Dr. Christine Ami, 2020/21 American Indian College Fund Indigenous Visionaries Mentor
In September of 2020, I was approached by the American Indian College Fund to serve as a mentor for their Indigenous Visionaries Women's Leadership Fellowship. But I wasn't sure that I was the ideal person, per-say - like my fellows, I had a hard time envisioning myself as a leader. My goal has always been to just make it happen - I was never seeking the title of leader.
But I envisioned what the fellows could accomplish with such an opportunity so I put together a grant proposal based around three specific areas: (1) cultural knowledge of Navajo leadership and weaving; (2) economic knowledge of traditional Navajo female leadership and weaving sales; and (3) technical knowledge (practical experience) of implementing leadership skills and weaving techniques.
Apart from those 3 goals, I wanted the fellows to gain insight into the practical maneuvering associated with my role as a grant manager, program manager, and instructor. This kind of knowledge could provide them with an example of how Native leaders (male and female) holistically approach their work and personal life. We often forget that how we care for our home and our immediate family is an excellent indicator and reflection of who we are as people. Too often, we, as a Native community, celebrate the work successes of our Navajo leaders but not much light is dedicated to how they ground themselves with family (or if they don’t). So this fellowship allowed for the fellows to observe how I balance (or don't balance) my responsibilities and obligations as a Navajo woman and as a college community member.
And here is what we, Tamerra Martin, Valene Hatathli, Sue V. Begay, and I learned.
The first lesson I learned from my fellows is that it is primordial to continually ground ourselves in our own powers as Navajo individuals, it's more important that establishing a public identity as a community leader. Tammy's interview with weaver Gloria Begay reinforced this teaching for me. Gloria's mother taught her that "You have ten fingers, those ten fingers are given to you so that you can take care of yourself; work with your hands”. That's right!, I thought reading that: Bilá’ ‘ashdla’ii nishłį́, Nihookaah Dine’é nishłį́, Diné nishłį́ - that is who I am - a 5 fingered, powerful, and blessed Navajo person - that is my affirmation to maintain self-motivation. And with both of my hands, the best work that I can do is lead myself with self-determination because it is what I have been built with.
The next lesson that I learned was that our cultural arts has helped to inform the development of leadership abilities across generations. Valene interviewed Dr. Delores Greyeyes, the Director of Navajo Department of Corrections. Dr. Greyeyes was raised in a single parent household. Her mother was a weaver and used that skills to provide for her family. As Valene found out: "It is one's choice to act or to be idle. Everyone has a leadership journey; it begins with knowing yourself, the environment you are in, and finding solutions". That is how Dr. Greyeyes learned about T’áá hwo ajitéego, the practice of personal accountability.
Another lesson in Navajo female leadership that the fellows brought forth was the need to make sure that we don't live for us, but for the future. Tammy worked with weaver, Marilyn Vigie Fausto, to expand her techniques in the twill weave. Tammy and Vigie had known each other for years before deciding to work as in a mentor/mentee relationship. I loved this set up because there is so much that we can learn from our peers - it's not just age that brings knowledge. But one of the strongest messages that was brought forth in this pairing was the ability to take what you have learned and teach someone else. Tammy recapped the terms of their agreement: "Marilyn agreed to teach me as long as I promised to teach others, even if it meant I teach my daughter". Planning for the future. There is a sense of humility - ádaahwiinítį́. Yes, I want to learn but it's not all about me anymore - It's not about me at all - It's for future generations.
My fellows also taught me about self-assessing - siih hasin. And not the fluffy "let's self-reflect about all the good" - a kind of self-reflect about what needs to change. That self-reflection brings us back to re-evaluating our personal values and our immediate and long term goals. And here is where my fellows really taught me - As a leader: it's okay to not be able to do it all, it's okay to not be everywhere, it's okay to place family over work and weavings over publishings, and it's even okay to cut off negative relationships, to start new goals, and to admit when you are wrong. Sue V. Begay taught me that when she realized that she needed to work on family and weaving a bit more before she could commit full time to this fellowship. Direct, honest, and self-reflective communication based on self-assessment.
