Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-18
NAVAJO blanket MAKING.
Miners in the Far North Give the In
dian Industry n New start.
From the ST Louis Globe Democrat.

Through he excessive demand by Alaska
miners for blankets of extraordinary
warmth the native weaVers of the Navajo
nation are just now in the employment OIL a
thriving industry. The peculiar hand
wrought fabric manufactured by the In
dams in question, though hitherto widely
celebrated as a curiosity. has never inquired
extensively as an article of commerce. But
from present Indications unless Yankee in
genuity, with its accustomed resourcefui-
ness should produce lInachlne-made sub
stitute al consequent decrease in cost, the
future possibilities for this unique commod-
ity can hardly be. overest5mated. ra
The Navajo Indians occupy reservation
representing an area of 5000 00D acres or
land in northern Arizona. and New Mexico.
The tribe, which numbers upward OF 1919"
members is n many respects one OF the
most highly civilized among the remaining
North American aboriginal races. Their
chief pursuit is stock raising, to which their
country, though largely of sterile charac-
ter is in places peculiarly adapted
1t is estimated that at least 1.OoO,ooo sheep
are owned by the Navajos, who maintain
them principally for the wool, which they
make into blankets. The methods employed
both in the preparing the material and in
the construction of their fabrics, are ex-
ceedingly primitive. The wool. after being
rudely carded, Is spun by means OF a SPIN
die somewhat resembling a boys top. out
about sixteen inches. The lower point has
previously been subjected to a hardening
process which answers even more erect
ualy than a metal tip. In spinning the
wool the Navajo woman first attaches the
thread near the top of the spindle, holding
the former in the left hand. Then. taking
the upper end of the implement between her
right thumb and forehnger, she STANDS II
vertically in the center Of a wooden bowl.
and giving 1t whirl as boy would his
top, proceeds to draw out her thread in the
usual way The material thus prepared,
though by no means as me as tnat spun
by more modern processes, answers the
particuiar purpose for which 1t is intended
quite as well, If not better
When q certain quantity of the wool has
been drawn out the spindle Is tWirled IN the
opposite direction. with the OBJECT OF re-
winding the thread more evenly.
The prevalent colors used by the Nava5os
in their textiles are black, red, blue and
yellow. The dyes for these are procured in
a variety Of ways but represent mainly the
Juices Of certain Indigenous plants. Again,
the brighter shades, such as scarlet and
blue. are often obtained by macerating
strips of Spanish coehineai ana other DYED
goods, procured in the frontier towns. Or
dinary indigo. specially prepared, is likewise
extensively used Where black occurs 1t IS
usually the natural wool of the black sheep.
A certain flower peculiar to the arid dis
tricts of the southwest produces the vivid
yellow to which the NavaJos are so partial.
The looms on which the blankets are
made are singulary' simple, consisting
merely of .wo beams, one suspended against
a vertical surface, the other fastened near
the ground the warp being stretched per-
pendcularly from one to the other. Be
tween the double warp two stats cross and
recross opening the way for the shuttle.
This latter is merely a short stick about
which the wooden thread is wound. In
working the operator sits on the ground,
and as the blanket is woven rolls it about
the lower beam
blankets are regular geometrical figures,
such as diamonds. ovals and varied strip
ings OF late, however. other IDEAS Dor
whites have been incorporated in their
wares One of the largest collections of
Navajo blankets known is owned by Indian
Agent Bleyer of the district IN question.
among his specimens being some that weigh
fifty pounds EACH The value of Navajo
h:anket is generally estimated according to
its weight. This, until within the past year,
was at the rate OF IL per pound, but at
present the ,rice has advanced to double
that figure. The usual weight of a blanket
is about twenty pounds. which at the cur
rent quotation would place the average val
uation at $40. The demand for Navajo
blankets for several months past by the
miners of he Yukon and Klondike districts
far exceeds the output. their imperviousness
to the extreme cold OF the north being UNI
equaled by any other FABRIC known. In ad-
dition to then great warmth, they are prac-
tically indestructible,p many of them having
been owned and constantly used by the In
dams for centuries.
Where 1.-The Navajos originally acquired
their weaving process has never been def
nitely agreed upon. Certain minor indica-
tons point to their having derived the art
centuries ago from the Mexicans. But this
the Indians themselves strenuously deny
The history of the tribe, moreover, shows
that at no time in the past did any affilia-
ton exist between Its members and the
Mexicans. On the contrary, up to the mid
die of the closing century the most bitter
and incessant warfare, was waged between
the two races, all prisoners when captured
by either faction being subjected to slavery.
Certain It Is that no such blankets as
those made by the Navajos are today man.
people, for that matter-which fact would
seem sufficient to entitle the former to UNI
divided credit for their handicraft
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