Black Mesa Weavers for Life
and Land:
Some weavers from Big
Mountain, Red Lake, Hardrock, and the Navajo Textile Project
at Dine' College, Tsaile, AZ
Elsie A. Begay, Hardrock
MBM-455.
Elsie A. Begay. Handsome and soft Crystal blanket with water
motifs, 29 in. x 19 in., deep rust, organge/sienna, grey, gold,
olive green. $250 ($200 to weaver; $50 to general fund). {Returned
to weaver at her request; September 2006.]
MBM-456.
Elsie A. Begay. A well-woven Two Grey Hills by this versatile
elder weaver, age 82. 27 in. x 19 in., in black, white, dark
red, umber, deep mars red/brown, on a grey field. Currently
on exhibit and sale at a gallery in San Francisco. {SOLD in San
Francisco 12/05].
MBM-457.
Elsie Begay, elder, age 82. Powerful, large, traditional
storm pattern, 43 in. x 27 in., in black, red, dark grey, light
grey, and white. The four sacred mountains at the four
corners of the weaving (within which are stacked clouds) are
linked by lightning to the center, the place of emergence and
the center of the cosmos, and surround the traditional water
beetles and water spiders, flanked also by snake motifs on the
sides. With an intricate border, this eloquent prayer for rain
is one of the most often seen themes woven in the arid high Black
Mesa region. (SOLD at Meredith College, Raleigh, NC, 3/31/06)
MBM-458.
Elsie A. Begay. Last of four weavings consigned after our
fourth wool buy by this versatile elder weaver, age 82. This
is a traditional single saddleblanket with reverse twill, 28.5
x 28 in., in black, light grey, gold, and deep rust. On exhibit
and sale at a gallery in San Francisco. SOLD in San Francisco,
1/06.
MBM-374.
Elsie A. Begay, elder, age 82, Hardrock. Beautifully, evenly
woven warm and vibrant Two Grey Hills design, 35 in. x 25.5 in.
in dark brown, medium cocoa brown, white, and a warm taupe/grey.
SOLD.
Mae Tso, Big Mountain
MBM-378.
Mae Tso.
Mae Tso is an elder whose life, like all the weavers in our
organization, has been intertwined with the trauma and tragedies
of the 1974 partition of what had been jointly used land between
the Hopi Tribe and Navajo Nation. With the erection of a hundreds-mile-long
barbed wire fence, a forced relocation began of about 15,000
traditional Dine' and100 Hopi families who had lived in this
once well-watered region for hundreds of years. In 1970, the
only slurry line in the U.S was built across Black Mesa to move
coal 273 miles to the Mohave Generating Plant in Nevada (a source
of major pollution in the Southwest, including the Grand Canyon).
The water used by Peabody Coal to slurry the coal was and still
is the N-aquifer-- the pristine and only source of drinking water
for Dine' and Hopi both. This aquifer had sustained the sacred
springs, wetlands, and marshes that had supported about 20,000
people together with their herds of Churro sheep and angora goats
since time immemorial. Yet the rainbow remains unbroken, and
the people, their livestock, and way of life persist. Black Mesa
Weavers for Life and Land is honored to be a small part of this
story of survival and renewal, and every weaving, pound of wool,
skein of yarn, and other item that you may buy joins you in this
effort to restore health and sustainability to this drought-stricken
region.
Mae Tso gave us this rare and extraordinary "story weaving"
to sell at this year's wool buy. The photo cannot begin to do
it justice, or to show the subtleties of the raised outline (one
side), and plain weave (on the other side), 23.5 in. x 42 in.
It depicts prayer feathers and corn growing (far right), and
its far right border is a biil pattern in deep red, as
seen in Dine' ceremonial dresses and designs going back thousands
of years. (SOLD at Cultural Survival Winter Bazaar, Dec. 4-5,
2004).
MBM-377. Mae
Tso. This weaving, which we also received at the wool buy,
30 in. x 20 in., has been sold. The central oval is likely a
depiction of Agathla Peak topped by a cloud, and is woven of
all natural handspun churro wool. Above and below are day and
night borders of rainbow colors in commercial wool, woven with
wavy water lines. SOLD
Rena Babbitt Lane & Family, Red Lake/Tonalea
MBM-410.
Mary Lane, a daughter of Rena Babbit Lane, has
woven this sturdy single-saddle blanket size rug of
entirely handspun natural churro with her mother's yarn,
32 in. x 27 in. This eloquent and glowing cosmological map is
in natural black, white, grey, and a warm Red Mesa rust in the
center. On Black Mesa, this traditional weaving style has passed
intact through the generations, from mother to daughter. This
weaving is currently on sale at the Arizona State Museum, Tucson,
in the "Native Goods" Museum Shop, in conjunction with
the special exhibition, opening Oct. 23, "Navajo Weaving
at the Arizona State Museum: 19th Century Blankets / 20th Century
Rugs / 21st Century Views." SOLD at museum shop, May 2005.
MBM-363.
Rena Babbitt Lane, age around 84.
