Neither Rain, Nor Sleet, Nor Snow - - -

by John Aldrich

Nothing was going to keep the spring food delivery from reaching the warehouse this morning. A strong winter storm front was forecast for the Salt Lake Valley, and it arrived pretty much on schedule. But we were ready. C.J. Robb had carefully ordered all the food and planned the logistics, while Boyd Mitchell rented a big Penske truck to move it all from Walmart to the warehouse.

The storm front blew in shortly after the first truckload arrived.

Boyd has faithfully filled this role for years now, and the weather didn't keep him from displaying his usual cheerful smile.

Manpower is always a prized commodity on these delivery days, and today we had plenty of it. Once the pallets of food are offloaded from the truck they must be moved into the warehouse and the cartons of food moved from the pallets to their places along the wall. There is lots of lifting involved with many of the items being quite heavy.

But the Granger High School football team came to the rescue and provided all the manpower we needed for this task.

Assistant coach Sam Aloia was behind all this. Sam and his wife, Sandi, are relatively new volunteers at ANE, having started volunteering at the warehouse about six months ago. They jumped right in and helped deliver Christmas stockings to the Chinle area last December and will participate in their first food run this spring.

Sam offered this service opportunity to his football players as a purely optional activity, and this group of fine young men stepped up to help.

Besides their muscle power, they brought friendly, cheerful dispositions that added a great deal to the warehouse. It also meant another trip out for extra doughnuts. If today was any example, these young men should do well in life.

And behind it all, of course, was the ever-unflappable C.J..

We're off to a good start in preparing for the upcoming spring food runs.

Rug Of The Week - Bears On Star Mountain by Ella Yazzie

by John Aldrich

The bear is a potent figure in Navajo culture. One that conveys significant power but yet should be approached with caution. As such it is not a theme that is often woven into rugs.

Ella Yazzie, however, has been on a bit of a bear frenzy of late. With her latest contribution to the rug catalog we now have four of her bear rugs in our inventory.

The latest is titled Bears On Star Mountain:

This rug measures 18" x 25" and is priced at $350. The catalog listing is 7180.

The other three bear rugs in our catalog are 7186, 7358 and 7590.

Ella is part of the Teesto food run. When most of us think of the turmoil surrounding the relocation that followed the Hopi-Navajo land dispute, we think of the Big Mountain area of the reservation. But Teesto, on the southern edge of the Hopi reservation, is another area that was greatly impacted.

As a result of this tragic chapter in Native American history, many families were divided. Ella's mother, Desbah, is part of our Program but attends the food run at Sanders which was one of the principal relocation areas. Ella still lives in the Teesto area and attends that food run.

Spirit Mountain is a butte in the Teesto area where bears can be seen. Ella has made this the focal point of these four rugs which we now feature.

The above photo was taken at the Teesto food run in the spring of 2011. Ella donated this rug to the Program on that occasion.

To see more rugs, new and old, visit the Rug Catalog.

See this 2010 post for more information about the rug catalog.

Notes: Every effort has been made to photograph and present the rugs with as accurate rendition of color as possible. It's not possible, however, to be certain that your computer won't show some variance. Where two prices are listed in the catalog, the higher represents what the weaver hopes to receive and the lower, the minimum she will accept. As has always been the case at ANE all the proceeds of every rug sale go entirely to the weaver. Prices are set by the weaver, and since there is no "middleman" they are typically very reasonable.

And to see more of what's happening at ANE visit us on Facebook.

Rug Of The Week - Marriage Of The Clans by Nellie Curley

by John Aldrich

A few weeks ago we featured a beautiful rug by Nellie Curley (it's still available, by the way), and we recently received another spectacular creation from her loom.

This creative rug is entitled Marriage Of The Clans. The catalog number is 7178. It measures 55" x 41" and is priced at $2200. The colors in this rug are especially vibrant.

Again it should be mentioned that even though the price is high, it still represents a bargain.

To see more rugs, new and old, visit the Rug Catalog.

See this 2010 post for more information about the rug catalog.

Notes: Every effort has been made to photograph and present the rugs with as accurate rendition of color as possible. It's not possible, however, to be certain that your computer won't show some variance. Where two prices are listed in the catalog, the higher represents what the weaver hopes to receive and the lower, the minimum she will accept. As has always been the case at ANE all the proceeds of every rug sale go entirely to the weaver. Prices are set by the weaver, and since there is no "middleman" they are typically very reasonable.

