woven holy people - Navajo Rugs | Nizhoni Ranch Gallery

NIZHONI RANCH GALLERY
Presents
WOVEN HOLY PEOPLE
February 28, 2016 – May 28, 2016
Thank you
to all
Medicine Men
WOVEN
HOLY
PEOPLE
Steve and I are very
pleased to be able to present
this body of work by the Navajo
people. Historically and today,
the Navajo weavings are an
expression of the Navajo way
of life and a demonstration of
their culture. Preserving the images of the Sacred
Sand Paintings, Yeis, and Yei Be Chei (Yeibichai);
has been a mission of many before us.
(ie. Hasteen Clah, Mary Wheelwright, and
the Newcombs)
We are privileged to have had
the opportunity to handle and share these
weavings. The imagery and symbolism
contained within the over 60 Navajo textiles
presented is beautiful, interesting, and
provocative. Some of the symbolism is not
known or interpreted as some of the pieces
are over 100 years old. And yet these weavings
can take us on a trip to a previous time where
our imaginations recreate a communion with
the gods, harmony, chaos, and all things known
and unknown in the universe.
Gail Getzwiller
for their skills, memories and endurance,
who have contributed to the rich history
of the Navajo, keeping Navajo traditions,
images, and ceremonies alive.
Thank you to all of the Navajo weavers
known and unknown for giving us the rich
textile imagery, some of which we have the
honor of sharing herein.
Memory aides from Miguelito Medicine
Man from Ganado were used for the two
sandpaintings by Helene Nez in this catalog.
Blue Corn People and Arrow People, pg 22-23.
At one time, long ago, a large number of
chants existed, with many smaller ceremonies.
Today comparatively few remain. Consequently,
as time goes on, many sandpaintings as well
as ceremonies fall into disuse and are lost
or forgotten.
Miguelito Navajo Medicne Man,
*Gladys A Richard, Navajo Medicine Man
Sandpaintings. - 1977
Sam Tilden and White Hat
with Mountainway sketches.
*Navajo Religion and Culture:
Selected Views, Papers in Honor of
Leland E. Wyman, Brugge & Frisbie,
Editors, Museum of New Mexico.
Papers in Anthropology,
#17 – 1982
© copyright 2016 Steve & Gail Getzwiller – Design by Great Scott Design – Tucson Arizona
PAGE 1
NAVAJO YEI
(HOLY PEOPLE)
NAVAJO
SANDPAINTING
WEAVINGS
The Navajo Sandpainting
Weaving is ranked among the
Navajo’s best known and best loved
art forms. The original Navajo dry
painting is traditionally performed
for religious or medicinal purposes
and is an integral part of the Yei Be
Chei Ceremonies, which can last up to 9 days. The sand paintings and ceremonies are designed to summon supernatural
forces… they represent the Navajo’s religious world and are
customarily part of ceremonies to heal and restore a patient
that is out of balance.
The Navajo Sandpainting Textile is an art form that owes
its existence to Weaver, Artist, and Medicine Man Hasteen Klah
(1867-1937)
Until the 1930’s the idea of a Navajo putting a sand painting in a rug was thought to bring them bad luck. However,
Mary Wheelwright supported and encouraged Hosteen Klah to
weave a sand painting design into a blanket to have a permanent documentation for future Navajo weavers and medicine
people. Hasteen Klah went on to produce many blankets,
drawings and paintings of various ceremonial designs. After
awhile, other weavers, seeing that nothing bad happened to
Klah, also started to weave the Sandpainting designs.
Mary Cabot Wheelwright who founded the Museum of
Navajo Ceremonial Art in 1937, was permitted to record many
of Klah’s songs and erected the museum to preserve his medicine knowledge and his sacred objects.
Hasteen Klah knew 5 Chant Ways (ceremonies and their
sandpaintings) and 3 of them died with him. A man sensitive
to time and tradition did what he could in his lifetime to
preserve them.