The coal slurry line that drains the pure N-aquifer water runs
under Rena Babbitt Lane's homesite. Yet, she has no running water
and must drive about 40 miles round trip three times per week
over rough, treacherous dirt roads to haul drinking water in
55-gallon plastic drums for her livestock and family. Her pickup
truck is constantly breaking down...
Woven of all handspun churro
from her own flock, this large and powerful rug is sturdy enough
to go on the floor, 57.5 in. x 32.75. in. Its price to the weaver
will go to repair her truck and enable her to continue to haul
water for her livestock. Natural black, brown/grey/multi, white
and aniline-dyed churro wool. Rena Babbitt Lane has been weaving
for most of her life, and her knowledge of traditional churro
wool preparation--she still hand-processes her own yarn--is profound.
[Returned to weaver at her request.]
MBM-386. Rena
Babbitt Lane, age 86. Exuberant "Crystal/Wide
Ruins" design blanket, a dazzer pattern of vegetation nd
water motifs. Sturdy and tightly woven, 48.25 in. x 38 in. (SOLD).
MBM-407. Rena
Babbitt Lane. Double Two Grey Hills design with weaver's pathway,
40.5 in. x 22 in., in black, bright red, coral pink, medium grey,
deep red, white, warm taupe/tan. (Returned to weaver at her
request.)
MBM-408.
Rena Babbitt Lane. All-handspun churro from her own flock,
thick and sturdy single saddle blanket "chief's blanket"
design, in natural white and black, and commercial dyed red,
35 in. x 36.5 in. SOLD.
MBM-428. Rena Babbitt Lane. Classic reverse twill weave
double saddle blanket, in a symphony of blues and deep rich browns,
greys, and blacks, 57 in. x 33.5 in., in handspun churro wool
from her own flock (blacks, browns, greys), and commercial wool
(blues). It seems to move from earth to sky, in the predominantly
dark brown bottom half, with a subtle shift toward dawn and predominant
blues, and then into night. Impeccably woven by this 85-year-old
elder from Red Lake, sturdy enough to put on the floor, your
horse, or grace your wall. Shown in entirety and in two details.
Edges are straight and even. This double saddle also has long
decorative tassels at two corners, woven in an old style. $800
($700 to weaver; $100 to general fund).
Detail
of MBM-428.
MBM-429.
Rena Babbitt Lane. Exquisite traditional so-called "empty
field" double saddle blanket, one of the oldest styles of
Dine' weaving, shown with a detail as well, 57.5 in. x 31.5 in.
Straight, dense, and strong, superbly woven of all-handspun natural
color churro wool from her own flock, this blanket has an unusual
white on black four directions/Spiderwoman cross border, with
two "arms" marking the center, as shown. The incredible
richness of the deep chocolate-brown Red Mesa center cannot be
fully captured in a photo. Sturdy enough to go on the floor,
on a horse, or on your wall. This is the kind and quality of
weaving often written about by non-Dine' as going "extinct,"
but it's lived in an unbroken tradition through generations of
weavers on Black Mesa. SOLD.
ZENA LANE, Red Lake
Photo courtesy Linda Griffith
© 2001
MBM-158.
Zena Lane, daughter of Rena Babbitt Lane and a master
weaver. Glowing earth-toned large Wide Ruins blanket, impeccably,
evenly, and smoothly woven, 53.5 in. x 34.25 in. Tan, medium
brown, multi/orange-flecked light tan, natural white, black,
medium grey/multi, deep red. The wavy horizontal lines represent
flowing water, which nourishes the bands of plants and vegetation.
This superb blanket could easily retail for $2,000 or more. SOLD.
Another
view of MBM-158. SOLD.
MBM-84.
Zena Lane. Brilliant amd powerful four directions design in all
handspun churro wool in natural, vegetal-dyed (gold), and commercial-dyed
(red), with a central Spiderwoman four-directions cross, 33 in.
x 25 in. This weaving is strongly evocative of Tibetan mandala
designs, as well as classic Dine' weaving.$450 to weaver.
JEANITA LANE AND FAMILY
Jeanita and Philip Lane in Window Rock.
Jeanita is a daughter-in-law of Rena Babbitt Lane. She and
her husband, Philip, have 8 wonderful children, 6 boys and two
girls, ranging in age from 17 to one years old. Here are two
of her sons (above), holding three of their weavings (shown below).
MBM-385.
Jeanita Lane. The photo can't do justice to this impeccably
woven large and dramatic "Four-in-One" -- two variations
of Two Grey Hills and two Storm pattern variations, 60 in. x
35.5 in. SOLD at Cultural Survival Summer Bazaar, Tiverton
Four Corners, RI, June 4-5, 2004.
MBM-395.
Carwin Lane, age 7. Given as a gift, but another can be commissioned.
MBM-387
(SOLD) and MBM-388. (SOLD) Thurwin Lane, age
11 and McQueltin Lane, age 9. Two blanket mats, in natural
white, light tan, chocolate brown, and black edge cords: one
16 in. x 11 in., and the second 16 in. x 10.5 in. MBM-388
was on sale at the Arizona State Museum, Tucson, in the "Native
Goods" Museum Shop, in conjunction with the special exhibition,
opening Oct. 23, "Navajo Weaving at the Arizona State Museum:
19th Century Blankets / 20th Century Rugs / 21st Century Views."
