WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren announced on Aug. 26 that renowned editorial cartoonist Jack Ahasteen has been selected to serve as Grand Marshal of the 2024 Navajo Nation Fair Parade on Sept. 7.
“It’s my pleasure to let Jack’s thousands of fans know he’ll be this year’s parade Grand Marshal, and rightly so,” Nygren said. “All of us have loved Jack’s cartoons, wit, and especially his political arrows. Many of us turned straight to the editorial page every week to see what he had to say and how he drew it.”
The parade is the centerpiece of the 76th Navajo Nation Fair, “Honoring Heritage: Celebrating Harvest, Livelihood and Kinship.” The fair will run from Sept. 4-8.
Ahasteen began his 52-year-long career at the Navajo Times as an illustrator. He was hired by the late reporter and editor Bill Donovan, who asked him for a cartoon week after week.
He is known for his perceptive caricature, timely, funny and acerbic political wit portrayed with a distinct Navajo flavor.
“My dad proved his commitment to the Navajo people and beyond with his unwavering advocacy through his illustrations that were, and are, well-researched,” Ahasteen’s daughter Calandra Allen said.
On June 12, Nygren proclaimed “Jack Ahasteen Day” on the Navajo Nation.
The President said the proclamation was a humble way to Ahasteen’s outstanding contributions to the Navajo Nation and his enduring legacy as an artist, storyteller and cultural ambassador.
“Jack Ahasteen’s unique style, blending traditional Navajo symbolism with modern comic art, has become instantly recognizable and has earned him a place as an iconic figure in Navajo society,” the proclamation reads. “We celebrate his achievements, express our gratitude for his dedication and reaffirm our commitment to supporting and nurturing the artistic talents within our community.”
Staff Reports
