Traditional Navajo Arts
From: Author Unknown, "Navajo Artwork." Utah Travel. 2009. Utah Office of Tourism. 10 May 2009 http://www.utah.com/tribes/navajo_artwork.htm Weaving ·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 onrugs and other marketable products oBegan to sell them to Anglo-Americans and Europeans ·Unique designs and styles based on region
Silversmithing ·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
Basket making ·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: oCore represents surfacing of Holy People into resent world oArea around core represents earth oFirst layer of black triangles represent four sacred mountains oArea around mountains represent sky oRed designs represent clouds and darkness ·Outer black triangular designs represent Holy People
Sand painting ·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 oAllowed as long as the don’t show Navajo religious figures
Traditional Music From: “Native American music.” Encyclopædia Britannica. 2009. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 3 May 2009 <http://www.search.eb.com/eb/article-272226>. ·Navajo singing usually used in religious practices and life cycle ceremonies ·Navajo and Apache (a nearby tribe) music use: otense and nasal vocals oUnblended unison oCover wide range of melodies oMost songs use both lyrics and vocables(voice used as instrument without words) omany drums and Apache violin Literature From: "Native American literature." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2009. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 3 May 2009 <http://www.search.eb.com/eb/article-77573>. ·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 Navajo Arts
From: Author Unknown, "Navajo Artwork." Utah Travel. 2009. Utah Office of Tourism. 10 May 2009 http://www.utah.com/tribes/navajo_artwork.htm
Weaving
· 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
Silversmithing
· 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
Basket making
· 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
Sand painting
· 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
Traditional Music
From: “Native American music.” Encyclopædia Britannica. 2009. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 3 May 2009 <http://www.search.eb.com/eb/article-272226>.
· 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
Literature
From: "Native American literature." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2009. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 3 May 2009 <http://www.search.eb.com/eb/article-77573>.
· 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