Interviewing Indigenous Visionaries: A Navajo Weaver, Gloria Begay

Tammy Martin

Navajo Weaving BFA Student, American Indian College Fund Indigenous Visionaries Fellow

​Gloria Begay was the first weaver I met who was more than willing to share her story and advice about weaving in two whole days. In Canyon De Chelly, she was raised by her mother, who she recalls as a very stern and disciplined woman. She is Dzil lah nii, born for Kinyaa’aanii.
As a child, Gloria remembers having to help with cleaning, carding and spinning wool, sometimes very late into the night hours. Through her years growing up, she was taught how to prepare wool for dying: learning how much wood, what kind of plants, and which basins to gather. She was taught how to warp for her own rugs. Gloria remembers selling her first finished piece, a 14 X 17 “Chinle design” rug, to Navajo Arts and Crafts for $20; which then was used to buy groceries. Her mother then took over her sales until one day at Many Farms High School a dorm staff questioned if she would be interested in selling her rug in Farmington. 

She was very happy with her sale because she got to keep the money. This money allowed her to buy graduation items she thought she wouldn’t be able to afford. She went on to attended Navajo Community College (now Diné College) and earned a certificate. She uprooted from her home area and moved to the Eastern Agency community of Crownpoint. It was here that she worked at Indian Health Services, the Navajo Nation Police Department,  the Office of Vital Statistics, and Crownpoint Community School.
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She had married, had a family and a place to call home. Weaving became therapy because she soon found herself a victim to domestic violence. Two years after filing for divorce, her oldest daughter became ill with leukemia and passed away in April. During these trying times weaving de-stressed her and provided an extra income. Five years later, she married Kenneth Begay, a big supporter of Gloria and his stepchildren.

One day when Gloria and her husband's curiosity and a rug sale led to a longtime friendship with Weaving In Beauty founder Mary Walker. After a couple of years, Mary asked Gloria if she would become an instructor at the week-long classes held in Gallup, New Mexico and Lake Tahoe. However, since this pandemic the classes have been held virtually.

​During the Fall of 2019 and Spring 2020, Gloria was teaching Weaving classes at the University of New Mexico-Gallup Branch. In her teaching experience, she told her students “What I am teaching you is what I was taught. Other weavers were taught differently. Learn to be open to what other weavers teach you.” In taking this into consideration, she accepted an apprenticeship with world known weaver, Tahnibaa Nataani and Native Arts and Culture Foundation. In this apprenticeship, she was taught the sheering, carding, and spinning of novelty yarn.​

​When teaching her students, she tells them to research other well known weavers and their textiles such as Roy Kady, sisters Barbara and Lynda Teller, Gilbert Nez-Begay, and Kevin Aspaas; they all have their own story for weaving, their styles are what makes them recognizable, even from a glance.  She says “the more you learn about other weavers, the more you know about yourself and you can create your own style”.

Learn your language, even if you know just a few words, you identify yourself as a Diné person; to learn that being Diné is unique.  “No one can take that identity from you”.  That is something that a lot of our youth are dealing with, they may feel embarrassed to speak it because they might get shamed for speaking; it should be that way, we should be encouraging all the youth to speak our language.   

The last is something that she recalls her mother sternly telling her “You have ten fingers, those ten fingers are given to you so that you can take care of yourself; work with your hands”.  This was not just a saying, it is the Diné philosophy of self determination or T’aa Awoli Bee.  I recall my own grandmother saying that whatever you want or desire is at the very tip of your fingers, it's up to you to make the rest of the hand, mind and body to work to earn it.  Sometimes, we take for granted how much work you put into something has its own rewards, or sense of accomplishment. 

We ended the interview encouraging one another to keep weaving, carding, spinning, and learning.  In Gloria’s words “Weaving is a non-stop learning process”.  

Download the full recap of Tammy's interview with Gloria here:

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