New-York tribune., 1902-01-14
WEA WING Ma VAJO BLANKETS
INTERESTING EXHIBITION GIVEN AT
TEACHERS COLLEGE BY INDIANS.

The children OF the Horace Mann School were not
the least interested among the visitors Teachers
College who were invited 10 exhibition OF
Navajo weaving in the museum Of the college. yes
terday. Boys and girls from Kindergarten TO the
highest grade under the guidance OF their
teachers, and ali watched the processes with the
greatest attention.
The Navajo party included four men two women
and little girl OF three. who have been brought
East TO awaken an interest in their products and
so add TO the tribal means of self-support
The men sat around" looking trihe sulky
the curiosity with which they viewed One
OF them said 10 Wlnsow Wetherill who has charge
Of them: These people look Just as we look
at monkeys. We want 10 go home"
The women on the contrary. seemed wholly in
different TO the crowding OF curious Youngsters and
worked on steadily. loom OF the native pattern
had been erected the platform. and one wove
while the others carded and spun.
The Navajos use the uncolored woods quite as
T much the colored. and they have seal brown
sheep. and can mix black and white in equal pro-
portions TO produce gray II gives them four tones
that are susceptible OF many effective combina-
tons
Mr. wetherin who has lived in New-Atexico most
Of his life. and has been among the Navajos for
three at a time. says that an effort is being
made to replace the cheap commercial dyes that
they have been using in late years by their own
vegetable dyes. which are permanent and artistic.
They once had dye the secret OF which seems
entirely lost said Mr. Wethern "snce they began
many years ago to red cloth that came from
Spain They would unravel it and twist two or
three Of the single threads together for their yarn
and ii was good in color and extremely servceable
When the commercial dyes were made available
they began to use them and the result bad
Now We are giving them American red flannel,
which does fairly well. but am trying hard to
discover their own lost red 1t seems certain that
some aged members of the tribe still possess the
secret, and may have TO Join the tribe get II
but will do il If necessary"
The Navajo visitors not favorably impressed
by the great city; They are Interested in the park
the animals and the snakes. Mr. Wetherill said, but
manifest little interest in the civilized wonders nor
said before, do they enjoy being Gazed
The children seemed disappointed that the Indians
civilized, If somewhat shabby. costume. The
women had rough brown hair twisted in a knot
with white strings and many strings OF beads
around their necks. The most striking oddity was
the belt. which was gay piece Of woven fabric,
with large silver disks studding II at distances OF
a few inches.
The bright eyed Koula became immense IA
vOrite and responded friendly advances with shy
pleasure. one enthusiastic young girl actually
kissed the little brown facet Neither women nor
child. and only one Of the men, could speak word
of English but all looked intelligent
Aside from the working process. the display OF
blankets was highly interesting Some old pieces
of great value were shown. The exhibition was
arranged by George II. Pepper, OF the American
Museum of Natural History.