Tristan Black: "Idea into Creation" Blog

​Yá’át’ééh bił da’ííníshta’í ! Hadoone’é nishłínígíí Kinyaa’áaii nishłíͅ’, Tó’dích’íinii bashishchiin, Bit’ahnii dashicheii, dóó Tł’ízí’łání dashinálí. Tséhílíͅíͅdéͅéͅ’ naasha dóó Tsénínaajíhídi k’ehastiͅ’. Tséhílíͅíͅ hódahgo bidziilgo Diné bi’ólta’gi ííníshta’. Navajo Cultural Arts Program (NCAP) baa ííníshta’. Diné bikelchí dóó bina’nitin bóhoosh’aah. (Navajo language courses have come in handy) I like to think of this blog as a cornstalk… Our first class was planting our seeds in a way and throughout the 8-week course, we developed into a fully functional cornstalk that made special creations from within our thoughts and actions. Also I am an emerging Navajo artisan, emphasizing in moccasin-making.

My favorite NCAP activity was being able to make my first pair of moccasins, hands down! Coming into NCAP, I didn’t know what to expect or prepare myself for… especially during a global pandemic. I wondered how our classes were going to perform and how I would get the materials but thankfully the staff provided us with the necessary tools to get started. We got out first instructional video and I watched that I don’t know how many times! Our instructor shicheii Harry Walters gave us a step-by-step video and I kept practicing and practicing his every movement. I think by now I remember the video link by heart… that gave me the groundwork in the moccasin making process.
​After completing the left side of my first pair, I seen areas where I could improve and better myself for the right side. I took in shicheii Walter’s advice and began making the right side. After 2 hours, I finished shaping the sole and patiently waited for it to form. In the pictures you can see where I reevaluated my performance. After showing shimásání dóó shimá, it made me feel better seeing their facial expressions. Their amazed faces and encouragement stayed with me throughout the effort put in.

What do you look forward to as you start the second semester of the Navajo Cultural Arts Certificate Program?
​To gain more knowledge in traditional forms of processing the hide and tanning. We watched a video dating back to 1945 and I saw families gathering and processing the hide from the cow they butchered. I thought our Navajo people did amazing work and turning their ideas into a usable creation.