Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-16
NAVAJO INDIANS.
/ SHOW NATIVE ARTS
Demonstration of Industries
of Tribe Is Given Daily for
D. A. R. Delegates.
BY GRETCHEN SMITH.


who have been invited to conduct an
exhibition Of three of the industries OF
their rtibe, and who may be seen daily
In the basement Of the Auditorium,
which is open to the public, giving prac-
teal demonstrations of their ability as
weavers of blankets, silversmiths and
painters of pictures In sand.
Berton !. Staples, who has been
adopted in the Navajo tribe, is accom-
panying the Indians. Mr.. Staples has
founded an arts and crafts settlement
in the home of the Navajo, at Coolidge,
N. Mex, and 1t is his desire to revive,
stimulate and perpetuate the ancient
arts among the Indians themselves and
at the same time to further a knowl-
edge among the white people" of gen.
ulne Navajo work as distinguishable
from numerous limitations.
One woman. A-He-Bah, a weaver of
rugs, and two pen, Hostien- NulSos-
Begay-U tsida, silversmith, and Denie-
C-Nilt-BetSua. a chief and medicine
man, who paints sand pictures, have
come TO teach the white man the arts
and handicrafts Of the original Ameri-
cans.
| ~A~ @~esAA - %AWNPt Az Akts
AS a little girl A-He-Bah herded
sheep for her father and in that way
received the name, which means to
gather In" She Is adept at the art
OF blanket weaving, spinning her own
yarn, making her own vegetable dives
and creating the beautiful patterns
Enlcn she Weaves. She speaks English
nuently and has completed the fifth
grade in the public schools.
No man ever has been able tn device
machine that can successfully tmi-
GaCe the weave Of the Navajo Indians.
Unui recently. no recorded patterns of
the navajo blankets have been kept
puC the Indians are being taught free
nand drawing and it IS hoped that
oraWn patterns now will be made.
Blanket Weaving Is Ancient Art
Blanket weaving is the Oldest known
art on the Western Hemisphere and
blankets OF the down of bros, animal
nair and yucca fiber have been found
among prehistoric ruins of this con-
tnent. They also have found one or
TWO ancient blankets from the wool Of
mountain sheep, which Mr.. Staples
contends, goes to prove the Indians
knew the art of wool weaving before
the coming Of the Conquistadores.
Sheep raising is one Of the chief
industries of the Navajo, who have
more than 100000 sheep on their
reservation, which consists Of 20. 600 600
acres of land and is three times the
size OF the State Of Vermont. One
million pounds Of wool was woven into
rugs last year. The rug industry has
assumed such proportions that It has
been found necessary to use aniline
| bat to- lid.
copies OF old rugs, vegetable dyes are
used.
+ valentine" Silversmith.
Hostien- Nulsos- Begay- Utsida, the sill
verSm1th, is frequently referred to as
the valentino" of his tribe. He was
chosen from many thousands of In
dams to pose as the model for an
Indian figure
His articles Of silverware and jewelry
ornamented with turquoise matrix are
representative OF the finest work known
to his people. The work has attained
a finesse that would be difficult to
SurpaSS. Coined silver is used exclu-
sively instead of silver bullion, as 1t has
been found to conAAAn the proper
amount of alloy. Sometimes Jim"
uses 20 or Is silver dollars in the pro-
duction Of one article.
The turquoise matrix is used exclu-
sively by the Navajo In the Ornamental
ton of his jewelry. The turquoise
stands for the blue sky-the rlatrix
means clouds. The sky gives the sun
and the clouds give the rain, which
gives everlasting life, so thus the stone
is symbolic of immortality.
Sand Painting Is Religious.
The third of the arts to be demon
Strated Is that Of sand painting.
Denie-C-Nili- Betsua Is the artist, who
will paint two pictures daily during the
coming week. The sand painting has
the deepest religious significance to the
Navajo. Only men who have led the
most exemplary lives are permitted to
paint in the sands the pictures of the
gods. who many years ago visited the
earth to bring to the Indians messages
from the Great Spirit on High.
A ceremony that took four days and
four nights had to be undergone by the
leaders Of the Navajo Tribe before
Denie-C-Nfi- Betsua was granted per-
mission to make his pictures in the
"house of a white man" in the East.
Sand will be obtained in Washington,
but pigments have been brought by the
artist from the disintegrated stone Of
the Painted Desert. A sand picture
will be made by the Navajo medicine
man every morning and every afternoon
of this week, and will remain untouched
until the departure Of the group from
Washington.
Staples Story Is Unusual.
Mr.. Staples story has been an UNI
usual one A descendant Of James Fen.
imore Cooper, he originally came from
Barre, vt. Seventeen years ago he
went to the New Mexican mesas for
his health and en- route befriended a
| poor Indian, who had had both legs
cut OF In falling from a train. This
started the great friendship of the
| Navajo for the white man, who later
was made member of the Navajo tribe
and given the name of "Chissie Nez."
Since that time he has resided among
them and is devoting his LIES service
to promoting among white men and
Navajos mutual knowledge.
Mr.. Staples says that in bringing to
(, the white people Of this country a
knowledge of the Oldest and most
neglected arts of this continent it has
| also had a reactive and beneficial effect
upon the Indians, who have never en-.
| tertained much love or trust for the
| white man.
Through their travels the three Nav
ajos have begun to realize that the
white men are not so bad as they have
| been painted. and by carrying their
| impressions back to their people in
New Mexico will contribute greatly to
| the promotion OF better understanding
between these original Americans and
| the white citizens Of the United States.
| 49,
RAIDS ON TWO LINERS. {