| We know that people in the Southwest
have been weaving for at least 2500 years because of the traces of yucca fibers
and bison hair found at Pueblo Indian
burial sites. For a tradition with roots so far
in the past, the art and skill of the Pueblo still echo in the culture found in
the area today. |
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The Pueblo were the first known weavers
in this Southwest. It is presumed that they taught weaving techniques to the Navajo
sometime before the Spanish arrived in the area in the early 1600s.
The Navajo adopted the same upright loom developed by the Pueblo; a weaving
tool so efficient that modern weavers in the Southwest use looms practically identical
to those of there great-great-great grandmothers. Today the loom is commonly referred
to as the Navajo loom.
The importance
of weaving in Navajo culture is clear from the stories told by the Elders:
Spider
Woman taught the Navajo how to weave on a loom which Spider Man taught them how
to make. The cross poles were made of sky and earth cords, the warp sticks of
sun rays, the heddles of rock crystal and sheet lightning. The batten was a sun
halo; the comb was made from white shell. There were four spindles: one a stick
of zigzag lightning with a whorl of coral; one a stick of flash lightning with
a whorl of turquoise; a third had a stick of sheet lightning with a whorl of abalone;
a rain stream formed the stick of the fourth, and its whorl was a white shell.
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 Source
Photo: weaving.about.com |
Source
Photo: Northern
Arizona University (Cline Library |
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 Source
Photo: Navajo-Churro Sheep Association
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Originally, weaving was done
using cotton and vegetable fibers; occasionally fur strips or feathers were also
used as part of the weaving design. Then, about 400 years ago, the prime raw material
of textile production changed: a Spaniard named Don
Juan Onate introduced Churro
sheep to the Southwest. The wool
from these sheep was thick and oily; perfect for making the warm blankets needed
to protect against cold desert nights. The
wool was also more easily dyed than other weaving materials available in the area.
The switch to Churro wool was therefore a natural step in the development
of Navajo textiles. |
Dyes
were made from plants, bark, and other raw materials.
Many plants were used fresh, while seasonal plants, such as the Prickly
Pear Cactus fruit, were dried so dying could be done even when fresh ingredients
were not available.
Here is a grocery list
of dyes that can be found in the Southwest region.
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BLACK |
Ocher, Pinon pitch, and 3-leaved Sumac |
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BROWN |
Mountain Mahogany root bark |
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ROSE |
Prickly Pear Cactus fruit |
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RICH BROWN |
Wild walnut hulls |
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GREEN |
Sagebrush |
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LIGHT ORANGE: |
Ground lichens found under sagebrush and
trees |
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ORANGE-TAN: |
One-seeded juniper |
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BRIGHT-YELLOW: |
Chamizo shrub |
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REDDISH-PURPLE:. |
Wild plum roots |
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GREENISH YELLOW |
Lupine flowers |
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TAN |
Indian paintbrush blossoms |
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WHITE |
Gypsum. |
Before
dying, yarns were soaked in a mordant - a solution which helped the materials
to absorb dye and hold the colour. Mordants were made from a combination of water
and alum or twigs gathered fresh from one-seeded juniper trees.
Everything
was in place for the Navajo art form to evolve: looming technology, an abundance
of raw materials (wool and plant dyes) and finally the traditional cultural influence
of the Pueblo.
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By the mid-1800s, the Navajo were the
most acclaimed weavers in the Southwest.
The Navajo women wove fine blankets which became a sign of honor and prestige
among their people: leaders wore a distinctive woven pattern to show their rank
within the community. Over time the
patterns in the blankets became more elaborate with multicolored stripes, geometric
designs and, with the introduction of commercial dyes, extremely bright colors. By
1877, railroad trade was well established in the southwest. It brought large quantities
of machine-woven cloth to the area, resulting in a sharp decline in the need for
hand-woven goods. However, the same
trains that brought machine woven cloth also brought tourists who were looking
to acquire Indian goods at trading posts. So, by the early 1900s, traders began to encourage Navajo
women to weave rugs. Over time each
trading post became a center of regional style and the commercially oriented "Navajo
Rug" became synonymous with "hand-weaving in the Southwest." |
 Source
Photo: Collector’s Guide
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Navajo
textiles are hand manipulated. Each
thread is woven by passing it by hand over and under the warp threads.
The following are a few of the techniques used by the Navajo weavers.
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In the Slit technique, each colour is
woven back and forth, separately. This is generally used in small sections as
a slit is created in the textile.
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Two colours can also meet by wrapping
around the same warp thread. The
Warp Interlock creates a jagged edge and is used in diagonal joins.
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In the Weft Interlock, the two adjoining
colours wrap around each other between two warp threads. It is used on long vertical
joins.
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Diagonal (or other) shapes are woven using
a combination of interlocking techniques. The steepness of the diagonal determines
when to change to the next colour.
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Today,
antique Navajo textiles are prized as a great cultural art.
The patterns have inspired many Navajo artists was well as non-native artists.
The textiles are not worn or used as floor coverings but are works of art
that are meant to be displayed. The
following are some examples of the Navajo textiles:
Yie
Textile
Source
Photo: C. Wetherill's Navaj Weaving
Corner
Yie are Navajo
deities who are spirits of the corn. In
the early part of this century, women began to include Yie in their weaving.
Some Navajo were upset, because traditionally Yei were only represented
in sacred sand paintings. Today,
Yei are popular subject in weaving. Weavers
frequently alter parts of the Yie design so that the are not similar to ceremonial
images.
Source
text: Native American Arts Cultures, Anne D’Alleva, Davis Publications, 1993
Third Phase Chief
Blanket
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During the nineteenth century, the
designs of the woven Navajo blankets become progressively more complicated.
While the earliest blankets have simple designs of two color stripes, later
blankets incorporated crosses and other motifs, which break up the continuity
of the stripes. Source
text: Native American Arts Cultures, Anne D’Alleva, Davis Publications, 1993
|
 Source
Photo: Adobe Gallery
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Click
Here for References.
