Fiber Arts The Navajo People

The Navajo People The Navajo are a group of Native Americans who live in the American Southwest.

Where is the Southwest?

History of the Navajo The Navajo call themselves Diné, which means “the People”. According to archeologists, they were travelers who decided to settle in the Southwest near the Pueblo Indians in the 1500s.

Time Line 2000 1492 1500s 1776 2006

Along came a spider… The Navajo believe they were created by the Spider Woman when the world was created. The Spider Woman started with the sky, and wove the earth, the rivers, and everything else into it. She taught the first women to weave, and they taught their daughters.

Women in Charge The Navajo respect their women very much Traditionally, women owned the house, land, and animals

Animal Tales Nature is an important part of the lives and beliefs of the Navajo People. They even believe that beavers and coyotes helped the first people build the first Hogan, which is their home.

Why do you think Nature is important to the Navajo?

Hard Times The Navajo have had many battles with their neighbors such as the Pueblo, the Mexicans, and the Spanish colonists The women and children were kidnapped and sold into slavery

Hard Times They were even kicked out of their homes and off their land, as they were forced to march 300 miles by Americans in 1864

Tough People They never gave up on who they were They made friends with their neighbors as they learned to trade goods The Americans gave them back their land

Today Many Navajo people live on their land called Reservations and create art to sell such as jewelry, pottery and Fiber Art

It’s art that is made of fibers What is Fiber Arts? It’s art that is made of fibers

What is Fiber? Fiber is material like cotton or grass that is turned into yarn or thread The Navajo commonly use wool from their sheep

Kinds of Fiber Art Weaving is one kind where you can make objects such as blankets, rugs, or baskets.

Why do you think weaving is important to the Navajo people?

Kinds of Fiber Arts Embroidery is another kind of Fiber Art where you sew to make pictures. Do you think this was made by a Navajo?

Elements of Art Fiber Art uses Texture Shape Color Line Value

Fiber Art has Texture Texture is something you feel with your hands How would these feel?

Fiber Art has Shapes Shape is a closed 2D area

Fiber Art has Color

Fiber Art has Lines Line is a dot that moves from one point to another

Fiber Art has Value Value is light and dark

Principles of Design Fiber Art uses Emphasis Balance Repetition Pattern

Fiber Art uses Emphasis Emphasis is the strongest area of the composition where all the attention goes

Fiber Art uses Balance

Fiber Art uses Repetition Repetition is when you repeat an element

Fiber Art uses Pattern

The Navajo people created wonderful Art that is important to us. Conclusion The Navajo people created wonderful Art that is important to us. They thought about the Elements of Art and Principles of Design as they made their work.