About Kenji
I have been photographing the Navajo since 1974, documenting their lives and culture. I have since published four books and have taken thousands of photographs. I hope you enjoy looking through my portfolios and my web site.
[o] 1949 Born in Fukuoka, Japan
[o] 1973 Came to Los Angeles, CA
[o] 1974 Came to Navajo Indian Reservation
[o] 1982 Became the Navajo Code Talkers Official Photographer
[o] 1984 Staff Photographer for Navajo Times Today
[o] 1987 Started photographing the Navajo Code Talkers for book
[o] 1990 Published "WARRIORS: Navajo Code Talkers" from Northland Publishing, Flagstaff, AZ
[o] 1991 "WARRIORS" was chosen for traveling exhibition from Arizona Commission on the Arts
[o] 1999 National Atomic Museum, Albuquerque, NM, takes over the exhibition; shown more than 50 times in the US
[o] 1993 Exhibit "WARRIORS" in Tokyo, Sapporo and Fukuoka,Japan
[o] 2001 Publishished "In the Fifth World" with Adriel Heisey, Rio Nuevo Publishing, Tucson, AZ
[o] 2003 "Navajo Heroes: Navajo Code Talkers" exhibition, Tokyo, Japan
[o] 2003 Published "Yaateeh Navajo" VIENT Publishing, Tokyo, Japan
[o] 2004 Exhibit "Foto Documentary: The Dine 1974-2004" Navajo Nation Museum, Window Rock, AZ
[o] 2004 Appeared in Japanese TV NHK program, "A Japanese Far Away from Japan"
[o] 2005 "WARRIORS" photo exhibit at Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO
[o] 2007 Published book "Navajo Women" from Rio Nuevo Publishing, Tucson, AZ
[o] 2012 Exhibit "Faces of the Navajo", Nikon Salon, Tokyo, Japan
[o] 2012 Exhibit "Navajo Code Talkers", Heard Museum, Phoenix, AZ
[o] 2015 Exhibit "40 Years with the Navajo" Navajo Nation Museum, Window Rock, AZ
[o] 2015 Published in NY Times LENS Blog, "40 Years with the Navajo"
[o] 2015 Published in magazine, TIME for Kids, "Code of Honor"
[o] 2018 Received plaque from the Office of the Navajo Nation President and Vice President, in appreciation for the caring contributions
to the Navajo Code Talkers
[o] 2020 Article published in El Palacio - Magazine of the Museum of New Mexico - Fall Issue
[o] 2021 Photography exhibit at the Navajo Nation Museum, Window Rock, AZ, “Navajo Code Talkers: Through The Lens of Kenji Kawano”
[o] 2021 Continuing photographing Navajos and living in Window Rock, AZ, with wife, Ruth
