“Késhjéé: Navajo Shoe Game a winter tradition that explains cycles of life
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — Singer and speaker Talibah Begay of Shiprock, New Mexico, hosted a Késhjéé — Navajo Shoe Game — at Summit High School in Flagstaff Feb. 16.
Native Americans for Community Action created the event as part of its Reach UR Life and Lasting Indigenous Family Enrichment program. Begay presented two informational sessions over Zoom in January in preparation. Despite the three hours of prep, the complexities of the ancient Késhjéé can make it difficult for newcomers to pick up.
‘I wish we had an all-day session because there’s so much to talk about in the shoe game,’ Begay said.
Though it is called a game, many consider Késhjéé a ceremony because of all the songs, offerings and interconnectedness it produces between the players.
Késhjéé is played on winter nights, and is used as an explanation for how the cycles of day and night came to be.”
