5th-grade benefit draws big crowd

NAVAJO, N.M. , March 27, 2008

The plan for Saturday's benefit concert was to begin at 7 p.m. and end at 10 p.m.

But by 10 p.m., the music, laughter and fifth graders from Navajo Elementary School were still going strong.

An estimated 300 people crowded into the school gym to watch a stellar lineup of Native performers and try for one of several prizes raffled off during the evening.

The students held the event to raise money for a class trip and spent most of the concert collecting trash, selling raffle tickets, manning a concession stand, restocking the backstage buffet and escorting the entertainers.

But they did manage to be photographed with many of the entertainers. Especially popular was former Miss Navajo Nation Radmilla Cody, who was mobbed by children and youth attending the concert.

The fifth graders also took turns sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of the stage where they enjoyed the show.

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The entertainers had come from across the Navajo Nation and the White Mountain Apache Reservation at their own expense to help out.

Besides Radmilla Cody, there was Drew Lacapa, Robert Tree Cody, Jay Begaye, the T—d’ Néésh Zhéé Singers, Paz Harvey, Razor Saltboy, and Revolver.

Tree Cody, father of one of the Navajo Elementary fifth graders, recruited the entertainers for the benefit. Cody, Salt River Pima-Maricopa/Dakota, is married to a Navajo and the family lives in Navajo.

Lacapa, White Mountain Apache/Hopi, served as the master of ceremonies and kept things moving with his comedic introductions.

And when he wasn't telling jokes about them, he was poking fun at himself, such as his memory of arriving at boot camp where he "spread his cheeks" for the first time.

Highlights of the evening included a performance by Tree Cody and Radmilla Cody (no relation) of her song "Tears," about her experience with domestic violence.

Radmilla, speaking briefly about her "Strong Spirit ... Life is Beautiful Not Abusive" campaign, encouraged adults in the audience to speak about their mistakes with the children. This can help prevent the young people from making the same mistakes, she said.

"No one is perfect," she said.

Radmilla, like most of the performers, thanked Tree Cody for helping the fifth graders and for getting everyone together to show their love for "the kids."

Tree Cody, a three-time Nammy winner and Grammy nominee, also performed with the T—d’ Néésh Zhéé Singers, who brought home their first Nammy last year.

They performed TNZ's "Terminator," a reservation favorite, from the winning album "Dancers of Mother Earth."

Tree Cody also performed solo but he kept his set short because he wanted to showcase his friends, he said.

One friend he wanted to spotlight was Pax Harvey Jr. of Lukachukai, Ariz., an unknown but promising comedian.

Harvey took hip-hop greetings such as "Hey dog" and translated them into Navajo, which brought waves of laughter from the audience.

His high-energy presence was balanced by the evening's closing performances, the mellow country/western music of Razor Saltboy and the upbeat pop tunes of Revolver.

Saltboy, whose formal name is Ray Baldwin Louis, is the father of Revolver guitarists Aanor, Kumen and Hondo Louis, and the brother of drummer Larry Louis.

The fifth graders made $1,001 from the concert. They were hoping to raise at least $1,600 towards their trip, which is scheduled March 30 to April 1.

As of Wednesday, the fifth graders had raised $2,901 of the $3,500 needed to visit Hopi and Flagstaff, where they have several stops planned.

Fifth graders Andrea Decharme, 13, and Zonnie Otah-Begay, 10, said the trip is an educational venture and participants will be expected to write a report afterward about what they learned. That way everyone who supported them will know they weren't just shopping or "goofing around," the pair said.

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