And to see more of what's happening at ANE visit us on Facebook.

Ma'ii Comes To The Warehouse

by John Aldrich

It was a week ago today when we were scheduled to have our annual Winter Stories event at the warehouse. At about 3:00, two hours before starting time, it began to snow. Ma'ii was trying to trick us into staying home. By 5:00 there was heavy snow on the roads and no sign of a snow plow. Those of us who got there early speculated that no one was likely to show up given the conditions which were only getting worse. Some folks had to come all the way from Spanish Fork, 50 miles distant.

But people started trickling in, and they kept coming and coming. We ended up with a full house - over 125 - and most everyone brought something to contribute to the food table so we had quite a feast.

Ma'ii is the Navajo word for Coyote who is the subject of many traditional winter stories. He's a trickster, and sometimes a fool, but stories about him usually contain a useful life-lesson. In this case we learned not to be easily put off by the weather because there is a fine reward for persevering.

Rodger Williams is the organizer and master of ceremonies for this event. Every year he puts together an entertaining and instructive evening.

He always encourages us to transport ourselves mentally to the reservation and imagine that we are in a hogan listening to our elders share their wisdom.

If we were in a real hogan, though, we probably wouldn't have the opportunity to enjoy a drum group like we had this particular evening.

Southern War Pony has participated in other ANE events and again offered us stirring and energizing performances during the evening.

Eileen Quintana was the first to speak about cultural topics. Eileen's messages are always heartfelt and sincere. She encouraged us to honor our families and heritage regardless of our background.

She also brought with her a number of her students from the Nebo School District who performed an Inuit song and dance.

Harry James is another crowd favorite. He presents the pow wow at the annual rug show and often sings at Winter Stories. Harry showed us how modern technology has crept in to benefit traditional singers. Harry wanted to sing us a song that he wasn't totally familiar with. After several false starts, he consulted with his IPod to remind him of the proper words.

Another perennial favorite is Lacee Harris, a local Ute, and an engaging story teller. He related a number of Ma'ii stories.

This view shows some of the crowd during Lacee's presentation.

Coyote is the object of stories in many native cultures. Kate Maxwell Stephens, a dedicated ANE volunteer, represented the Comanche Nation and related a spellbinding story.

Another number from the drum group came next and kept our juices flowing.

Our Shi Yazhi princess, Star Nez, introduced herself and told a story.

At age six Star has as much poise and confidence with a microphone as any of our princesses have ever had, yet she still appreciated having her mother Carma close by her side.

Steve Todechiini made his debut at Winter Stories last year and returned for another engagement. He spoke about the clan system within Navajo culture as well as a variety of other topics.

Everyone loves Julius Chavez whose message is typically directed at the younger members of the audience. He told us how a variety of pitfalls and temptations in life have their place in our learning process. We just need to avoid these weaknesses and stay on the correct path.

And finally another song from Southern War Pony gave us the courage to face the weather and return home.

Safely back in our own "hogans" we could reflect on another great evening. Thank you, Rodger.

Rug Of The Week - Storm by Zena Lane

by John Aldrich

This week's rug is a beautiful storm pattern rug woven from handspun yarn. This traditional method of weaving is rapidly being replaced by commercial yarn which is so much more convenient. Rugs like this are typically woven by our older weavers who still cling to their traditional ways. In this case our weaver is younger, but the daughter of one of our Big Mountain Elders, Rena Lane, who usually weaves in this manner. It's good to see a younger weaver following the old ways.

This rug is what I would call "substantial" - both in size and weight. Handspun yarn is usually coarser in texture, and the rugs made from it are typically heavier. But this is also quite a large rug at 37" x 57". Given its size and sturdiness this would make an excellent floor rug.

The catalog listing is 7163, and the rug price is $850.

To see more rugs, new and old, visit the Rug Catalog.

See this 2010 post for more information about the rug catalog.

Notes: Every effort has been made to photograph and present the rugs with as accurate rendition of color as possible. It's not possible, however, to be certain that your computer won't show some variance. Where two prices are listed in the catalog, the higher represents what the weaver hopes to receive and the lower, the minimum she will accept. As has always been the case at ANE all the proceeds of every rug sale go entirely to the weaver. Prices are set by the weaver, and since there is no "middleman" they are typically very reasonable.

And to see more of what's happening at ANE visit us on Facebook.

