The Gallup Literary Festival
Annabelle Janssen
Annabelle Janssen is a Dutch Cultural Anthropologist and documentary film maker. She came for the first time to the Navajo reservation in 1994. She did a 5 months research project for her masters degree about Navajo traditional healing methods versus modern healthcare. She conducted part of her research at the Indian medical center in Gallup. She got close to many Navajo people who became very dear friends to her. At that time a Navajo family adopted Annabelle into their family. From then on Annabelle came back almost every year, extending her research and later doing a film documentary on how to preserve the Navajo language and culture “Where the Highway Ends…” She worked very closely on this project with a traditional Navajo healer and with her Navajo family. At the moment Annabelle is writing a book about her experiences living among and with the Navajo people.
Description of film documentary “Where the Highway Ends..”
This journey begins through the eyes of a traditional healer. It focuses on life in beauty and harmony within the Navajo culture. A chronicled story beautifully told and based on personal knowledge and teachings. showing us the holistic traditions, beliefs, and a way of life within the four sacred mountains.
This story also focuses on the strength and endurance of a people with a history of oppression. It gives an inside perspective from today's Diné about how their culture was affected by the Anglo way of life. But even more importantly it focuses on the solutions to prevent future loss of an ever fading language and culture.
