The Indians of the Painted Desert Region: Hopis, Navahoes, Wallapais, HavasupaisJames, George Wharton
Religion
The Indians of the Painted Desert Region: Hopis, Navahoes, Wallapais, Havasupais
James, George Wharton
Indians of North America -- Southwest, New
While bayeta blankets are not common by any means, they aggregate many
scores in the mass, and are to be found in many collections, both East
and West. It is a difficult matter to even suggest in a photograph or
an engraving any idea of the beauty and charm of one of these old
Navaho blankets.
[Illustration: AN AGED NAVAHO AND HER HOGAN.]
[Illustration: NAVAHO FAMILY AND HOGAN IN THE PAINTED DESERT.]
It will be observed that I have written as if the major portion of
the weaving of Navaho blankets was done by the women. Dr. Matthews,
however, writing in or before 1881, says that "there are ... a few men
who practise the textile art, and among them are to be found the best
artisans of the tribe." Of these men but one or two are now alive, if
any, and I have seen one only who still does the weaving.
In late years a few Navaho weavers have invented a method of weaving
a blanket both sides of which are different. The Salish stock of
Indians make baskets the designs of which on the inside are different
from those on the outside, but this is done by a simple process of
imbrication, easy to understand, which affords no key to a solution of
the double-faced Navaho blanket. I have purchased two or three such
blankets, but as yet have not found a weaver who would show me the
process of weaving. Dr. Matthews thinks this new invention cannot date
farther back than 1893, as prior to that time Mr. Thomas V. Keam, the
oldest trader with the Navahoes, had never seen one. Yet one collector
declares he had one as far back as fifteen years ago.
In addition to the products of the vertical loom the Navaho and also
the Pueblo women weave a variety of smaller articles of wear, all of
which are remarkable for their strength and durability as well as for
their striking designs.
CHAPTER XI
THE WALLAPAIS
It is hard to conceive of a people, numbering nearly a thousand souls,
lodged within the borders of the United States, of whom nothing has
been written. The only references to the Wallapais are to be found in
the casual remarks of travellers or soldiers, and later, the agent's
reports to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs. Perhaps the earliest
reference to them is in Padre Garcés' Diary, where, in describing the
Mohaves, he says the Wallapais (spelling the name Jaguallapais) are
their enemies on the east. Then, on leaving the Mohaves and journeying
east, he himself reaches the tribe in the neighborhood of where the
town of Kingman now stands. Six miles northwest of Kingman are located
Beale's Springs, which pour forth the best supply of water in the whole
region; hence it was natural that the Wallapais should have established
their homes near it. In the Wallapai Origin Legend the story of their
dispersion to this region is told. The Wallapai Mountains are close by,
a few miles to the southeast, and from the pines of these mountains
they get their name; "Wal-la," tall pine; "pai," people,--the people of
the tall pine.[6]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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