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Kiana Etsate-Gashytewa

Arizona State University


Personal Statement

Keshshi! Ko’ don dewanan a:deyaye? (Hello! How are you doing today?)

Ho’ Kiana Etsate-Gashytewa leshina. Hom annodiwe mula bitchi:kwe deyan dona:kwe a:wan

cha’le. Ho’ kwili asdemlan yaldo debbikwikya. Hom a:lashina a:chi Whipple dap Eva Etsate

leshina. Hom tsitda Stephonie Etsate dap hom datchu Lyle Gashytewa leshina. Ho’ suhnhankwi

ky’achuba yalla ts’ina:weshe:a. Yam a:ho’i yam a:ts’emana, akkya ho’ tsina:weshe:a.

My name is Kiana Etsate-Gashytewa. I come from the Pueblo of Zuni and Hopi tribes.

My clans are a Parrot and child of a Turkey. I am currently 20 years of age. My grandparents are

the ones who have raised me and their names are Whipple and Eva Etsate. My mother’s name is

Stephonie Etsate and my father’s name is Lyle Gashytewa. I attend university at the base of the

San Francisco Peaks in Flagstaff, Arizona at Northern Arizona University. The reason I pursue

higher education is to one day come back and share my skills and knowledge with our Tribal

Government and people.

I am a daughter, granddaughter, auntie, niece, scholar, first-generation student, caretaker,

dancer, dreamer and so much more. I hold myself to the highest standards of my Pueblo

teachings to where I can present myself before you today. I grew up under the care of my

grandparents, Whipple and Eva Etsate. They raised me underneath our sacred Corn mountain,

Dowa Yalanne and was taught our Zuni language and culture. Under their direction and care,

they instilled the ideology that “Education is Key” and always encouraged me to learn in every

way possible. I took this teaching and applied it to daily life and take every moment as a learning

moment. I have been rather keen to the Western Education model and found myself excelling in

academics but my heart knew the education I really wanted was a Traditional Zuni Education
which is comprised of the most ancient and beautiful Shiwi stories, morals, values, language, and

prayers. Through the years, I have learned to intertwine my Western and Traditional education to

become a knowledgeable, well rounded, Pueblo woman utilizing both education models to excel

in today’s modern society. One of my most powerful works would include Zuni interpretation of

our Traditional Kiva government and comparing it to our “Western” and current Zuni Tribal

Government (Zuni Constitution, Courts, Tribal Council), then establishing mutual understanding

and united governing structure for both societies.

Although I value each education the same, I chose to pursue a Western education. As I

began my higher educational path, I came across several options; my family wanted me to

become a lawyer, my colleagues saw me as a leader, and my educators wanted me to be an

educator. I knew in my heart that I wanted to be a leader of some sorts. As these ideas

culminated in my brain, I knew I could be all 3. I find myself naturally being in these positions

others wanted of me;

An educator by educating others of Indigenous issues, history, language, and cultures inside and

outside of the Zuni and NAU communities.

A mentor to Indigenous students trying to find their place at a higher education institution along

with encouraging students, back home, to pursue higher education.

A leader by leading NAU Student Organizations like Connecting Higher Education Indigenously

(CHEI), the Miss Indigenous NAU Organization, and the United Diversity Council.

I am in love with my fields of study, Applied Indigenous Studies and Political Science, as both

fields challenge me to learn, interpret, and decolonize academic ideologies and structures with

the use of my traditional knowledge.


I want to continue to serve as a leader and educator of Western and Traditional concepts

of law, academia, culture, and language by gaining acceptance for the American Indian Studies’

Tribal Leadership and Governance Master of Science Program at Arizona State University. My

ultimate goal is to reclaim our sovereignty as an Independent Indigenous Nation by rewriting our

Zuni Tribal Constitution in the Zuni language as our interpretation will cater and benefit our

people. Through this incredible Master’s degree program, I would like to concentrate in Tribal

leadership, to focus on creating and cultivating the next generation of Zuni Tribal leaders.

I believe that I can contribute to the program by bringing energy, motivation, leadership,

and experiences as a Pueblo woman to Arizona State University and the American Indian Studies

Program. The reason I would love to attend ASU’s masters program as it is an esteemed program

with a renowned Indigenous faculty and staff whose work has been exemplified throughout

Indian Country. Such AIS faculty along with their works that inspire me to pursue this degree.

The AIS faculty is also known for their life-changing work they do for Indian Country

and I would be absolutely honored to work with and possibly be mentored by these great

professors. Professors such as Dr. Myla Vicenti-Carpio who is a trailblazer for her work in

Federal Indian Policy, Indigenous studies/methodology, decolonizing methodology. Along with

Dr. Cheryl Bennett, Dr. Leo Killsback, Dr. James Riding In, and Dr. Davis Martinez for their

work as key leaders in Indian law, and justice.

Since being introduced to the world of Indigenous studies by the most influential Zuni

woman, Miss Carlotta Martza, I was extremely passionate and in disbelief that there was such a

field dedicated to learning the histories, and background knowledge for our Indigenous

populations, governments, and laws. I realized I could then combine my love for Politics, tribal

leadership/governance, and laws into Indian country and our Zuni Traditional teachings. With
my Western educational background along with my Zuni educational teachings of ancient

morals, virtues, language, dances, and prayers, I study to utilize both aspects to create cultural

competency of our own tribal and traditional government systems and curating it to benefit our

people, history, and nation. Given my educational, personal and life experience, I feel that I am

always open to new thoughts, ideas, and experiences to which I apply to this program. I am

intrigued with the work and courses that are offered through this master’s program and am very

eager to learn and grow as an Indigenous Scholar.

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