Local Arizona kids in voice cast of 'Finding Nemo' for Navajo audience
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
A few Flagstaff children are among the voice cast bringing "Finding Nemo" to a Navajo-speaking audience.
For only the second time, a major motion picture has been dubbed in the Navajo language.
This version of "Finding Nemo" opened Friday in select theaters on the Navajo Nation.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Disney and Pixar officials say they chose the animated fish tale because there are only animal characters and few songs.
The movie follows the journey of Marlin, a clown fish, as he searches for his son, Nemo.
The children's parents tell the Arizona Daily Sun (http://bit.ly/1Z9Ryvt) they believe the translation will help keep the Navajo language alive.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Catherine Esquivel's 6-year-old son Mariano Esquivel voiced a baby turtle in the movie.
"I don't know that he understands now how huge this is for the Navajo people, to have Disney play a part in retaining our language," she said. "When he's older he will think, 'Wow, this was a great time in my life.'"
"Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope" became the first Hollywood feature translated in Navajo in 2013.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
That movie is also owned by Disney.
"I love the fact that Navajo has such a place in our history, with the Code Talkers in World War II," said senior vice president of Disney character voices Rick Dempsey. "If we want to work to preserve a language, this is a great one."
Like us on Facebook
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}