PAGE 2
The Navajo way of life is based on an oral
tradition in which stories, lessons and values
are passed down from generation to generation.
The Creation story of the Navajo Emergence as
“The People or Dine” is as sacred as the Bible
to the Navajo. One theme reoccurs often and in
almost all writings, that is central to the Navajo,
attainment and maintenance of harmony and
beauty, called hozho.
Harmony and beauty are always challenged
by the chaos of life. To attain harmony does not
necessarily mean the destruction of chaos and
disorder but rather describes the balance between
the two. The Navajo concept is perceived as an
idea that is generated within and is shared with
others. Therefore beauty is created or expressed
rather than observed and safeguarded.
This Navajo saying expresses the Navajo
ideal of harmony and beauty:
shil hozho with me there is beauty
shii hozho in me there is beauty
shaa hozho from me beauty radiates
In the Navajo Creation Story, there exists
numerous persona identified as Holy People or
Yeibichai who exemplify the concepts of hozho.
Yet these same Holy People also have the
potential to create their dynamic opposites as
seen in such qualities as chaos, foolishness and
ugliness. This duality of beauty and harmony
co-existing with chaos and disorder is indeed the
central theme of the traditional Navajo culture
and of weaving as well.
Although the blankets and textiles were not
originally woven with any ceremonial content,
the reference to, and infusion of the Holy People
are abundant. Images of birds, feathers, stars
and pollen all refer to the Stories of Emergence
and those to whom the Navajo refer to as the
Holy People or the Yei. These elements can be
found in woven form pre-1900.
NAVAJO
YEI BE CHEI
(Yeibichai)
The Yei Be Chei dancers are the human
impersonators who perform the ceremonies.
The Yei Be Chei weavings present the dancers as
they dance, perform, and enact the ceremony of
the Yeis.
Ceremonies are performed to either attract
or exorcise effects to The People. The Yeis
perform specific dances and rituals, as directed
by the Medicine Man, during the ceremony for
the desired end.
During ceremony, a team will be composed
of fourteen dancers: the leader Yeibichai - the
Talking God, six male dancers, six women
dancers, and finally, the Water Sprinkler - the
God of Precipitated Waters. On the final night,
teams of dancers appear in public in what is
referred to as the Yeibichai Dance until just
before dawn. The ceremony ends with the
chanting of the “Bluebird Song” which celebrates
the happiness and the peace that the bluebird
symbolizes.
The Yeibichai weavings are highly
individual, therefore, different elements may
be found in them.
Male Yeis have round heads and Female
Yeis have square heads. Other elements included
may be: gourds, ruffs of spruce around the neck,
fox pelts, moccasins, woven garters or sashes,
arrows, corn, clouds, stars, and more.
PAGE 3
YEI BE CHEI
HISTORIC
GUARDIAN SNAKE SANDPAINTING PICTORIAL
Likely woven in the Nazlini area. Pink, green & brown are natural dyes. The design elements are
highly spiritual with Snake Guards, the Black Yei (Big Snake Man) and White Yei (Big Snake
Woman). All handcarded, handspun, and hand dyed native wool.
Size : 66” x 39” (1.67M x .99M)
Male & Female Yeis dancing while holding a blanket- rainbow bars floating all around them
(i.e. surrounded by good luck and prosperity). All handcarded, handspun, and hand dyed native wool.
Size 80” x 46” (2.03M x 1.164M)
Circa 1920
Circa 1900
DRAGONFLY YEI SANDPAINTING WEAVING
Dragon Fly Yeis with Water Bug geometric designs and water symbols, woven in the Teec Nos Pos
area. All handcarded, handspun, and hand dyed Merino wool.
71”x 37” (1.80Mx.939M)
Circa 1920
PAGE 4
NIGHTWAY SANDPAINTING VARIANT
Guardian Yei surrounding patient in the center with Medicine Man and Yei. This weaver is quite
talented as the patient looks as if there is movement – even dancing. All handcarded, handspun, and
hand dyed native wool.
