Weave Gone Crazy for Weaving

Today we got the amazing chance to speak one-on-one with one of the most renowned Navajo weavers. In the Navajo community weaving is a task designated for women (the matriarchs), and their weaving secrets are passed down by the female elders. As an outsider, it was a treat to have some of these processes revealed to me, and to learn about a craft that is so integral to the roots of Navajo culture. To be a successful weaver, one must have an everlasting reservoir of patience, an understanding of balance, and a knowledge about all of the plants on the reservation. Joyce, the weaver we spoke with, still weaves in the traditional way : she builds her own loom, spins and dyes her yarns, and uses the patterns that her grandmothers (who lived to be 100+) first taught her to make when she was little. Joyce told us that it can take 6 hours just to set up the loom for a textile she's going to make. Every inch of traditional blankets takes hours to create, I can't even imagine the patience and pride she has in her work. Joyce could name hundreds of plants indigenous to her reservation and what color dye they would produce. She uses no chemicals or toxic preservatives in her dyes, and instead boils down the plants her grandfather taught her about and uses natural mordents. Joyce doesn't look down upon others who choose to use modern methods of weaving, but she stresses how important it is to her to keep the ancient customs alive and pass down traditions to future generations. Joyce creates beautiful and truly unique weavings, and it was an honor to learn from her today. We had so much fun that a few weaving puns were thrown around throughout the day (see title).

Overall a very fun and enlightening day!

-Sophie