Weaving in Beauty

Dilkon, AZ   During the summer, many chapters on the Navajo Nation have summer youth programs which employ students in various jobs.   The idea is to build job skills and to provide students with a means of earning money for school expanses.   This summer, the Dilkon Chapter, which is about 20 miles north of Winslow, Arizona decided to add a new twist to their summer program by paying students to learn to weave.   The chapter borrowed the looms that Weaving in Beauty uses in Window Rock and I helped them to find tools and wool for the students to use.     Like the two participants in the picture above, most of the students are doing simple stripes for their first pieces.  They’re also teaming up, with two students working on one piece.  They expect to have the four remaining pieces completed over the next two weeks. 

Next year, the program would like to invite experienced weavers in Navajo techniques to assist with the program on a volunteer basis.   Look at the enthusiasm on the faces of the students above and let me know if you would be interested in possibly helping next year. 

Hagoshíí (so long for now)

Mary Walker

Navajo Code Talker Samuel Tso (center) will be participating in this year's Adopt a Native Elder Rug Show in Park City, Utah. From left in this picture from 2007 are Barbara Spelman, Jennie Slick, Samuel, Judy Sutton and Code Talker Keith Little.

Tempe, AZ Adopt a Native Elder will hold their 20th Annual Rug Show in Park City , Utah on the weekend of November 6th through 8th, 2009, just in time for holiday shopping.   The show draws weavers and other artists from many parts of the Navajo Nation.  You’ll find rugs and other art work and you’ll be able to see demonstrations of weaving,  carding and spinning.  This year’s event will include a tribute to native veterans featuring Navajo Code Talker Samuel Tso.  The show is a rare opportunity to witness history and art that you’ll want to attend if you can.

Hagoshíí (so long for now)

Mary Walker

Weaver Gilbert Begay will be among the participants at Navajo Weaver's Day July 17, in Window Rock, AZ.

Window Rock, AZ The Navajo Nation Museum has designated Friday, July 17 as their first Dinéjík’éhgo ‘Atło (Navajo Weaver’s Day).  The event will feature vendors, weaving demonstrations, food, a symposium, and two screenings of  the 2007 documentary “Weaving Worlds” (at 1:00 PM and 6:00 PM).  “Weaving Worlds” director Bennie Klain and weaver Gilbert Begay are among the participants in a panel discussion following each showing of the film, which is about an hour in length.   Click here to see a trailer for the film.  

Visitors will also have the opportunity to visit the ongoing “Generations” exhibit of Two Grey Hills weaving at the museum.   The event is free and is open to the public.  Make your plans to be there now; I’ve got my trip planned! 

Hagoshíí (so long for now)

Mary Walker

A view of one of the rugs on display at Toadlena's centennial exhibit

Toadlena, NM The Toadlena Trading Post is celebrating 100 years in business with a new exhibit that documents the weaving genealogy of the Bear Clan.  Trading post owner Mark Winter has gathered rugs representing Bear Clan weavers who are in the living memory of the present generation.   Each matriarch and her descendants are documented in detail and many of the rugs are  hung over murals showing the red rocks and turquoise blue skies of the Southwest.  Among the prominent weavers who are descendants of Bear Clan matriarch Sagebrush Hill Woman are Daisy Taugelchee and Julia Jumbo and the exhibit includes panels of both their work.  You can see a composite picture of the panel showing the weaving of Daisy and her close relatives below and you can read the description of the weavings displayed by clicking on the picture at the bottom of the article.

A composite photo of the Toadlena panel depicting the work of Daisy Tauglechee and her close relatives.

The Toadlena Centennial celebration will last until June 20, 2010, so you’ve got time to plan a trip to the trading post to soak of the history of the place to take in the Shash Tso exhibit.  Plan to spend at least two hours and if you can, try to meet trader Mark Winter during your visit.  You’ll never forget your day at Toadlena.

Please click on the picture for a full sized summary of Daisy Taugelchee's panel.

Hagoshíí (so long for now)

Mary Walker

This wonderful churro is blissfully unaware of the beauty of that Red Mesa fleece. If only I had some shears...if only I knew HOW to shear...

Farmington, NM Jennie Slick and I are on our way to do a Navajo Weaving Boot Camp at Bear Lake in Utah and we had a chance to stop by the Sheep is Life Celebration today.  The event is being held on the campus of Navajo Preparatory Academy in Farmington, New Mexico and celebrates the Navajo lifeway.   There is still a full day of events tomorrow, including the sheep show, banquet and rug auction.   The event includes many workshops, free public seminars and round table discussions.  Even if your transporter beam to Farmington isn’t operational this year, start planning to be at a future event.

One of the highlights of Sheep is Life is opportunity to meet sheep husbandry experts like Dr. Lyle McNeal, who founded the Navajo-Churro Sheep Project.  That’s Dr. McNeal at the right in the picture below.

Dr. Lyle McNeal (right) with some Navajo-churro wool that is a central feature of the Sheep is Life Celebration

Hagoshíí (so long for now)

Mary Walker

Jennie Slick weaves at a class in Window Rock

The travel section of today’s New York Times has an article by Keith Mulvihill which features travel on the Navajo Nation and focuses on weaving, the Crownpoint Rug Auction and interviews with master weaver and Weaving in Beauty instructor Jennie Slick and the Toadlena Trading Post’s Mark Winter.  Keith even tried his hand at  weaving, learning how to warp a loom and weaving a few inches.  The audio slide show that accompanies the article is really wonderful; you’ll enjoy hearing the sound of Jennie’s weaving fork as she’s working.

Jennie Slick works on a Burntwater design as she's interviewed for an article in the New York Times.