Two of the participants in the Dilkon Chapter Summer Weaving Program with their weaving.

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