Mentee Growth: By the end of this fellowship, the fellows learned new weaving techniques with mentorships, practiced their conversation skills through interviews, learned about cultural arts businesses through business planning classes and workshop leading - all through the lenses of Navajo women leadership.
Mentor Growth: I created new class syllabi for the emerging Native American Studies Minor program here at Diné College. One of which is NAS208: Native American Women. It's filled with topics from Indian Princesses to Women Warriors to Political Leaders to Matrilineal Obligations and Responsibilities. I was able to work on other topics that interested my fellows and created ; NAS301: Traditional Ecological Knowledge and NAS401: Indigenous Human/NonHuman Animal Relations classes. These classes address our relationships to the world around us, placing the environment and non-human animals as the protagonist in a world where we are not the center of attention but rather a link in an intricate web. I also completed an article manuscript based upon the memoir writing retreat entitled: "A Native Scholar Pushing Back: Epistemological Imperialism, Cultural Gaslighting, and Credential Theft." (forthcoming). That workshop really helped to build confidence in writing from my experiences.
Community Growth: Together, our Indigenous Visionaries group built a little community - a community to celebrate, commiserate, and re-focus on leadership qualities we learned about over the past year: self-determination, personal accountability, humility and critical self-assessment informed by our community. We were blessed to work with brilliant Navajo leaders: Brenda Joshevama, Marilyn "Vigie" Fausto, Jessica Stago, Crystal Littleben, Gloria Begay, Delores Greyeyes, Velma Craig, and many, many more who helped us along this past year.
Personal Growth: This fellowship provided me with a moment of clarity to reflect upon my own values, goals, and aspirations through the lens of ádaa'áhólyá - Navajo holistic self care. In order to do this - something had to go. So I checked back in with me:
The positive and negative experiences in this fellowship helped me to realize that it was time for me to refocus on building our home, being a mom, being a wife, and being someone who uses all of my 10 fingers to create- all things that I consider as crucial roles for my journey as a Navajo leader. In particular, I realized that as the Navajo Cultural Arts Program Grant Manager, although I had been surrounded by cultural artists and teaching cultural arts topics, there has literally been only a hand full of times where I was able to pick up my weaving comb to work on my loom or take mud and turn it to clay to make pottery. So, just as I pushed Tammy and Valene to move out of their comfort zones, I decided that it was time for me to move out of my comfort zone. Instead of making opportunities for my students to create and started to make opportunities for me to create.
At the end of this fellowship, I decided that the best course of action for my family and my goals was to step down as a grant and program manager. I am now allowing myself to transition back into the role of creator - weaver, potter, crocheter, baker, butcher - all the things I love that I can do with the 10 fingers provided to me by the holy people that make me feel whole. My main goal is to provide my sons with the leadership skills and tools necessary to be successful in this world as Bilá’ ‘ashdla’ii, as Nihookaah Dine’é, as Diné. And while my goals may change in the future, right now this is the best leader that I want to be right now.
So thank you, Tammy, Valene, and Sue for showing me the path and for providing me with examples of Navajo women leaders.
Tamerra Martin, Navajo Weaving BFA Student, American Indian College Fund Indigenous Visionaries Fellow
It is often said that people come into your life for a reason; it is up to you how you respond to their presence. As a parent to five children, certain teachers have left a big impact on our lives, from elementary to middle school to high school. And then there are people who come into our lives unexpectedly and we still learn a thing or two from them. My story is about how an aspiring weaver has taught me about twill weaving and then some.
Marilyn “Vigie” Fausto who is Ta’neeszahnii Clan, born for Tachii’nii People, her maternal Grandfather’s clan is Kinyaa’aanii Clan and her Paternal Grandfather’s clan is Ashiihi People. She is from the small community of Tocito, New Mexico. She recalls how as a little girl, she would help with the processing of wool; how she was taught to fluff up the wool, right before it was carded and spun into wool yarns. She would be the fifth generation of weavers if she continued this way of life, one of world renowned textile artist, Daisy Taugelchee, one of the trail blazers of the Two Gray Hill Weavers.
