About Native American Arts & Crafts

Navaho ( Navajo) Rugs

Hardly any discussion about American Indian textiles would be worthy of reading unless it highlighted the weaving traditions of the Navaho Indians in the southwestern United States. Spread throughout the modern day states of Arizona, New Mexico and to a lesser degree Colorado and Utah the Navahos have  a history of prolific production of commercial textiles. The collectable nature of Navajo weaving has extended back several hundred years and possibly beyond. In fact, so cherished was their early weaving, the Plains Indians and the early Spaniards preferred Navaho weaving to their own efforts.

 

The Beginning:

 

Navaho oral history tells us an intriguing story of the origin of the Navajo's ability to weave. It is said that Spider Women taught the Navaho women how to weave on a loom made by virtue of instruction from Spider Man. This loom was said to be made of the sky, earth, sun, bolts of lightening and with accessories made of quartz, coal, turquoise and white shell. 

 

The opinions of modern day historians are substantially different than the ones we find in Navaho tradition. Modern historians generally agree that two factors came together which provided the Navajo people with both the opportunity to weave and the wherewithal.

 

In the 1500's the colonization of the Southwest was under way by the Spaniards. During this colonization of the Southwest the Spaniards brought with them sheep that would help to provide sustenance and profitability to the Pueblos  being   occupied. Spaniard colonization during this period was as much about economics and profitability as it was about religious conversion.  The Pueblos along the Rio Grande, which  had a long history of weaving with cotton, were now required by the Spaniards to weave with wool.

 

The Navahos during this time were a nomadic people who would often raid their neighbors in search of food and other supplies. These raids upon the Pueblos would often yield sheep which were then given to the Navajo women to tend. These raids provided the Navahos with the first of the two necessary elements which led to their eventual proficiency in weaving.

In the 1600's the Pueblo Indians  began to rebel against their Spanish conquerors which eventually led to the Navahos joining the rebellion. Having a common enemy the Navajos would often provide sanctuary to the Pueblo rebels which in turn provided the second necessary element needed for Navaho weaving. While the Navajo had the raw materials to weave,  their tradition of weaving was not born until the Pueblos provided the knowledge of weaving .

 

Through social interaction with the Pueblo Indians and with the addition of sheep via the raids upon the Spaniards the Navahos acquired the two necessary tools needed for weaving. The rest of course, is the natural evolution of a artistically talented people.

 

More:

The Beginning 

Different Periods of Navaho Weaving

Regional Designs

Definitions