The loom used in Navajo weaving is a native American device, similar to that of the ancient Pueblo people. It has changed little over the centuries. Men usually construct the loom and women do the weaving.
In spite of three centuries of work by Christian missionaries, the Navajos have clung to their native religion. Their religious leaders are medicine men, or healers, and their rites are intended primarily to secure and maintain good health.
The ceremonies, called chants, sometimes last as long as 9 days. They consist of songs, dances, the construction of sand paintings, and the administration of herbal medicines and sweat baths.
The Navajos, a unique people in many ways, are far from being “vanishing” Americans. Vigorous and growing in numbers, they have only recently begun to understand their potential. While they are making rapid strides to join the world around them, they are keenly aware of their own heritage and what it can contribute to the larger culture of America.
Further Reading
Kluckholm, Clyde, and Dorothea Leighton. The Navaho. Cambridge, Mass. 1946.
McGregor, John C. Southwestern Archeology. Second Ed. Urbana, Ill. 1965.
Morris, Ann A. Digging in the Southwest. N.Y. 1934.
Underhill, Ruth M. The Navajos. Norman, Okla. 1956.
Wormington, H. M. Prehistoric Indians of the Southwest. Third Ed. Denver, Colo. 1956.