Size : 48” x 35” (1.219M x .88M)
PAGE 5
Circa 1930s
DRAGONFLY YEI PICTORIAL
Unique dragonfly yeis with wings.
All handcarded, handspun, and hand dyed
native wool.
Circa 1920-30
Size : 41.5” x 73” (1.05M x 1.85M)
BEAUTY WAY SANDPAINTING TEXTILE Rainbow Yei and Corn
Size : 63” x 53” (1.6M x 1.34M) Circa 1930s
FEMALE YEIS WITH TADPOLES
(Twisted Sisters Yei)
Very unusual design most likely for
fertility Ceremony.
All handcarded, handspun, and hand dyed
native wool.
Circa 1930s
Size : 38” x 66” (.96M x 1.67M)
First Dancers Nightway Chant SANDPAINTING TEXTILE
Possibly woven by a relative of Mrs. Sam, (Gladys Manuelito), Hasteen Klah’s niece, as it is very
similar to a sandpainting weaving she did around this time frame, published and featured in
Arizona Highways Magazine, July 1974, page 24.
All Handcarded, handspun, and hand dyed native wool.
Size : 74” x 53” (1.87M x 1.34M)
PAGE 6
Circa 1930s
PAGE 7
HISTORIC
Sometimes weavers make changes in a weaving so it is not perfect. This weaver did several
things: different colored faces and eyes, two ceremonial baskets, and more if you look closely.
Germantown and handspun, hand carded native wool.
HISTORIC
NIGHTWAY CEREMONY WITH SPIDER WOMAN
CROSS BORDER YEI BE CHEI
YEI BE CHEI
Spider Woman Cross Border with Yei Dancers. All handcarded, handspun,
and hand dyed native wool.
Early unusual portrayal of the Yeis with feathers and the smaller Yei figures at their feet.
All handcarded, handspun, and hand dyed native wool.
Size : 42” x 57” (1.06M x 1.44M)
Size : 5’ x 8’ (1.52M x 2.43M)
Circa 1930s
Circa 1920
STORM PATTERN / YEI BE CHEI
YEI BE CHEI
Hand Spun : Tourist Souvenir (Fred Harvey Era) All handcarded, handspun,
and hand dyed native wool.
There are 3 Female Yeis in the center of the storm pattern which is surrounded by Male Yeis
and medicine man, depiction of a healing ceremony. All handcarded, handspun, and hand dyed
native wool.
Size : 62” x 50” (1.57M x 1.27M)
Size : 5’3” x 9’ (1.60M x 2.74M)
Circa 1930s
PAGE 8
Circa 1930s
PAGE 9
HISTORIC
NIGHTWAY CEREMONY YEI BE CHEI
Nightway Ceremony with male and female Yeis, unusual negative background
with bows & arrows at their feet. Exceptional example. All handcarded,
handspun, and hand dyed Mohair.
Size : 62” x 63”(1.57M x .965M)
Circa 1930
Yei with Rainbow Bars and Transitional Border
Female Yei Figures with giant like features i.e. exaggerated upper torso. Very early piece.
All handcarded, handspun, and hand dyed Merino wool.
Size : 77” x 50”
Circa 1900
STORM PATTERN PICTORIAL with YEI EMERGENCE FIGURES
YEI BE CHEI DANCERS Arrow Fletchings
Yei Dancers surrounded by arrow fletchings. Female Yei in the center.
All handcarded, handspun, and hand dyed native wool.
Highly unusual weaving with Navajo creation story symbolism including whirling log center
and emergence figures peaking out above and below. All handcarded, handspun, and hand dyed
native wool.
62”x 47” (1.5Mx1.19M)
Size : 42” x 97” (1.06M x 2.46M)
PAGE 10
Circa 1930s
PAGE 11
Circa 1920s
“CHEI” – Horned Toad
NAVAJO WEAVING HOLY GIRL YEI
Grandfather of the gods
Rare ‘One of a Kind’
Extremely rare and unusual Yei weaving
standing over 8’ tall and 96 years old.
