Friday, July 12, 2013

Navajo Land

Our group finally arrived in Window Rock, Arizona. Our first stop was at the Navajo Zoo and Museum, with a cultural introduction at the museum. Afterwards we walked around and I of course found every display of wool in the museum. Sheep are a very important part of the Navajo life, even so far as having a "Sheep is Life" festival every year.


At the very entrance to the gallery is a beautiful frame for rug weaving

 
They have mini-rug weavings hanging in a display. All the rugs were made by children for a competition. Beautiful.
 
 



They also had several displays of fiber. This is all natural fiber from Navajo-Churro sheep. They are beautiful, and very athletic sheep that come in polled and horned variety, with the potential for having 4 or more horns. I say they are athletic because usually when catching them to vaccinate we have to football tackle them or catch them mid-air as they jump over the barriers. 

 
 

 

 

 There were several Navajo spindles on display including some different designs for whorls.
 

 



 




And then there were several big, beautiful rugs that have all been hand-dyed. 


 
I thought this display of weaving was fantastic.
 
 


 It even had a mini Navajo-spindle with yarn on it.

 
 And they had a second weaving and spinning display with the different items written out in the Dine language. Unfortunately the picture of the words didn't come out well, but you can almost see some of the words on the sign

 


 
I bought a poster that had hand-dye directions for some of the different plants of the region and a my mom found a book called "The Weaver's Way" that profiles the women and their heritage. Can't wait to sit and look through it.
 
 
-M

 

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