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Spiderwoman: The
Weaving Tradition of
the Diné
One of the first photographs demonstrating Navajo weaving was taken by Timothy
H. O'Sullivan on the federal government's Wheeler Survey in 1873.
Curated by
George O. Maloof
and
Ivana Montenegro
“La Mujer Araña le enseñó a las mujeres Navajos cómo tejer en un telar,
el cual el Hombre Araña les dijo cómo hacer. Los palos cruzados esta-
ban hechos de cuerdas de cielo y tierra, los palos de la urdimbre de ray-
os de sol, las mallas de cristal de roca y relámpagos. La batidora era un
halo de sol, y conchas blancas formaban el peine. Cuatro eran los hu-
sos: uno un palo hecho de relámpago en zigzag con un malacate de car-
bón; otro un palo de relámpago con un malacate de turquesa; el tercero
tenía un palo compuesto de relámpagos con un malacate hecho de
moluscos del tipo orejas de mar; una serpentina de lluvia formaba el pa-
lo del cuarto huso, y su malacate estaba hecho de conchas blancas.”
-- Epigraph to Spider Woman: A Story of Navajo Weavers and Chanters, by Gladys A. Reichard, first published
1934, republished by Rio Grande Press, Inc., Glorieta, NM, 1968
Evolution of Weaving
Pre-Classic Period Simple banded blankets similar to Pueblo mod-
(1650-1800) els; intertribal trade. Garments (mainly mantas
or serapes) were predominately made during
this time.
The Churro wool is highly desirable for Navajo weavers, principally for
the wide range of colors that the sheep can be found in and the fact
that the fleece from this dual coated breed can be spun into a yarn that
is very strong, durable and easy to prepare, being that it is less oily.
This makes it an excellent material for weaving rugs. Plummeting pop-
ulations thanks to the U.S. Government’s slaughtering of herds in the
1860’s as part of their efforts to forcibly acculturate the Diné meant
that the wool from other sheep, such as the Merino breed, be used.
However, the Diné have always preferred their own Churro breeds.
Ovejas Churras (Photo credit: New York Times 2012: The Sheep are like our Parents, Michael Benanav)
Toadlena Two Grey Hills rug, ca. 1930 (Photo courtesy of the Nizhoni Ranch Gallery)
Two Grey Hills
Two Grey Hills estación de comercio (foto por Harold Carey Jr.).
Los diseños conocidos como Two Grey Hills se llaman así debido a la
estación de comercio donde se negociaban estos tejidos. Establecida en
1897, la estación de comercio Two Grey Hills es una de las estaciones
más antiguas en la reserva Diné que aún se encuentra funcionando.
Las alfombras y las mantas con este estilo son unas de las pocas que
todavía se elaboran con lana hilada a mano. Los distintivos colores son
los naturales de las ovejas locales, entre los que se encuentran varios
tonos de gris y café, blanco y negro. Los tejedores cuidadosamente pei-
nan e hilan distintas lanas naturales sin teñir para producir el bello
rango de colores que utilizan.
Germantown
Germantown rugs are named for the brightly colored yarn originating
from Germantown, Pennsylvania that was used to create them. These
factory made yarns were first introduced to the Diné in the 1870’s by li-
censed Indian Traders. An alternative to natural wool and vegetable dyes,
Germantown yarn and aniline dyes allowed the weavers to create bright
complex patterns that would eventually be known as “Eyedazzlers”. Ger-
mantown yarns were used as an alternative to the local wool that had be-
come scarce due to the United States Army’s attempt to “domesticate” the
Diné, by destroying crops and homes, as well as slaughtering sheep.
With the establishment of the reservation, trading posts, and the arrival
of the railroad, the Diné were able to obtain synthetic yarn and dyes to
continue their weaving tradition. Germantown yarn was widely used up
until the 1900’s when trading post owners encouraged the weavers to re-
turn to classical designs and colors.
