 Monument Valley, UT The
Ndahoo'aah program at Monument Valley High School was about $4000 short
of
the amount
needed to hold
this year's
summer session. 'Ndahoo'aah was founded in 1994 as a way of
integrating Navajo language, culture and crafts with academic subjects
like mathematics and computer science. Under the direction of community
elders, students can learn rug weaving, sash belt weaving, saddle cinch
weaving, basketry, bead work or silversmithing. At the left,
you'll see Lena Atene helping with a student's saddle cinch.
During the classes, the
elders are constantly discussing the meaning of the craft in terms of
Navajo culture and relating their own personal stories.
Hundreds of
young Navajo students have benefited from the program and the elders
who teach it have helped to form a a great relationship between the
school and the community. In
the words of Stella Cly, one of the original elder participants
"with the comb, you are
not only batting a design together, you are
also chasing the evil spirits of poverty away. These things are taught
to us by our elders. They were taught to me by my father and to him by
his father. They taught us to respect all things. Your sheep, horses
and cattle, you use them for work and to progress in life"'.
As
of May 29, 2007 readers of this page and other donors and raised the
money needed to support this year's program and we have secured funding
for 2008. Pictures from this year's program will appear here
during the month of June.
Ahéhee'
(thank you so much) for your response to this very urgent fundraising
need.
'Ndahoo'aah
Donors (in order received)
Phyllis Thompson Judy Sutton D.Y. Begay
Roberta Sauerwein
Cynthia Dawson
Rebecca Helm
Kathy Dalrymple
Sam Cunningham
The McClosky's
To date (5/29/07) we have raised $2150 $2350
$4000 of the $4000 needed.
The Donor List will
be updated as contributions are received.
| |
c
Craft
items made at the 'Ndahoo'aah program in 2005. (photo by Mary
Walker)
The buses come back at the end of an Ndahoo'aah day.
Some
of the students walk a mile or so get to and from the bus.
(photo by Mary Walker)
Lorita Adakai helps a student with the finishing process on a rug
during the 2005 program. (photo by Mary Walker) |
This page is
dedicated to the art of weaving as practiced
by the Navajo people of what is now the Southwestern United
States.
This is also the home of
the Weaving in
Beauty Textile Tour and the Navajo rug
doctor (Mary
Walker) in case you have questions regarding repairs or care of your
textiles.