All handspun, hand carded hand dyed
native wool.
All handspun, hand carded Mohair
Aniline Dyes.
Circa 1920
Circa 1920
Size : 4’ x 8’6” (1.21M x 2.59M)
Size : 40” x 68” (1.01M x 1.72M)
HISTORIC
HERO TWIN PICTORIAL
Monster Slayer & Born of Water
Crystal Area
Representing the emergence/creation story
of the Navajo, surrounded by flowing energy
designs
All handspun, hand carded hand dyed
native wool.
Circa 1920
Size : 52” x 82”(1.32M x 2.08M)
PAGE 12
YEI BE CHEI DANCER
Most likely woven in the Two Grey
Hills area of the Navajo Reservation.
All handspun, hand carded
Lincoln wool.
Circa 1930
Size : 66”’ x 49”(1.68M x 1.25M)
PAGE 13
CORN PLANT YEI
Corn plant Yei representing all things good
and life giving. Other symbols include
feathers, birds,and corn – emanating
positive energy to the world.
All handspun, hand carded, hand dyed
native wool.
Circa 1925
Size : 50” x 69”(1.27M x 1.75M)
FOXTAIL YEI
Size : 76” x 43”(1.93M x 1.09M)
Circa 1939
TREE OF LIFE YEI PICTORIAL
Featuring two monumental Corn Yeis with
Spider Woman Crosses and 3 small Navajo
Blankets in the middle. All hand carded,
handspun, hand dyed native wool.
Circa 1920s
Size 49” x 86” (1.24M x 2.18M)
SANDPAINTING TEXTILE Rainbow Yei
Female Yeis are holding Prayer Staffs – surrounded by Guardian Yei.
All handcarded, handspun, and hand dyed native wool.
PAGE 14
4’3”x6’3” (1.29M x 1.19M) PAGE 15
Circa 1940s
HISTORIC
Male and female Yeis, male Yeis have foxtails hanging from their waist. The date on the
weaving tells us it was probably commissioned for the 1939 World’s Fair, as weaving
demonstrations were often part of the World’s Fairs during this time.
All handcarded, handspun, and hand dyed native wool.
HISTORIC
These two weavings were most likely made by the same weaver.
i.e. feathers, gourds, jacla necklaces, and medicine bag straps.
DRAGONFLY YEI
Dragon Fly Yeis with floating Rainbow Bars and Arrows attached to the
Guardain Yei symbol. All handcarded, handspun, and hand dyed native wool.
Size : 42” x 41”(1.06M x 1.04M)
Circa 1930s
YEI BE CHEI
Black is natural black from the first shearing of lambs underbelly.
All handcarded, handspun, and hand dyed native wool.
Size : 35.6” x 51”(.90M x 1.29M)
Circa 1930s
YEI BE CHEI
FOXTAIL YEI BE CHEI
Vegetal Brown. All handcarded, handspun, and hand dyed native wool.
Size : 47” x 36”(1.19M x .91M)
Circa 1930s
All handcarded, handspun, and hand dyed native wool.
40.5”x 68” (1.02M x 1.72M)
PAGE 16
PAGE 17
Circa 1930
These two weavings were most likely made by the same weaver.
i.e. style of Yeis, medicine bundles & feathers.
MOTHER EARTH/FATHER SKY
SANDPAINTING WEAVING
Mother Earth & Father Sky images are at
the bottom of the weaving surrounded
by Rainbow Bars. Two Yeis dancing
above with a stylized corn plant between
them. All handcarded, handspun, and
hand dyed native wool.
Circa 1930
Size : 41” x 54”(1.04M x 1.37M)
HISTORIC
LUKACHUKAI YEI
All handcarded, handspun, and hand dyed native wool.
