The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-28
NAYAJo BLANKETS.
A Wonderful Product OF no Primitive
Looms Used by the squnws.
Fron De Kan,a, Citv Journal.

From Ne Kansas CITY Journal.
Americans are a travelling people. but how
many. outside Of army circles. have visited n
| Navajo camp or witnessed the manufacture OF
n Navajo blanketH It is a product OF the loom
really wonderful In design and texture when
the disadvantages under which 1t was made
are considered. The Nayaios- are n peaceful
people Of the Pueblo type. The squaws
weave blankets and the men tend sheep
and ponies. Many Of them are rich. and
most Of them are self-supporting, deriving
their income from their herds, the wool Of their
fiocks and the manufacture of their blankets
The wool Of what is termed the native wool
blanket is taken from their own sheep. and
native dyes. produced from various herbs. give
the blanket It's peculiar coloring.
A Navajo blanket belongs to the Navajo
and to him alone. In fact 1t Is q part OF him.
kets, and a short distance away, amid the sage
brush or on the windward side Of q rock. you
STo si0b usily enSaged weaving another. "'
The OUTFIT is very simple, Two sticks on
MalSe each eil' thread Sf1 home sSien : ,cyliSdeert 4iS Tt,it one
to keep the threads straight, a small one SINH
t ISF z ios s po %Rio t. PPF TsHses HP tEd sn RsIfd Na1aj jS
blanket. Yet with these tools Q Navajo squay
manufactures 2 blanket which may be used
seem an easy thing to produce one. but Just
make the attempt.
IN J1GbO udlb Wllbh INhNuJO uldilhClo DhNO
become q product Of the market and when The
Indian Is surrounded by. civilization, with
traders stores enabling. him to exchange his
blankets for articles of European make. there
has ho, arisen 1ntHvS a H new. NGNyaIS 6 Slahfef made \ Tof from y
art, handsome as well as unique in. appear
ance. The Indians buy his wool from the
traders, and 1t is. acurious fact that OF the
multitude OF blankets produced no two have
the largest collector Of these blankets when he
had over 100000 worth in stock. and / could
dienoyar no exact counterpart.
The Navaios as a rule are cute. ana sly In the
business; Their cir s9%nt1Set with a,S e1yTfilpiz z, sI9 has
a bargain. At Fort Wingate, Q regular army
post, situated on the edge of the Navajo res
e~ryation, it is not unusual to see an Indian be-
gin at one end OF the officers quarters and
soT@etimes he meets With success at t6e drst
house, but 1t is q well -established fact that with
each refusal the price OF his article decreases.
The spring and early summer Is the best time
for buying. During the winter the squaws
proaches they are brought into the settle
ments. Sometimes, the squaws come, but
never alone. The buck" accompanies to see
that they are not. cheated. The, buck stalks
ahead. followed by the blanket-laden squaW.
letter half" with all she can carry.
no And a real Navajo blanket weaver you
must 20 away from the, towns and villages,
Walk across almost any level plain until you
e eEes y You Sh viii linn ind her home; 1 have thought
as / watched her at her work. which goes on
from morn till eve for months at q time, how
Wearied she must get. and have asked myself,
Does she ever want 70 stqpt l do not know
scarce she cannot stop. but must work on and
work on. content to receive as her share OF the
profit some poor tobacco or bright calico.