Southwestern NAVAJO Navajo sand painting. http://www.mce.k12tn.net/indians/reports2/navajo2.htm Curtis, E.S. The Blanket Weaver. 1904 http://www.mce.k12tn.net/indians/reports2/navajo2.htm

http://www.germantown.k12.il.us/html/culture.html http://www.germantown.k12.il.us/html/southwest.html The Navajo nation is in what is now the north east corner of Arizona and parts of Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico. The desert has rapidly changing temperatures, which affect the Navajo’s artwork and everyday life. Water use is strictly limited.

Their clothes were woven from cotton fibers. The Navajo and other southwestern tribes lived in adobe apartment buildings. They hunted deer, antelope, and rabbit, as well as raiding local Pueblo communities and gathering. Later they grew corn, beans, squash, and watermelon and raised sheep. Their clothes were woven from cotton fibers. http://www.germantown.k12.il.us/html/homes.html#adobe http://www.germantown.k12.il.us/html/southwest.html http://www.germantown.k12.il.us/html/southwest.html

Sterling silver and turquoise bracelet http://www.rijim.com/images/Ring3.jpg silver earrings http://www.nativeartstrading.com/OldTurquoiseJewelry.htm In the late 1800s the Navajo began to work with silver. At first they used Spanish and Mexican coins to make buttons, which could be cut off to pay for things when needed. The Treaty of 1868 supplied specialized tools to the Navajo and they began to make Turquoise jewelry.

rugs Model of early rug. http://www.mce.k12tn.net/indians/reports2/navajo2.htm Navajo hair tie. http://www.shiprocktrading.com/org.php?orgid=2 Early rugs woven by the Navajo were made of animal hair or plant fibers on simple looms. Designs were simple straight stripes, instead of the more complex diamond and slanted stripes used later Sheep belonged to women, who sheered them and spun and wove the wool. Taylor, Mary. Ganado rug. Chinle, Arizona. http://www.rijim.com/images/Rug1.jpg

THE HISTORY OF NAVAJO WEAVING The Early Classical Period: 1700-1850 Learned to weave probably from visitors from Pueblo cultures who were fleeing the Spanish invasion. The Spanish introduced sheep. The Classic Period: 1850-1863 Increasing trade of Navajo weaving. After the government imprisoned the Navajo in 1863 in New Mexico, they continued weaving using other fibers. The Transition Period: 1868-1890 The Navajo returned to their homelands. Commercial yarn added new colors to weaving. The Rug Period: 1890-1920 Commercial rug producers began to compete with Navajo blanket makers. The Navajo style evolved. The Revial Period: 1920-1940 French Rambouillet sheep, who had more – but inferior – wool, were introduced by the US government. Rug sales went down, and use of vegetable dyes increased. Regional Style Period: 1940-present Local styles were created.

pottery Both Navajo men and women make and sell pottery. The oldest Hohokam pots, found in Arizona, were over 400 years old. When making and firing pots they follow certain spiritual and cultural beliefs. http://www.rijim.com/images/Vase1.jpg Navajo pottery. http://www.foutzrug.com/pottery/

Whirlwind People Around the Sun http://www.rijim.com/images/Picture_008.jpg other Sand paintings were a ceremony as well as a temporary decoration. They were made on the floor from powdered herbs and sand. The Hopi made Kachina dolls to talk to gods. Hopi Kachina dolls. http://www.germantown.k12.il.us/html/southwest.html#kachina Navajo Wedding Basket. http://www.shiprocktrading.com/org.php?orgid=2 Dreamcatcher http://www.rijim.com/images/DreamCatcher.jpg