Size : 31” x 40”(.78m x 1.01M)
Circa 1930
SANDPAINTING TEXTILE
Male Shooting Way with
Monster Slayer Twin
All handcarded, handspun natural
native wool. Black is carded wool from
the under belly of black lambs. Tan is a
vegetal color hand dyed by the weaver.
Circa 1930
Size : 31.5” x 51”(.80M x 1.29M)
LUKACHUKAI YEI
All handcarded, handspun, and hand dyed native wool.
Size : 42” x 70”(1.06M x 1.77M)
PAGE 18
Circa 1940
PAGE 19
SANDPAINTING
TEXTILE
Night Skies from the
Shooting Way Chant
Made with
Germantown yarns.
Circa 1930s
Size : 47” x 47”
(1.193M x 1.193M)
Sashes represent rain. All handcarded, handspun, and hand dyed native wool.
Size : 5’9” x 7’(1.75M x 2.13M)
Circa 1930
WHIRLING LOGS
WITH HOLY PEOPLE
SANDPAINTING
Whirling Logs represent the 4
Sacred Mountains,
4 Cardinal Directions and
the 4 Seasons. The 4 gods of
the East, West, North & South
are portrayed. (Talking God,
House God, and 2 Humpback
Gods). Mountain mahogany
root background would
place the weaver in the
Teec Nos Pos area.
All handcarded, handspun,
and hand dyed native wool.
Circa 1930
Size : 58” x 72”
(1.147M x 1.83M)
YEI BE CHEI
All handcarded, handspun, and hand dyed native wool.
Size : 54” x 72”(1.373M x 1.183M)
PAGE 20
Circa 1930
PAGE 21
HISTORIC
RAINBOW YEI
CORN STALK YEI
All handspun, hand carded hand dyed
native wool.
Circa 1920
Size : 25” x 40” (.63M x 1.01M)
SHIPROCK YEI Guaridian Rainbow With Corn & Sacred Plants
HISTORIC
All handspun, hand carded native wool.
Size : 58” x 34” (1.47M X .86M)
Circa 1940s
GERMANTOWN YEI SAMPLER
Made with Germantown Yarns.
Circa 1900-1910s
Size : 18” x 10”(.457M x .254M)
YEIS WITH SNAKES AND Sacred PLANTS
All hand carded, handspun, and hand dyed native wool with some Germantown Yarn.
Size: 39” x 21.5” (.99M x .546M)
PAGE 22
PAGE 23
Circa 1940s
Weavings by
Master Weaver
Helene Nez
Helene has won 6 Major Awards at the All
Indian Inter-Tribal Ceremonial from 2006 to
2014. Most of her weavings take up to 2 years to
make, otherwise she probably would have more
honors. Her weavings have been on exhibit
in the Desert Caballeros Western Museum in
Wickenburg, AZ.
Arrow People Sandpainting
Shooting Way Ceremony
Blue Corn
People
Sandpainting
Shooting Way
Ceremony
Never Before Done
In Textile Form
Navajo Churro Collection
Best Of Category & Best Of Division
2006 Gallup All Indian Inter-Tribal
Ceremonial
All Natural Vegetal Dyes
52”x 73” (1.32Mx1.85M)
Circa 2006: 2 years on the loom
Churro 679
Navajo Churro
Collection
Best Of All Weavings
2013 Gallup InterTribal Ceremonial
Corn Yeis are vegetal
dyed Indigo Green.
Size 5’ x 6’
(1.27M x 1.524M)
YEI PICTORIAL
with Teec Nos Pos Border
Circa 2013
2 years on the loom
Churro 1302
Navajo Churro Collection
All hand dyed Churro wool with
subtle silk highlights.
Circa 2000 : 1.5 years on the loom
Size 4’ x 9’ (1.21M x 2.74M)
Churro 241
PAGE 24
PAGE 25
NAVAJO CHURRO COLLECTION
Helene Nez, born in 1977 learned weaving
from her mother, Master Weaver Grace Nez. She
started weaving when she was 19, now a master
weaver herself. “I am where water meets,
born for Tangle clan. My nali is Comanche
Warrior and my grandparents are Bitter Water.
