Winter Stories Night 2012

by John Aldrich

As we gathered for the annual Winter Stories night at the warehouse on Sunday, we were again invited to imagine that we were in a large hogan, part of a large Navajo family, gathered for a traditional winter evening of story telling and sharing about culture. Rodger Williams was once more the organizer and emcee of the event.

And once more the warehouse was full with an appreciative audience that included many Navajo families with their children. There was an extensive array of food that included fry bread and mutton stew for those who wanted to enjoy the full cultural experience.

Rodger led off with a welcome and a song and then introduced Steve Todechine who talked about Navajo culture, told a coyote story, and then had the audience participate in string games, a winter tradition.

Next, Eileen Quintana spoke about the tools, or "weapons", of a woman. Eileen truly speaks from the heart, and it's always inspiring to hear her message.

Here she explains about the brush, made of native plants, that can be used for personal care as well as housekeeping. Then she displayed weaving tools, very powerful implements, since the product of their use can provide for the most important necessities of life, food and shelter.

Many families on the reservation owe their survival to the weaver in the family who supports them through the sale of the rugs she weaves.

Eileen is coordinator for the Title VII program in the Nebo school district and brought with her a group of students who performed a Yupik dance.

Then our new Shi Yazhi princess, Emma Loughlin, introduced herself.

Emma has great poise and self-assurance. She will surely be a fine representative for ANE throughout the year.

Last year we were introduced to Emerson Bill and his group of singers. They were very popular with the audience, so we were delighted that they returned.

The combination of stirring drumming and amazing vocalizations was a special treat that left everyone wishing for more.

The last speaker was Julius Chavez who spoke of the importance of corn in Navajo culture. His remarks were particularly addressed to the Navajo children in the audience. Julius has been dismayed to find that many young Navajos don't know the difference between corn meal and corn pollen.

Both are very important but have different ceremonial uses. Corn meal is used in the blessing of homes while corn pollen is used in the blessing of people.

The different colors of corn each have their own significance.

White corn signifies the young boy while the yellow corn signifies the young girl. Corn, and its use, is central to Navajo culture and ceremonial life. Julius's explanation of its role was both informative and inspiring.

Julius also spoke about the warehouse where we were gathered. He views it as the heart of the program, the place from which the many blessings of ANE extend out to the Elders. He likened the center of the warehouse to the center of a corn field - the focal point from which these blessings emanate.

After another song from Emerson's group, we disbursed with a great sense of enrichment.

Rug Of The Week - Mesa Birds by Mae Tso

by John Aldrich with the help of Judy Keane

This week's rug is a beautiful pictorial by Mae Tso entitled Mesa Birds. What is most striking to me is the color palette used in this weaving. The warmth of the hues evokes a strong feeling of the southwestern landscape which has a more literal rendering as well. The presence of birds and corn help bring life and hope to this evocation of one of the most beautiful areas on earth.

Mae wove this rug, and several similar ones, in the spring of last year as her husband Askie was terminally ill. Weaving these rugs, which also contain a variety of personal and family symbols, helped give Mae the strength to survive this challenging period in her life.

The rug is 28" x 47" and is priced at $2100. See the catalog listing, 6872, for more information or to order.

Mae is an Elder from Big Mountain which is the first area served by ANE food runs. In the 1980's There was great turbulence here because of the Hopi-Navajo land dispute which ultimately resulted in 10,000 Navajos being displaced from their traditional homelands. Many resisted these attempts to  be relocated. Mae was one of those resistors and even spent time in jail for her efforts to remain on her homeland.

Here Mae is seen at the Big Mountain food run in May 2011. She is holding a similar, but somewhat smaller pictorial, 7004, which is also still in the 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.

Rug Of The Week - Storm by May Shay

by John Aldrich

The storm pattern is a regional design that arose in the western part of the Navajo reservation. This relatively simple example by May Shay has all the basic elements: four rectangles in the corners symbolizing  either the four sacred mountains or the four winds, four zig-zag lines connecting the rectangles to the center symbolizing lightning, a border with jagged edges on one side, and a variety of other elements including bugs and insects as well as geometric shapes.

May is one of our older weavers which helps explain why this rug isn't overly complicated. It's simplicity, however, is one of its virtues.

May is asking $375 for her rug which measures 29" x 42".  Here is the rug catalog listing, 6195.

This is May at the Big Mountain food run last spring:

She is holding a rug which she donated to the program. Generosity such as this is common amongst the Elders.

May was one of the original Big Mountain Elders when Linda first started making trips to the reservation 25 years ago, and she has attended all the rug shows since their inception. Her quiet, reserved demeanor belies her fierce independence, determination, and inner strength.

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.

Rug Of The Week - Heart Rugs

by John Aldrich

"I may not be able to make the biggest or straightest rugs any more, but I still need to eat."

This paraphrases something that Linda hears frequently from our aging weavers. Whether because of arthritis and declining health, failing eyesight, or other reasons, weavers find it increasingly challenging to set up their looms and continue to pursue this activity that has been an integral part of their lives since childhood. Many continue to weave because it is such an important part of who they are, and others, who have supported their families over the years through the sale of rugs, must still have the means to obtain the basic necessities of life.

