Arts+Literature+and+Music

[|Navajo Sand Painting]

From: Author Unknown, "Navajo Artwork." //Utah Travel//. 2009. Utah Office of Tourism. 10 May 2009 [] ·  Navajo legend says they learned how to weave from Spider Woman ·  Anthropologist believe Navajo learned how to weave from the Pueblo people ·  Originally weaving used mainly in clothes ·  In late 1800s-early 1900’s Navajo weaving became more focused on rugs and other marketable products o  Began to sell them to Anglo-Americans and Europeans ·  Unique designs and styles based on region
 * Traditional Navajo Arts **
 * Weaving **

·  Navajo first got metal from melting Spanish, American and Mexican silver coins ·  Navajo silversmiths began to use turquoise after returning from “Long Walk” in 1868 ·  Turquoise and silver used ornamentally and in ceremonies
 * Silversmithing **

·  Baskets represents the well being and mind of a person ·  Legend also says the Holy People made ceremonial baskets when in the Underworld ·  Various parts of the basket represent different things: o  Core represents surfacing of Holy People into resent world o  Area around core represents earth o  First layer of black triangles represent four sacred mountains o  Area around mountains represent sky o  Red designs represent clouds and darkness ·  Outer black triangular designs represent Holy People
 * Basket making **

·  Also a symbolic art based on the legend of the Holy People in the Underworld ·  Sand paining depicting the Holy People only allowed in religious ceremonies ·  In modern times, artists have began to make sand paintings to sell o  Allowed as long as the don’t show Navajo religious figures
 * Sand painting **

From: “**Native American music**.” __Encyclopædia Britannica__. 2009. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 3 May 2009 < [] >. ·  Navajo singing usually used in religious practices and life cycle ceremonies ·  Navajo and Apache (a nearby tribe) music use: o   tense and nasal vocals o  Unblended unison o  Cover wide range of melodies o  Most songs use both lyrics and vocables(voice used as instrument without words) o  many drums and Apache violin From: " Native American literature ." __Encyclopædia Britannica__. 2009. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 3 May 2009 < [] >. ·   storytelling important part of Navajo culture ·   Myths presented as chants ·   Main characters in Navajo stories are various gods of weather, semiprecious stones, and plants important to Navajo culture (such as corn) ·   Story ceremonies and chanting used to help heal sickness and protect people
 * Traditional Music **
 * Literature **