“Sandpaintings are my favorite design. In the
sandpainting, the rainbow is special to the
Navajo. It represents rain that washes away pain
and gives us moisture for life. When I started
the corn people it was pretty difficult, but that is
one reason why I wanted to do it, so I can know
myself, I can accomplish it.” said Helene.
MARIAN NEZ
SELENA YAZZIE
Selena Yazzie was born in 1963 and
started weaving when she was 7 years old,
learning weaving from her mother and
grandmother.
Marian Nez born in 1967, is Helene
and Cindy’s big sister. She was taught to
weave by her mother and grandmother. A
master weaver, she has won many awards
and her weavings were exhibited in the
Desert Caballeros Western Museum in
Wickenburg. Her talent for weaving is evident in this weaving, notice how perfect
the circles are in the center sandpainting
design. Circles are one of the most difficult design elements to weave.
BEAUTY WAY SANDPAINTING WEAVING
Selena Yazzie
Navajo Churro Collection, 1st Place, Best of Category & Best of all Weavings
2015 Gallup Inter-Tribal All Indian Ceremonial
Circa 2015 : 2 years on the loom.
Size 85” x 59” (2.159M x 1.49M)
Churro 1426
BISTIE STYLE WITH SANDPAINTING CENTER
Marian Nez
Navajo Churro Collection
1st Place & Best Of Category 2013 Gallup All Indian
Inter-Tribal Ceremonial
Two Year On The Loom Size: 6’ X 9’ (1.892M x 2.74M)
Churro 1345
PAGE 26
PAGE 27
NAVAJO CHURRO COLLECTION
She has won many awards including
Best of Textile for this weaving and another
in 2012. Her weavings were on exhibit in
the Desert Caballeros Western Museum in
Wickenburg, AZ. She says her kids have been
a major influence in her life and her weaving is the one thing that keeps her going in
life. She is best known for her Pictorial and
Sandpainting weavings. Master Weaver Cara
Gorman is her cousin.
SANDPAINTING TEXTILE
TEEC NOS POS YEI
PICTORIAL
Navajo Churro Collection
Juanita Tsosie (1930-2011)
Round Rock Area
CINDY NEZ
Colors of the Corn People represent the Four Cardinal Directions.
Circa 2009
Size 66” x 74” (1.67M x 1.87M)
Churro 158
Pastel colors are all
natural dyed silk.
Circa 2000
1.5 years on the loom.
Size 60” x 88”
(1.52M x 2.23M)
Churro 237
HOLY GIRL PICTORIAL
Navajo Churro Collection
Emily Malone
CINDY NEZ
Yellow is natural dyed silk.
A master weaver, she has won many
awards including “Best of Show” Gallup All
Indian Tribal Ceremonial 2003, for an intricate multi-pattern Teec Nos Pos Weaving.
Cindy’s weavings were also exhibited in the
2000 Exhibition at the Desert Caballeros
Western Museum in Wickenburg, Arizona.
Circa : 2012
Size : 4’ x 6’ (1.21M x 1.82M)
Churro 738
PAGE 28
PAGE 29
NAVAJO CHURRO COLLECTION
Navajo Churro Collection
The Desert Caballeros
Western Museum
Exhibit 2000
These two weavings attributed to the same weaver, possibly attributed to Despah Nez
Dragonfly
4 Directions
Sandpainting
Tapestry
Attributed to
Despah Nez
Very finely woven.
CONTEMPORY
Circa 1960s-1970s
Size 28” x 28”
(.714M x .71M)
SANDPAINTING YEI
MARIE SHIRLEY
(Marie Brown)
Master Weaver Marie Shirley from
the Chinle Area of the Navajo
reservation has won many awards.
Her weavings have been exhibited
and published in the Fine Art of
Navajo Weaving.
