About the film
Miss Navajo is a 2007 independent documentary film directed by Billy Luther. The film follows 21-year-old Crystal Frazier and six other Navajo women as they compete for the title of Miss Navajo Nation 2005–2006. Unlike mainstream beauty pageants, the Miss Navajo competition emphasizes Navajo language, cultural knowledge, and traditional skills rather than physical appearance.
Contestants are required to speak Navajo fluently and demonstrate practices such as sheep butchering, rug weaving, and tortilla making. Through Frazier’s experience, the documentary explores themes of Indigenous identity, language preservation, and the role of Navajo women as cultural leaders. The film has been noted for presenting Native women through their own perspectives and for challenging stereotypes commonly found in mainstream media.
From the film's Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA 4.0).