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PEOPLE & ARTS Monday 30 deceMber 2019

Baby Shark’ creators release Navajo version of viral video

By RUSSELL CONTRERAS reservation in the U.S. The
Associated Press Navajo word for shark is lóó
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) hashkéhé, which translates
— Creators of the popular to “angry fish.”
video “Baby Shark,” whose The original “ Baby Shark
“doo doo doo” song was Dance ” video has gar-
played at the World Series nered more than 4 billion
in October and has been views on YouTube. “Baby
a viral hit with toddlers Shark” has been around
around the world, have re- for a few years, but took
leased a Navajo version of the world by storm last year
the tune. Pinkfong, a brand when the song and video
of the South Korea compa- went viral with the nursery-
ny SmartStudy, announced school set, with little kids im-
it unveiled the new version itating the hand-clapping
Sunday after holding sing- dance that went along
ing auditions on the Na- with the video.
vajo Nation. “Łóó’ Hashkéii In this Dec. 8, 2019 photo, Katrina Begay practicing lines with her daughter Drew Wilson at "Baby Books, plush toys, and oth-
Awéé,” which loosely Shark" auditions at the Navajo Nation Museum in Window Rock, Ariz. Associated Press er merchandise inspired
means Navajo Baby Shark, by the song became hot-
is the 20th language ver- the movies “Star Wars” and Daddy Shark, Grandma and the translated lyrics ticket items for the holidays
sion of Baby Shark, Smart- “Finding Nemo” that were Shark, and Grandpa Shark, have been supervised by and the “Baby Shark” tour
Study marketing manager eventually made. drove in from around the Navajo language experts,” was soon hatched.
Kevin Yoon said in an email. During the “Baby Shark” Navajo Nation. Yoon said. A second North American
The project was launched auditions, Wheeler was Yoon said the company SmartStudy has translated leg of the “Baby Shark”
after Navajo Nation Mu- the confidence-building hopes its latest project will the “Baby Shark” tune of concert tour is launching
seum director Manuelito coach, and two Navajo spark interest in the Na- the viral video in 19 lan- in March. During the World
Wheeler reached out to language instructors pro- vajo language among the guages, including English, Series, Washington Nation-
SmartStudy in September vided coaching with the tribe’s younger generation. Chinese, Japanese, Ko- als fans adopted “Baby
about translating “Baby correct Navajo language “The Navajo Nation Mu- rean, German, Arabic and Shark” as the team’s rally
Shark” into Navajo. The mu- pronunciations. Hopeful seum has advised and Bahasa-Malay. song. Nickelodeon has a
seum previously had lob- actors for the role of Navajo helped us through the The Navajo Nation is the “Baby Shark” cartoon series
bied for Navajo versions of Baby Shark, Mommy Shark, whole localization process, largest Native American in the works.q