Conocidas por sus cuatro fases distintivas y por ser más anchas que lar-
gas, el estilo de tejido Chief’s Blanket abarcó de la década de 1800 a
principios de la década de 1900. Cada fase introdujo un nuevo elemento
de estilo. Consideradas como uno de los logros más refinados en los
tejidos Navajo, las mantas Chief’s Blanket eran codiciadas por los pri-
meros comerciantes y los miembros de "alto estatus" de varias tribus
indígenas vecinas, lo que llevó a su nombre.
Chief’s Blankets
During the First Phase, from 1800-1850,
Chief’s Blankets were woven with a simple
design; thin stripes on the top and bottom
with broader stripes in the center. As syn-
thetic dyes or yarns had not yet been intro-
duced to the Navajo, these blankets were Late First Phase Chief’s Blanket
(National Museum of Natural History,
woven with natural wools of brown or white
Smithsonian Institution).
with the occasional blue made from indigo.
Although associated with the Tuba Trading Post, this pattern first ap-
peared and was made popular at the Crystal Trading Post. J.B. Moore,
owner of the Crystal Trading Post, featured the Storm Pattern Rug in the
1911 catalogue that he used to sell rugs on the Eastern American Market.
Detail of a whirling Log motif from a Storm Pattern rug in the Museum collection.
El Tronco Torbellino
El Tronco Torbellino es un símbolo sagrado en la tradición Diné proced-
ente de la ceremonia del “Canto Nocturno”. Por ser sagrado, el símbolo
rara vez se tejía en mantas, alfombras u otros textiles. En raras
ocasiones apareció durante la época conocida como el Período de
Transición (1868-1890), pero no fue sino hasta la década de 1900 que
empezó a aparecer en tejidos con más frecuencia en las reproducciones
de pinturas de arena. La apertura de la estación de comercio Cristal en
Nuevo México también jugó un papel importante en la incorporación del
Tronco Torbellino en los diseños.
Ganado Red rug by artist Elsie Wilson, (1981) from the Arizona State
Museum Collection.
Ganado Pattern
Due to the remoteness of Crystal, Moore started using a mail order cata-
log to sell his rugs on the Eastern market. He released two catalogs; one
in 1903 and the second in 1911, the year of his departure from the Dine-
tah. During his time at the Crystal Trading Post, he greatly influenced
the styles of Navajo rugs being produced. The rugs had an Oriental style
to them with multiple borders, large central medallions and numerous
hooks.
Radically different than the J.B. Moore influenced Crystal Pattern, the
current pattern originated during the mid 1930’s. This “new” pattern is
borderless with horizontal bands of geometric designs, separated by
“wavy lines” created by alternating and crossing the color of each weft.
Although most these rugs have no specific religious meaning and are
simply based on scenes and objects common to the weaver, there were
two exceptions; rugs depicting Yeis or Navajo Holy People and rugs with
Sandpainting images. A small number of Sandpainting rugs were woven
for the Two Grey Hills Trading Post in the early 1890’s but beginning in
the 1960’s they began to be produced for the Ganado Trading Post.
The Yei pattern rugs depicted the figures dancing in ceremonies. Yeis are
woven with elongated bodies, short straight legs, stylized fingers, and
their heads facing the viewer. Both Yei and Sandpainting rugs are woven
as “incomplete” from the original design as they are sacred.
los tejedores comenzaron a hacer más de estas alfombras, las cuales eran
más pequeñas en comparación con otras, cada una con una sola esce-
na. Después de la década de 1970 las alfombras pictóricas tenían pai-
sajes como montañas y acantilados rojos, cielos azules brillantes con
nubes y follaje natural.
Lippencott influenced Wide Ruins Pattern rug, 1940’s (Photo courtesy of Nizhoni Ranch Gallery).
Wide Ruins Pattern
Wide Ruins Pattern rug, 1970’s (Photo courtesy of Nizhoni Ranch Gallery).