More Sewing - More Holistic Well-being: NAC Blankets and Bags

Johnnie Bia, Jr.

Diné College Psychology BA Intern, Office of Miss Navajo Nation
Blog #8: Navajo Cultural Arts Holistic Well-Being Series

As many people  know, I am a practitioner of the Native American Church, or what is commonly referred to NAC. All that talk last week about sewing traditional of Navajo skirts and dresses started making me want to examine the seams of my NAC bags. We use these bags to store and protect our cedar, tobacco, peyote and other personal items. I started to think about how the sewing of NAC bag contribute to our Diné holistic well-being in perhaps similar ways to how Shayne Watson spoke of sewing. For this week's blog, I spoke with Kurtis Smith.

Kurtis is Deer Spring clan, born for Coyote Pass clan, his maternal grandfather is Black Sheep clan, his paternal grandfather is Bitter Water clan. His mother is Caroline Rose Yazzie from Old Valley Store area north of Chinle, AZ. His father is Gilbert K. Kurtis is from Canyon De Chelly- White House Overlook area east of Chinle, AZ. He graduated from Chinle High

School back in 2002 and he also took some credits with Dine College before he transferred down to Phoenix Valley where he went to Scottsdale Culinary Institute- Le Cordon Bleu. He resides in Phoenix Valley nowadays where he is an Executive Chef. Kurtis was first curious about how people made ceremonial blankets when he would attend NAC peyote ceremonies. He then finally took it upon himself to learn how to sew. From the encouragement of one of his good brothers, he was able to learn how to sew with a sewing machine. His first projects were for a giveaway items for his little sister’s peyote ceremony.

Kurtis readily depends upon rulers to measure, scissors to cut, fabric glue to secure and irons to fold. He uses ribbons and tapeda materials to fold and to sew on to trade cloth material. Trade clothes that he works with depends on the customer - there are 1 Band (low quality), 3 Band (finer quality), 5 Band (much finer quality), 8 and10 band materials (High Quality- 100% Wool). Everything depends on the what

 material/colors and how the customer wants their product to function. Kurtis feels that he is at an “Okay” level for his sewing skills and techniques because he believes that you cannot judge your own self on your work. But he does stress that he puts his whole self into his work, reminding others that you have to take care of yourself first - be in a good physical state and good mindset. If there is something wrong with you or not feeling good, it will be difficult to fold or to sew.  People don't want individuals who are falling apart to create their pieces just like they don't want your blankets or bags to be falling apart - people can judge you for that so put in your best efforts. You are the first one that needs to be healthy before you start working on a project. You want your customer to feel good and to take care of your products

Sewing ceremonial blankets and bags contributes to a person’s mental well-being by learning to Self-Sacrifice and being humble by taking your time and being selfless when working on your project. Putting everything aside and focusing on how beautiful you want to make your next project for someone creates an environment that nurtures productivity. A person can also foster mental well-being through time management - specifically, working on dedicating time to others

through their schedule. Kurtis mentioned that he takes care of his sewing abilities because it was given and he has been blessed with it. Once you figure it out and master it, just take good care of it. Sometimes it works in your favor and sometimes it difficult to work through problems that pop up. Either way, it is something you can’t just give it away or push it off to the side because it is a part of your livelihood. You put your mind into it, you made it a part of yourself. The designs and colors you put on the projects is a part of you. A person must give themselves to that gift that was given to them. There’s good thoughts, prayers, and songs that go into it, a person will have some teachings from it. He/she can make a good living with it, whatever they want they can obtain it through sewing.

Kurtis is able to express his feelings through his sewing, especially through the colors. The colors will show, along with how well the stitches come together, the emotions of the maker. But if he is sad or angry, then the colors will be dark and the blanket or bag will be put together quickly and/or sloppy. When you are in a good emotional state the creativity flows and you don't mind the extra time you are putting into your project, Positive emotional output opens up your creativity. 

Sewing can build up your self-esteem and self-worth by seeing the happy faces of your customers. You feel proud and good within yourself when you know that people are amazed from your blankets & bags. They feel thankful and happy about your work so when they Thank You, it moves or touches your mind, heart, and soul. Sewing can give and take relationships with family, friends and relatives. When working on a blanket or bag, you are using and sacrificing your time away from family, friends, and relatives. It helps to maintain a good relationship by setting a good example of knowing how to sew a ceremonial blankets and bags. It can be good and bad depending on how your family, friends, and relatives take it.

For Kurtis, sewing holds a significant and spiritual place in his life - putting himself out there for self-preservation, self-deaeration and away from self-destruction. He found something that he could put spiritual value into so that he wouldn’t harm himself or anybody else. For Kurtis, he wants to live a good life through his sewing, it can put a person in check and can leave them in a good place. Your relationships are based on what you put out for people. Sewing blankets and bags coincides with that output of his values, beliefs, and values. Kurtis takes time for prayer by finding it is best that a person should be in a clear mind, in a state of trancendency when dealing with spiritual instruments. Kurtis listens to peyote music because it helps a person to keep going as they work on a project. Singing along with the music while folding or sewing is always good to do because it helps you to get into it. By doing that, it’s a prayer in a song that goes along with and within a blanket and bag. Kurtis mentions the positive activities that a person can do for their spiritual well-being is knowing that it has to be you, “Taa’hwiajitee’”. Praying is the main thing that a person can do for themselves. You can give someone money to help say a prayer for you, but what if things don’t go your way. It will be easy to blame that person for nothing saying a right prayer for you. So it is best to pray for yourself, because that will help you to believe it by saying those words that come out of your mouth. Praying is the only and best way to keep your spiritual-self going.

In conclusion, there are a lot of things that go into folding and sewing Native American Church peyote blankets and bags. Being in good physical health within a person is important, because they have to be up to doing the work. Having a clear and positive mind helps a person to really get into folding and sewing. It helps an artist feel good emotionally through the customer’s reactions of the final completed product. The spiritual aspect is the main important one to focus on because people are going to be using the blankets and bags around a peyote ceremony. In a way an artist must be in a spiritual mindset, spiritual feeling, and to live that spiritual lifestyle. It is having respect for the gift of folding and sewing blankets and bags.