WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. – It may seem like a surprise that Natiana King, 19, was once a shy girl, her great-grandma’s tail.
Growing up, King was often by her great-grandmother’s side, Ruth Mike, going with her around Gallup as she sold jewelry.
“She would chase me into Earl’s restaurant and say, ‘Go sell,’” King recalls. “I’d say, ‘No, I don’t want to.’ I was shy, but now, looking back, I wish I had appreciated those moments more.”
When King decided to run for the Miss Gallup Inter-Tribal Ceremonial Queen, it was to honor the memory of her great-grandmother and the lessons she had learned from her. On Aug. 9, she was crowned the queen.
Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren was particularly moved by King’s platform because it resonated with his childhood, where he learned values, language, and culture from his late grandmother.
“Culture and values are passed down through our elders,” said President Nygren. “We are who we are because of them. I’m proud that Natiana has taken the initiative to honor those lessons. None of us learned what we know on our own; it took a lot of guidance and patience from our elders.”
President Nygren also praised King’s commitment to promoting unity among Indigenous communities through art.
“Gallup Ceremonial brings in thousands of people from all over, and it’s a celebration of our diverse tribal communities. Natiana is furthering the kinship among tribes by honoring the art we’ve perfected for centuries. Congratulations, Natiana. You’re representing the Navajo Nation and neighboring tribes beautifully.”
King currently attends Scottsdale Community College, where she is studying public health. She is Tódích’ii’nii (Bitter Water People) and born for Ta’neeszahnii (Tangle People). Her maternal grandfather is Ma’ii Deshgiizhnii (Coyote-Jemez People) and her paternal grandfather is Tábaahí (Water Edge People).
Since a young age, King has been a part of the royalty world, but running for Miss Gallup Inter-Tribal Ceremonial Queen was a spontaneous move to stay connected to a community she loves.
“What motivated me was the legacy of my great-grandmother and great-great-grandfather and those who came before me who paved the way for me and us,” said King, whose family ties are both in Twin Lakes, N.M., and Tsaile, Ariz.
Many Navajo families passed down teachings of silversmithing or weaving and King wanted to make sure those teachings were honored such as at the annual Gallup Inter-Tribal Ceremonial.
King’s platform centers on promoting unity through arts, dances, shared values, and heritage while honoring past generations and embracing cultural diversity. Winning the title required competing in public speaking, modeling, traditional food demonstrations, and traditional talent.
Although King had never competed in food demonstrations before, she found it to be a fun learning experience and an opportunity to build a sense of sisterhood with other contestants.
“Going to Ceremonials, we love to see our elders in their best outfits, joining in the dances and singing,” King said. “As an ambassador, I want non-Indigenous people to see us that way. I want them to see how authentic we can be.”
