Navajo Wedding Basket

My granddaughter asked me about what is going on with the things that are going on in the world today...there is talk about racism, war and hatred and she asked what about us, where do we fit in all this?

I thought about her question and saw the Navajo Wedding Basket on the wall and went over and took it down. I then sat on the floor and held the basket.and told her when this basket was made some women went out toward Blue Mountain...not too far from Shush Bi Jah....Bears Ears and went up into the high country looking for a certain kind of plant. The kind they use to make this basket. 

They had to pick it by hand, looking for each plant, walking a long long ways. The woman who made this her name was NakaiDineh. She told me that these kind of plants are harder to find now days so they have to go a long ways. They walked and walked taking some water and slowly one by one they gathered the plants they needed.

When you go to these high places you get tired and get a chance to rest and you get to see how large are country is, Dinetah, the place where we live. In this place they were looking at from horizon to horizon sits our home, you were there somewhere in it but you didn't know it. Their hard work was a blessing to you, because they were going to make this basket, strand by strand, starting from the center.  Here is the center of the basket, the beginning of life, just like how you started out, Can you feel the center? That is your beginning

It is like life. We all start from someplace and grow and all those around you want the best for you, your family, your mother, your father, your cousins and all your relations. We are all like that, we want the best for our children. They want you to have a good and happy life. So as they wove this basket strand by strand they looked for the strong plants, the tough ones and they are like people who are strong and tough who want good things for you. 

These people come and go and you want to be around those kind When you are small that is what we want for you to have, to know good people and these relations, friends and people in the community are the best people we know of, they are all around us...and so your life is woven into their life day by day, hour by hour and in this way as you keep that circle tight you get the best of life, of good thoughts...Hozhoji the Beautyway it is all around us.

There are times when things get dark and difficult...just like when the night is so thick you can not see anything but you know that daylight is coming. The dawn will find you so as you grew up all the people that matter to you are close to you. You know them by name You can trace their life here in this basket.

This basket is so well made it will hold water what we need for life.  So those things that matter to you are close. Many things will come to you that are not good. You have to avoid them. You have to step carefully where you go and sometimes it seems that all is lost but if you stick to what you have learne seeking goodness and light you will find your way.  In this way you have to be strong that is why Indian people have strong names in the native way….you a strong Navajo name. It is because you are part warrior girl. Your father is not around, where he is i don't know and sometimes this gets you down but the rest of us are around you and we have woven ourselves into your life just like this basket. 

You have been given a certain gift as a young Navajo girl and someday you will have children and you will want them to have the best in life so you will have to continue on and make it so.. This basket celebrates life it also represents your woman hood.

The red is for woman because they will endure hardship from child birth and some difficult times. It is a part of life..This is one of those times. What happens out there in the world is not always easy to understand but what you know is that we have to be kind to one another, to love and support each other, to go on together. Our people have endured much, suffered much and we will go on and you will too.

Don't let what happens affect you. Listen to what is in your heart, your soul and in your blood because we have survived. We go one through you. So remember you come from a strong people. When we put the basket on the shelf it is to help us remember these things. That is why good people you meet and get to know will weave themselves into your life time and time again. You want those kind of people around you, avoid the other kind. They represent strife and hardship. Look for the best and go for it. Make it a part of your life. Rustywire