Unraveling AMY SCHILLING LOOKS FOR ANSWERS ON THE OLD SANTA FE TRAIL WITH THE HELP OF ART EXPERT HENRY C. MONAHAN
AMY: Henry, I’m laughing about us having this conversation today because when I first approached you about trying to help me understand the relationship between Navajo weaving and STEM, you looked at me like I had four heads.
HENRY: Well, once you told me what STEM stands for, it made perfect sense. AMY: Whew! I read that Spanish historical records have references to Navajo weaving as early as 1540. Do you know the Navajo story of how weaving was introduced?
HENRY: The Navajo are originally from Canada, they speak Athabaskan as do the Apache, and both groups migrated to the Southwest from the North. These migrating groups became very resourceful, as they had to in order to survive. There is some debate on whether the Navajo could weave before their arrival in the Southwest, I do not believe they had that knowl-
edge, I think historians will tell you they learned it from the Pueblo groups. Now, if you ask the Navajo, they will tell you that it was Spider Boy who brought the first loom, creating it from the elements of sun, lightning and rain and then Spiderwoman came and taught them how to weave. I do know that at the time of the Spanish arrival, the Navajo were already considered the finest weavers in the region, and their textiles were the most prized. Originally the Pueblos wove native cotton, but with the introduction of Churro sheep by the Spanish in the late 16th century, wool quickly became the fiber of choice. AMY: What was it about the wool that they preferred?
HENRY: Wool was more durable, warmer, and because it came from sheep, the Navajo were not tied down to fields where the cotton would be grown. They were constantly on the move and could take the sheep with them wherever they went‌mobility, mobility, mobility.
All rug images courtesy of Shiprock Gallery. Visit: www.shiprocksantafe.com for their full product catalog of textiles, jewelry, pottery and much more. 14 t h e i n n o vat i o n i n ta k e 16 14 t h e i n n o vat i o n i n ta k e