Weaving 101
Schoolchildren learn about Navajo tradition

Adrienne Yazzie weaves intently during a weaving camp at Chee Dodge Elementary School Wednesday. Yazzie planned to weave little blocks into her design, but was still unsure of what color she wanted to use in the design. [Photo by Daniel Zollinger/Independent]

By Leslie Wood
Staff Writer

Children used forks to squish the yarn together while weaving during a camp at Chee Dodge Elementary. The children have learned the entire process of weaving, including the sheering and dying of the wool. [Photo by Daniel Zollinger/Independent]

GALLUP — Eighteen school-aged children learned to weave from handmade looms as part of an in-depth study into the role sheep play in Navajo culture.

The second- through fifth-grade pupils followed the entire process from "fleece to rug" as described by teacher Liz Caravaca, who organized the course along with teacher Georgia Manning.

"We want students to understand the role of sheep in Navajo culture, particularly through weaving," Caravaca said.

The summer program is funded through a grant provided by the public department of education to teach local pupils about Navajo culture. The children meet each morning at Chee Dodge Elementary to participate in hands-on activities related to the Southwest-specific theme.

"It's very hands-on," Caravaca said. " ... I've never heard one child say 'this is boring.'"

The grant also helped purchase two sheep, so students could watch a professional manually sheer the livestock. Students then washed the wool with both commercial detergent and the traditional yucca root to compare and contrast the different methods. Continuing with tradition, the students then carded, spun and dyed the wool- all by hand.

Grandmothers, who are experienced in the weaving process, also volunteered to help teach the children.

"They're great role models for the kids," Caravaca said of the women.

And on Wednesday morning, students built their own looms out of ply board and started to weave their wool into miniature rugs, which they can take home.

"You get to do anything with the fur," Tara Soland, a recent Red Rock Elementary school graduate, said.

Fourth-grader Dallas Cadman said she's woven wool at home before, but she particularly enjoys the carding process that removes twigs and dirt from the wool.

"It makes the wool easier to spin," Cadman said.

The students have also taken field trips to the Navajo Nation Museum and Perry Null Trading Co. during the four-week course. Adrienne Yazzie, the current Miss Chee Dodge Elementary, enjoyed the museum visit because she was able to meet the current Miss Navajo Nation.

Caravaca said the summer program took an unexpected turn when the newly purchased sheep were attacked and killed by a pack of wild dogs. The dogs broke into the pen where the sheep were being housed and fed by students.

Teachers planned to have the sheep butchered for a traditional Navajo feast at the close of the program. The pupils wrote about the sheep deaths in their class journals and many children expressed concern that local residents abandon their dogs in areas such as the field behind the elementary school. Caravaca said she would like to start a public awareness campaign to encourage residents to spay and neuter their pets to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.

"Sometimes you have to take advantage of things like this and use them as teachable moments," Caravaca said.