George Lucas’ original Star Wars film, Episode IV: A New Hope, is being dubbed in the Navajo language. Native Navajo speakers have translated the script for the film, and Navajo speakers are being sought out to read the parts.
The translation was not easy, as words such as “light saber” and “the Force” created difficulty in finding comparable terms, reports the Indian Country Today Media Network.
As the Navajo Nation Museum works together with Lucasfilm and Deluxe on the project, they are trying to avoid "what people saw in the old Kung fu movies when the lip movements didn't coincide at all with what was said,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. Wheeler says, “I don't want to disparage the Kung fu movies because I loved watching them, but this can become very distracting and we don't want to see that happen here."
According to the Associated Press, Navajo Nation Museum director Manuelito Wheeler looks forward to the translation as an exciting and entertaining way to preserve the Navajo language.
Deluxe shares Wheeler’s excitement, as Shana Priesz, senior director of localization at Deluxe, tells THR, "Every time we dub a film, we recognize the fact that we are helping to bridge cultural and communications gaps among societies. In this case, however, we have the unique privilege of contributing to the preservation of a storied and noble culture, the Navajo.”
Auditions for the cast are scheduled for Monday, April 29 in Burbank, California and on May 3 and 4 at the Navajo Nation Museum in Window Rock, Arizona. The voices don’t need to sound exactly the same as the characters in Lucas’ original film, but they are looking for similar personality and emotion. Casting calls are open for the roles of Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, Princess Leia, Han Solo, C-3PO, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Grand Moff Tarkin.
Navajo marks the 40th language that Episode IV has been translated into, but it will be the first major Hollywood film that is translated into a Native American language.
The Navajo translation of Episode IV: New Hope will premiere at a Fourth of July festival, where admission will be free.