Recaping Indigenous Visionaries: The Burden and Blessing of Cultural Preservation as a Navajo Weaver

Valene Hatathlie

Navajo Cultural Arts Certificate Student, American Indian College Fund Indigenous Visionaries Fellow

Prepping wool for processing

To start, I would like to acknowledge the Diné College Navajo Cultural Arts Program for bestowing upon me this opportunity to fulfill my dreams of becoming a master weaver. Also, to American Indian College Fund for collaborating with Tribal Colleges to preserve Native American culture and provide the platform for students to build their leadership skills. Lastly, I would like to thank the teachers I was introduced to and whom I have learned weaving, wool processing, and storytelling from. It is not easy to be an artist and survive in this economy. Yet you dedicate your time and energy each day to preserve the Diné culture and pass on your teachings to younger generations. You are my hero and I hope I can share my skills with younger generations one day.

The feeling I have towards weaving is so intricate that takes me back to the precious times I had with my grandmother, Bessie Hatathlie. She was a master weaver who wove beautiful tapestries that she sold, traded, and donated to various people and institutions.

Growing up I sat by my grandmother’s loom as she wove. I watched her card and spin wool for hours or until someone told me to do my chores. I was partially raised by my grandparents and I’ve spent a considerable amount of time with them. Their friends became my friends and sometimes they would all come to my grandma's house to dye wool in metal barrels over open fires that were spread all over the yard. I remember seeing the herbs in glass jars and the fires being built. Everyone brought their spun-undyed wool and they worked together to combine the herbs, water, and alum and began the process of dying wool. I was about 4 years old, too young to do much but watch.

In my adulthood, I had a job that consumed much of my time. Many people my age lived in a constant cycle of work, go home, sleep, and go to work again. In my mid-thirties I wanted out because I wanted to explore life beyond the status quo. I wanted a challenge.

Ironically, I found it by returning to my cultural roots and attending Diné College Navajo Cultural Arts Program while living in the city. As a student, I was introduced to many teachers like Tahnibaa Naataanii, Christine Ami, Sara Naataanii and Brenda Joshevama. All these women have taught me more about weaving, Diné culture and leadership then I could on my own. They have nurtured my leadership knowledge with their insight and reconnected me with my culture.

More specifically, through this fellowship I was able to step out of my comfort zone. I get caught up doing twill because it is very natural for me. Christine wanted me to move out of the box and try a new style.  I worked closely with Brenda and I learned how to make sashbelts.  I picked the sashbelt because I knew that I enjoyed the multiple heddles and that people need these belts for all sorts of purposes - from kinaaldá to childbirth to postpartum.

I also had the opportunity to run my own workshop on wool processing during the 2021 Navajo Cultural Arts Week! And I did it virtually so that anyone who could and wanted to check out the process could stop in and learn. I did that!

Lights, Camera, Action!

Cleaning wool

Just me and my wool

Reading the Navajo Cultural Arts 2021 Virtual Exhibit Press Release in the Native American Art Magazine. See my twill weaving!

​The Indigenous Visionaries Fellowship instilled in me the confidence in my leadership as a Diné Women Weaver. And this confidence directly resulted in 2 exhibits invites and with my twill weaving even being featured in the Native American Art Magazine as part of the Navajo Cultural Arts 2021 Virtual Exhibit Press Release.

These skills and tools that I have gained are invaluable. And now I plan to utilize and generously share with others. My current challenge is to pass on the cultural knowledge I have gained from this fellowship to younger people, for they are our future and the burden of cultural preservation will soon be on their shoulders.