Navajo Women Weaving Supply Support
Donation protected
HELP NEEDED ~
This fundraiser is on behalf of Diné elder Selena Begay. Selena is a traditional Navajo rug weaver and community organizer who is currently in need of weaving supplies. She lives on Black Mesa in NE Arizona, “disputed” Navajo reservation land torn apart by forced relocation. This genocide, motivated by mining, needed to remove the people to extract the coal. Selenas family refused to leave. Today Ms. Begay defends her land and traditions by maintaining a flock of sheep. From those sheep she spins wool, dyes skeins with wild plants and weaves her rugs patterns from memory.
Weaving has long been a source of income for Navajo women, often passing their wisdom, and tools from generation to generation. In recent years, many women have set down this craft for jobs in the city- no longer remembering how to weave. Since the outbreak of Covid-19, Diné women have been put out of work without access to sufficient federal or state funding. Many of these women are now returning to the loom to support themselves and their families. Selena is maintaining the art of traditional weaving amongst these women. As a fourth generation family resisting relocation, the right to rear sheep has been continuously challenged. Selena has refused to give up her relationship with the sheep as a sources of fiber and autonomy. Rather than purchase commercial wool when most modernly do, she maintains all aspect of her ancestral processing techniques and teaches in this way.
This is where help is needed. Selena and many of her friends living on the Black Mesa require funds for tools to make work for themselves as weavers.
Monetary donations will directly supply the women with necessary weaving tools such as spinning wheels, lap spindles, combs, batters, etc. These tools will be purchased locally on the reservation from a skilled Navajo craftsman. Donating as soon as possible will help get these women weaving!
Rug orders will support these women’s lives. Ms. Begay’s Rugs are made by custom order. If you would like to purchase a custom rug, contact me directly at [email redacted]
These women and their families are in praise of your kindness
Ahe’he” ~ Thank you
Learn more about Black Mesa ~
supportblackmesa.org
Broken Rainbow Documentary ~
https://youtu.be/W5z8OgMfXXc
This fundraiser is on behalf of Diné elder Selena Begay. Selena is a traditional Navajo rug weaver and community organizer who is currently in need of weaving supplies. She lives on Black Mesa in NE Arizona, “disputed” Navajo reservation land torn apart by forced relocation. This genocide, motivated by mining, needed to remove the people to extract the coal. Selenas family refused to leave. Today Ms. Begay defends her land and traditions by maintaining a flock of sheep. From those sheep she spins wool, dyes skeins with wild plants and weaves her rugs patterns from memory.
Weaving has long been a source of income for Navajo women, often passing their wisdom, and tools from generation to generation. In recent years, many women have set down this craft for jobs in the city- no longer remembering how to weave. Since the outbreak of Covid-19, Diné women have been put out of work without access to sufficient federal or state funding. Many of these women are now returning to the loom to support themselves and their families. Selena is maintaining the art of traditional weaving amongst these women. As a fourth generation family resisting relocation, the right to rear sheep has been continuously challenged. Selena has refused to give up her relationship with the sheep as a sources of fiber and autonomy. Rather than purchase commercial wool when most modernly do, she maintains all aspect of her ancestral processing techniques and teaches in this way.
This is where help is needed. Selena and many of her friends living on the Black Mesa require funds for tools to make work for themselves as weavers.
Monetary donations will directly supply the women with necessary weaving tools such as spinning wheels, lap spindles, combs, batters, etc. These tools will be purchased locally on the reservation from a skilled Navajo craftsman. Donating as soon as possible will help get these women weaving!
Rug orders will support these women’s lives. Ms. Begay’s Rugs are made by custom order. If you would like to purchase a custom rug, contact me directly at [email redacted]
These women and their families are in praise of your kindness
Ahe’he” ~ Thank you
Learn more about Black Mesa ~
supportblackmesa.org
Broken Rainbow Documentary ~
https://youtu.be/W5z8OgMfXXc
Organizer
Kalo Sutherland
Organizer
Arivaca, AZ