Weaving A Revolution

by John Aldrich

This is the title of a recently opened exhibition at the Utah Museum Of Natural History. Although basket weaving isn't as inherently identified with Navajo culture as rug weaving, the former art has always been an important part of artistic expression on the reservation. The skill is primarily manifested in the northern reaches of the reservation where proximity to the Piute people is thought to have played a role in the acquisition of this skill.

Until recently the principal product of basket makers was the traditional Navajo ceremonial basket.

This simple appearing design contains the keys to the Navajo universe. It is used for a variety of ceremonial events both in healing and at key points in the stages of life. But there was a churning cauldron of creative energy waiting to be unleashed through this avenue of expression. The catalyst for this explosion was the Twin Rocks Trading Post in Bluff, Utah which was established in 1989. Steve and Barry Simpson wanted to continue a family tradition of supporting Native American artisans and hopefully make a living as well. Being on the northern edge of the reservation, they had ample exposure to weavers presenting baskets for them to purchase and offer for sale to visitors to their establishment.

They struck on the brilliant idea of expanding the design horizons of the local weavers in a most unique and contemporary manner. A local Navajo, Damian Jim, who possessed both design and computer skills, began creating contemporary ideas for basket weavers to incorporate into their pieces. The result was an explosion of creative output with the focal point being a nearby basketmaker, Mary Holiday Black. Along with her family they began producing pieces of art of stunning beauty, and this movement spread across the northern part of the reservation as well.

In the course of purveying these baskets to their customers, the Simpson brothers couldn't resist retaining a few pieces for their personal collection.Thus, over the next twenty years or so their collection grew to impressive proportions. Several years ago this treasure of about 150 baskets was acquired by the Utah Museum of Natural history which has just put it on display in a breathtaking exhibition worthy of the artistic level of the pieces.

Compare this basket with the ceremonial basket shown above:

The creative juices unleashed by this scheme of the Simpsons was more than ample reward for their faith in the artistic talents of Holiday and Black families as well as other basket weavers across the northern reservation.

This is one of my favorite pieces in the collection:

If you've ever had the experience of sleeping out under the stars in southern Utah, you should be able to relate to this scene readily. Imagine the basket is the dome of the sky with majestic sandstone landforms reaching up into it. It's a spiritual feeling that is evoked in a remarkable way by this basket.

Now lets take a quick tour of the exhibit at the museum:

Upon entering, this understated wall sets the tone for the show - beautiful art presented in a simple and engaging manner.

There are numerous display cases, large and small, containing the collection. Here are two of them:

 A special display pays homage to the trading post tradition in Navajo history. Although Twin Rocks is a modern business, it does fulfill one of the major historical rolls of trading posts. It provides an outlet for local Navajo artisans so that their wares can reach a wider audience.

Dispersed among the displays are a number of video kiosks such as this one where Mary Holiday Black is describing her art.

A large display is devoted to explaining the role that the Simpsons and Damian Jim played in creating this renaissance of Navajo basket making.

Steve Simpson is shown on the screen in the center where a video chronicles the history of this revival.

A special treat for visitors to the museum yesterday was Anderson Black, a son of Mary's, who was demonstrating his art to a throng of fascinated people.

And finally, here is another of the more unique and creative baskets in the exhibit.

If you are within traveling distance of the museum I would strongly encourage a visit. Pictures can only begin to convey the impact of seeing this astonishing display in person. The exhibit will become a traveling display after April 28th, so don't delay your visit too long.

And if you're within traveling distance of Bluff, I'm sure Steve and Barry would love to have you stop by. The basket makers of the area continue to create wonderful pieces of art and a good selection is always on display at the trading post.

Winter Stories Event Is Coming

by John Aldrich

On January 27th at 5:00 p.m. ANE will again sponsor one of our yearly highlights - the Winter Stories event. Come and share in in evening meant to provide the urban equivalent of a favorite Navajo winter pastime. During the cold winter months, the Dine' people gather in their hogans to share stories and play games. In the process, important Navajo traditions and teachings are passed along from the Elders to the younger generations, and everyone has fun as well.

The warehouse will become a large hogan for the occasion, and a variety of local Native American talent will share their stories, songs and teachings.

There will also be food (another Navajo tradition) so your appetite will be satisfied in every way.  If you would like to bring something to add to the food selection, please call the warehouse at 801-474-0535 to let us know what you will be bringing.