1996. He is Navajo and lives in Shiprock, AZ. Zachariah is home schooled so he is able to study his Navajo Traditional Ceremonies. He is already a devoted Medicine Man to the Navajo people. He has been apprenticing under his father, Joe Ben, Jr., learning to create Ceremonial sand paintings and contemporary sand paintings. Zachariah’s sand paintings depict Yeii Beii Cheii’s and other sacred Navajo figures. He is a lead singer in his own Yeii Beii Cheii group. The Yeii Beii Cheii or “Nightway” Ceremony is done during the winter solstice. Zach and his father collect and use only natural stones in their sand paintings.
Zachariah loves farming. He specializes in white corn, which he steams under ground to produce “dried steamed corn”. Zachariah has won First Place in the youth division for Gallup Ceremonial and various art shows.
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