Grandfather Storyteller and his Enthralled Kid Audience [SOLD]

We are all familiar with the famous U. S. Marine battalion known as the “Code Talkers” and the reasons that they were so successful in communicating by code during World War II without the Japanese being able to break their code.  They used Navajo words as substitutes for English words.  As an example, the Navajo word for “turtle” was used for the military vehicle word “tank.”  Those Navajo young men, of whom Beatien Yazz was one, have been praised for their contribution to shortening the war in the Pacific.  The reason this worked was that the Navajo language was only a spoken language at that time.  Since, it has been given an alphabet and lexicon.

This painting of an older Navajo man telling stories to his young audience was at a time when there was no written Navajo language and all stories and legends were passed on verbally.  It appears that his story is one of a Navajo encountering a large bear.  What a great time those days must have been for the Navajo children, sitting around outside in the field having stories told to them around a bonfire just before bedtime.

The painting was executed on charcoal mat board to emphasize it was nighttime.  It is signed in lower right B. Yazz and dated ’79. 

Condition:  appears to be in original condition but has not been examined out of the frame.  It was recently framed using acid-free mat material and foam core on the back.

Recommended Reading:  Yazz: Navajo Painter by J. J. Brody.  This book is currently not available from Adobe Gallery.

Provenance: from a gentleman in Albuquerque