Weaving A Navajo Rug Design
The navajo people are more than just unmatched craftsman they re also storytellers who weave tales of courage historic deeds and wondrous imagination into the very fabric of their pictorial rugs.
Weaving a navajo rug design. History of moki rugs easily one of the most well known styles due to their value to early settlers moki weavings began as blankets around coronado s expedition in 1540. A design element that appeared in navajo weaving from the late 19th century and continued until the late 1930s is the navajo whirling logs this design is recognized by anglos as a swastika and caused great controversy in the late 1930s. Originally designed by spanish weavers and adopted by the navajo zuni and hopi. Colors and styles changed with available wool saddle blankets became wearing blankets and later became traditional navajo rugs.
One of the most historic navajo weavings they ve been in use since the early 1700s. With geometric symbols representing weather creatures and terrain design motifs can be traced back to the regional trading posts that originally bought and sold rugs from navajo weavers. From timeless landscapes to traditional celebrations to large geometric designs navajo weavings are truly a joy to experience. Although the blankets and textiles were not originally woven with any ceremonial content the reference to and infusion of the holy people are abundant.
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. The design of this 35 x 53 navajo loomed tapestry is a modification of a similarly designed navajo germantown weaving in the u of pa museum as published in gift of the spiderwoman page 46. This is the one i started weaving while staying with my navajo weaving teacher roy kady at his clan s sheepcamp june 1996. The navajo people chose not to include it in future weavings after this period.
It is documented that the navajo initially learned how to weave from the neighboring pueblo in their settlements in what are now new mexico arizona and. This is a short film about navajo r. Produced by tad nichols.