The morning of December 31, 2023, was the death of Klee Benally. He was 48. An Indigenous Action social media post said that Benally’s family will be gathering later today to formally announce Benally’s life.
Dziłyíjiin, Arizona was Benally’s hometown. His clan was the Wandering People and he was from the Tódích’íi’nii. Moving to Kinʂání, he carried himself with pride alongside Dook’o’oosʂííd.
The Diné traditions and culture were passed down to Benally by his revered and well-known father, Jones Benally, who was interviewed by the Navajo Times on December 7th.
The Diné identity of Klee Benally was shaped by his upbringing and the lessons he learned, which ultimately drove him to defend the sacred Dook’o’oosʂííd.
“For Diné people, it represents a part of our cosmology and being,” Benally said on Dec. 7. “Each mountain is a part of our creation account set forward for our boundaries, Diné Bikéyah, where we walk around.”
According to Benally, the mountains are like wise men who provide wisdom to the Diné people. In spite of their unexpected grief, many who knew and loved Benally spoke of him as a “one-of-a-kind” wise grandson, nephew, uncle, or cousin.
Benally was a multi-talented artist, writer, singer, and filmmaker who also fought for spiritual elements. The book launch for Benally’s November release, “No Spiritual Surrender,” took place on Thursday, December 21.
The story explores Benally’s journey of protecting holy sites and the reasons behind his actions in order to safeguard nahasdzáán. In the interview that took place on December 7th, Benally discussed his past arrest history and how he had once tied himself to heavy machinery to demonstrate his refusal to leave the land.
The struggle for land and the Indigenous peoples who lived on it was a theme that ran throughout Benally’s work. The people and the country are eternally thankful to the devoted Diné who looked out for them because Benally worked tirelessly for them.
Visit lakecountyfloridanews.com to get the most recent information about the deaths of other people, including autopsy reports, obituaries, and causes of death.
The following information relates to the demise of additional well-known individuals:
- William Christopher Cause of Death: His Timeless Contribution to Television!
- Anthony Bourdain Cause of Death: Unraveling the Culinary Legacy of Anthony Bourdain!