Exhibited Heard Museum
1990s and the
Desert Caballeros Museum
2000-2001
Mother Earth
Father Sky
Sandpainting
Tapestry
Circa 1980s
Size 72” x 47” (1.82M x 1.193M)
Attributed to
Despah Nez
Very finely woven.
Circa 1960s-1970s
Size 28” x 29”
(.714M x .73M)
RAINBOW BLESSING YEI
(Holy Girl)
MARIE SHIRLEY
(Marie Brown)
Vegetal Dyes
Circa 1980s
Size 25” x 34” (.63M x .86M)
PAGE 30
PAGE 31
YEI BE CHEI TAPESTRY
2013 All Indian Inter-Tribal Ceremonial - 1St Place Yei Be Chei
BEAUTY WAY SANDPAINTING WEAVING
Size 36” x 52” (.914M x 1.32M)
Anita Tsosie (1959-2007) Master Sandpainting Weaver
Blue Ribbon 1995 O’odham Tash
Size : 70” x 84” (1.77M x 2.13M)
Circa 2013
Circa : 1995
YEI BE CHEI TAPESTRY
YEI BE CHEI LIFESTYLE PICTORIAL Pictorial of a Yei Be Chei Ceremony
Della Woody (Sawmill area) Premier weaver of this style. Della Woody
weavings were published in the ‘Fine Art of Navao Weaving’.
Anita John from the Many Farms Area
1st Place Heard Museum Show – 1985
Size 47” x 87” (1.19M x 2.20M)
PAGE 32
Circa : 1980
Size: 15” x 20” with frame included: 24” x 19”
PAGE 33
Circa 2013
CONTEMPORARY
Louise Yazzie (Sawmill area)
NAVAJO YEI PICTORIAL
CONTEMPORY
Christine Chischilly (Lukachukai Area)
2nd Place 2015 Gallup All Indian Inter-Tribal Ceremonial - Yei Be Chei
Size 60” x 34” (1.52M x .86M)
Circa 2013
YEI BE CHEI
Velma Segay (Sawmill Area)
Size 31” x 43” (.78M x 1.09M)
YEI BE CHEI
Circa 1980-90s
FOXTAILYEI BE CHEI
Lula Brown (Sawmill Area)
Size 23” x 33” (.55M x .83M)
Circa 1987
PAGE 34
Lillie Smiley (Shiprock Area)
Size 45” x 33” (1.14M x .83M)
PAGE 35
Circa 2015
LOOKING TO
THE FUTURE
YEI BE CHEI
MINIATURE TAPESTRY
We are looking forward to sharing Navajo
Textiles in an Annual Exhibit at the Nizhoni
Ranch Gallery. 2017 will be the year of the
Teec Nos Pos (circle of cottonwoods).
Helen Begay
(Sawmill area)
CONTEMPORY
Circa 2012
Size: 14” x 10” (.35M x .25M)”
We hope you will join us again next year
for a look into the best of the past and the future
of Navajo Teec Nos Pos weaving.
Ava Tsosie weaving on a Teec Nos
Pos of the future. Another Navajo
Churro Collection piece. Ava is
one of the youngest Master Weavers
we work with today, daughter of
Linda Nez and Granddaughter of
Grace Nez, all master weavers!
TWO WEAVERS
HOLDING A YEI BE CHEI
WEAVING MINIATURE
TAPESTRY
Louise Yazzie Bia
(Sawmill area)
Circa 2015
Size: 3.5” x 4.5” (.8M x .11M)
MINIATURE
YEI TAPESTRY
Darlene Yazzie
(Sawmill area)
Pristine Condition Teec Nos Pos : c. 1930s
Circa 1980s
Size: 5.75” x 5.5” (.14M x .139M)
SPIDER ROCK
CANYON DE CHELLY
Home of Spider Woman
The Holy Entity who
taught the Navajo to weave.
PAGE 36
Nizhoni Ranch Gallery
Steve & Gail Getzwiller
Sonoita, Arizona
520-455-5020
www.navajorug.com