Contemporary Navajo Weaving By Ann Lane Hedlund

Description

Published by Plateau Magazine in 1994, Contemporary Navajo Weaving, Thoughts that Count  presents a synopsis of Navajo weaving in the late 20th century in a 32-page magazine format publication.  Here’s a look at the contents:

• Pattern, Design, History, Motivation, and Expression
  • In northern Arizona and New Mexico, thousands of Navajo weavers sit at their looms, creating rugs of long-lasting beauty.
• Being a Navajo Weaver
  • Judging from population figures, surveys of weavers, and queries at trading posts, perhaps one out of every six adult Navajo women knows how to weave.
• Remembering the Roots
  • The development of Navajo weaving over three and a half centuries suggests that weavers have always paid close attention to the process of their craft.
• Thoughts into Action
  • In Navajo culture, a thought has always counted. Certain thoughts have a value that may be bought and sold. The way a person thinks holds the power to control situations and to change circumstances.
• Buying and Collecting Navajo Rugs
  • Because of the eclectic nature of Navajo weaving, there is something for everyone today-small rugs or large, elaborate or simple, bright or subtle, soft or scratchy.
• Looking to the Future
  • Younger people are certainly learning to make rugs today, and their results are often glorious to behold. But with the Navajo’s emphasis on autonomy, there is no assurance that weaving will continue as it does today.