The output from the looms of these weavers is frequently not perfect. The edges may not be square; the rugs are usually of smaller dimensions; the designs may be simpler. If the weaver has failing vision she may turn to brighter colors so she can better see what she is weaving. One of our weavers, who is blind, creates all-white rugs that are beautiful.

Regardless of how the rug looks, it still represents the heart of the weaver and the best she can do. We like to call these "heart rugs". There is a special table at the rug show to feature these rugs. They are frequently made with hand spun yarn from the weaver's own flock. Touching these rugs allows one to feel the hands and heart of the weaver.

Roseline Jackson is one of these weavers. She used to be a regular at the rug show, but isn't able to come any more because of her age and health. But she still comes to the Teesto food run where she typically has one or two new rugs for us to add to the catalog.

Roseline calls this rug a Greyhills:

As Greyhills rugs go, this is a simple design that uses relatively few colors. Yet it's a very appealing rug that anyone would be proud to own. Knowing that the purchase of this rug will help allow Roseline to continue weaving and to provide her with food makes it just that much more special.

Roseline's rug measures 22" x 40", and she is asking $400 for it. See the catalog listing here.

There are a number of other rugs by Roseline in the current catalog. To see them, type "Roseline Jackson" in the search field of any page on our site.

Here is a photo of Roseline at the May 2011 Teesto food run. She had just received a special Mother's Day gift box.

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.

The ANE Newsletter

by John Aldrich

Those of you who subscribe to the ANE newsletter will have just received the most recent edition. Here is a look behind the scenes at how it is produced.

Newsletters are mailed out six times a year. The January newsletter features stories about the rug show the previous November. Newsletters in March and July anticipate the upcoming food runs, while those in June and December feature stories about the recently completed food runs. A special edition in September anticipates the upcoming rug show.

Approximately 2000 copies are mailed out to subscribers across the country and worldwide.

Design and production of the newsletter starts long before its printing, of course, with thoughts of possible stories floating through Linda's head. Design work starts in earnest about two weeks ahead of printing and involves the collaboration of Linda and Joyce Trapman, our administrative assistant, working together on the text, photos, and layout.

Once the layout is completed, the newsletter goes to the printer, Copytech, which is owned by one of our volunteers, Deb Conover. Thanks to this relationship, extra effort is put into making sure that the final product looks as good as possible.

When the printing is finished, it's time to call in the volunteers to the warehouse to assemble the newsletter for mailing. With the recent mailing, the newsletter assembly took place last Friday, January 6th. Here are some photos to illustrate the steps needed before the newsletter heads out the door to the post office.

Ten to twelve volunteers gather around a work area:

The first step in the process is affixing the mailing labels:

Then the newsletter is passed along to the team that tapes the three open sides:

And finally the stamps are applied:

At last, the newsletter is ready to be taken to the post office:

The final result is a twenty page newsletter with interesting stories about happenings in the program, lots of pictures, news about upcoming events, and special ways to help the Elders. It is also a resource for anyone who might be considering a food run or attending the rug show. It's one of the best ways there is to keep abreast of what's happening at ANE.

Newsletter subscriptions are $20 per year and represent a great investment for anyone interested in the Program.

Rug Of The Week

by John Aldrich

For the Navajo, weaving is more than a cultural and artistic expression - it is a principle means of supporting families. Through the rug catalog, rug show, and other venues, ANE does its best to try to help provide a market for weavers.

To underline the importance of this role, Linda just received a plea from Lorraine Benally to try to help her sell her rug in order to provide food for her eleven children. Lorraine had been unsuccessful in finding a trader to take her rug since the market is soft in these uncertain economic times and traders aren't buying many rugs.

Lorraine's pictorial rug shows a pleasant pastoral scene of sheep in a landscape watched over by the herder. Puffy clouds appear pregnant with rain. It is a calm and peaceful image.

Lorraine is a younger weaver whose mother, Annie Bedonie, is an Elder in our program. Lorraine lives in Rough Rock, Arizona, which is about 30 miles from the site of the Many Farms food run.

Her rug measures 20" x 24", and she would like $300 for it. If you would like to help Lorraine and acquire a beautiful rug at the same time, visit the catalog listing 6904.

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.

Rug Of The Week

by John Aldrich

With this post I am initiating a series that will feature a variety of rugs in our current catalog. Although the recent rug show resulted in the sale of many rugs, there are many beautiful weavings remaining in our inventory. These sales are an important way we help to support weavers on the reservation. Even if you're not looking for a rug to purchase, I hope you enjoy looking at the amazing artistry and learning a bit about the weavers.

In this first post there are actually two featured rugs, both by Mary Lee of Many Farms:

Mary is a prolific weaver and specializes in small rugs that are typically 16" by 18" which is the case here. Her rugs are finely woven and usually feature star patterns or dazzler designs in traditional colors. We often have several in the catalog, but they tend to not last long since the combination of quality and value makes them very desirable. These rugs are very reasonably priced at $95.

Mary is not old enough to be an Elder in our program, but her rugs are a welcome addition to the catalog.

To see the catalog listings for these rugs or to place an order visit listings 7067 for the top rug and 7063 for the lower rug.

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.