MBM-388 SOLD at exhibit opening, 10/23/04.
MBM-390.
Cariana Lane, age 13, 16.5 x 11 "Love" with cross
and landscape, rainbow-red sky. SOLD at Cultural Survival
summr bazaar, Tiverton Four Corners, RI, July 31-Aug.1, 2004.
MBM-389. Thurwin Lane, age 11. "Love" with cross,
blue sky, with clouds, and land, 16.75 in. x 11.25 in., This
weaving is currently on sale at the Arizona State Museum, Tucson,
in the "Native Goods" Museum Shop, in conjunction with
the special exhibition, opening Oct. 23, "Navajo Weaving
at the Arizona State Museum: 19th Century Blankets / 20th Century
Rugs / 21st Century Views." [SOLD, December 2004]
MBM-391.
McQueltin Lane (age 9) and Carwin Lane (age 7)
"with help from mom." Cross with sky and earth, 9.5
in. x 7 in. SOLD at Cultural Survival Summer Bazaar, Tiverton
Four Corners, RI, June 4-5, 2004.
MBM-392.
Thurman Lane, age 17. "We Stand Proud,"
woven with handspun wool from his grandmother's (Rena Babbitt
Lane's) sheep. 11 in. x 8 in. SOLD.
Jeanita Lane holding
a loom model "Welcome" wall hanging of her own design,
with weaving tools and tufts of yarn around the frame. Available
by special order.
Betty Babbitt, Tonalea/Red Lake
MBM-490.
Betty Babbitt, a niece of Rena Babbitt Lane. Tightly and superbly woven "two-in-one"
weaving, of handspun natural and vegetal-dyed churro, 26.5 in.
x 24 in. with an exquisite "Wide Ruins" water and vegetation
motif blanket, with reverse twill bands, surrounding an intense
and powerful storm pattern prayer for rain. The four sacred mountains
are linked by lightning to the four directions center, flanked
by cloud and snake motifs, with water beetles and water snakes.
Below is a detail of the center storm pattern. [Returned to
weaver at her request, as a gift for her daughter's marriage,
12/14/06].
Detail of MBM-490.
MBM-446.
Betty Babbitt. All handspun
natural color churro wool (commercial-dyed red) in a large, impeccably
woven ,and imaginative traditional Storm Pattern, 61 in. x 35.
in. The four sacred mountains are outlined in brilliant red,
in a lightning motif that surrounds the central images. Intricate
stacked white clouds, interior mountains, abstract water beetles,
and a powerful zigzag border complete this prayer for rain, with
weaver's pathway. Natural grey, black, and white churro; commercial-dyed
red. Returned to weaver at her request, September 2005.
SALLY TSOSIE, BIG MOUNTAIN
Sally Tsosie
Sally Tsosie on Big Mountain at
a meeting of Black Mesa Weavers for Life and Land, July 2003.
MBM-364.
Sally Tsosie. Classic stacked clouds and mountains blanket
design of handspun natural (black, grey, white) and commercial
(gold and mauve) wool with weaver's opening, 40 in. x 28.5 in
$550 ($450 to weaver; $100 to general fund). [Returned to weaver
at her request, June 2006.]
MBM-289.
This warm "Welcome!" weaving will light up anyone's
home or office. All handspun wool with fine pinyon / squashblossom
flower and traditional hourglass/queue border in red, white,
black, and light grey, 36.5 in. x 16.75 in. SOLD (at the Fuller
Museum of Art, Brockton, MA).
MBM-288.
Sally Tsosie. Wide Ruins blanket design in all handspun natural
and glowing orange-gold wild carrot vegetal dye wool, 46 in.
x 33.25 in., with classic water and squashblossom motifs in white,
wild carrot, mars red, raw ochre, light umber/tan, with two long
deorative tassels. The weaver has lightly sewn with handspun
wool a hanging fold for a dowel. If you wish, this can be unstitched,
and the weaving is symmetrical in design and another 2 in. in
length. SOLD.
MBM-220. Sally
Tsosie, all
handspun natural churro wool, white, grey/brown multi, and black,
23.5 in. x 20 in. SOLD.
Tamara C. Yazzie
MBM-340. Tamara
C. Yazzie is a young woman who joins us with this weaving that
she made as a student in the Navajo Textile Program at Dine'
College inTsaile, Arizona. We are honored to have her join us,
and pleased that some of our Churro wool has been purchased by
the Navajo Textile Program to be used to reintroduce Dine' weavers
who are learning how to weave to this wonderful fleece. This
buoyant and classic mat is woven in black, light grey, warm tan/grey,
warm raw umber, brown, white, a warm taupe, and a deep mars red
in a stepped clouds and mesas design with a black center, 16
in. x 16.75 in. SOLD at the Cultural Survival Summer Bazaar,
Tiverton, RI, 2004.