As she grew old enough to enter elementary school in the 1970’s, she was put into boarding school. The BIA run boarding schools were sometimes miles away from home, which meant little to no contact with family and home. For some children, continuing education meant going further and usually off the Navajo Nation thus called the Placement Program. In most cases, the quest to become educated meant that students lost a sense of their hogan (home) and their livelihood. Although she was gone from her family for so many years, she always wished to continue the gift of weaving.
Her interest in learning to weave peaked as an adult; now living in the Valley of Arizona. The Heard Museum offered Weaving classes through financial grants that they would receive, these classes were conducted by world known textile artists, sisters, Barbara Teller Ornales and Lynda Teller Pete. One of these classes was held during the month of November of 2018. I had the privilege of attending this one week opportunity through the Navajo Cultural Arts Program via Diné College. It is here that we first met.
I really enjoyed her enthusiasm for weaving and, basically, for everyday life which I still enjoy to this day. We kept in touch through social media, she’s always encouraged me in my endeavors, not just through weaving but through all the things that I am going through in life. Her and her husband have been encouraging to my daughter and her artistic endeavors as well.
It was because of her genuineness that I chose Mrs. Fausto to be my mentor as part of the Indigenous Visionaries Fellowship. I especially wanted to learn more about her self-taught technique of Twill Weaving. I began to notice more and more that she was weaving twill and that she would mention how she was teaching others as well. I have woven a diamond twill before but had no idea how to incorporate other designs with the same heddle counts, and this is what she wanted me to learn. I have to admit that it was more frustrating than I thought it would be, sometimes the designs wouldn’t seem clear, or the count was off just by one or two--just close to giving up. It was through her encouragement and patience, for about three months, that I was able to finish my first small diamond twill sample that I was so proud of! She is still committed to teaching me the medium and large diamond twill weavings as well, so we are not done.
This opportunity also brought up the spirit of a weaver. Half way through the mentoring experience, Marilyn informed me that she had been undergoing treatment/therapy for cancer. My response was to feel so emotionally torn; how could someone so gifted go through something like this? My promise to her meant all that much more; I have learned this twill so I could continue to teach her teachings. Regardless of this, she kept optimistic and strong--she encouraged me to maintain a positive attitude as I wove my twill sample. I also remembered that as you practice a traditional art/craft, you think and pray for the good things in life to those who are in your life. It was a July day when she sent a message that the results of a recent biopsy showed benign cells! It was such a blessing to read her message and give thanks to the Holy Beings for bringing such a great mentor into my life.
The biggest lesson I experienced from all of this was the weavers gift of receiving and sharing. Marilyn agreed to teach me as long as I promised to teach others, even if it meant I teach my daughter. Her wish was based on her own experience; she wanted to have someone teach her but in most instances she was given very broad instructions or she was asked to pay an outrageous amount. She didn’t want others to feel the way she did; so if I could learn these techniques from her, I would then share it with others who wish to learn; I plan to keep this promise as I perfect twill weaving.
Valene Hatathlie, Navajo Cultural Arts Certificate Student, American Indian College Fund Indigenous Visionaries Fellow
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!
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.
Brandon Lester, NAS111: Introduction to Native American Studies, Student
As a part of Fall 2021, I am a student of the Introduction to Native American Studies course. During the Arts and Media section of this course we covered topics about Native American aesthetics and expressive culture. We were provided with a lot of contemporary perspectives through so I chose to write about an artist who was interviewed from the T’áá awołí bee: Navajo Contemporary Arts Lecture Series. And as I thought about which interview to watch and explore the connection between identity and the arts, Photographer and Professor, Hulleah Tsinhnahjinnie I thought was the perfect candidate for this particular blog.
Hulleah Tsinhnahjinnie is a 2002 graduate from the University of California, Irvine, where she pursued a Master’s Degree in Studio Arts. Tsinhnahjinnie is also a photographer, curator, Professor in Native American Studies at University of California, Davis, and currently the Director of the CN Gorman Museum. Tsinhnahjinnie is Seminole-Muskagee-Navajo, Through our clanship we have no relation, but through K’é I will address her as shinálí (my paternal grandmother). She was born into the Bear and Raccoon Clans of the Seminole and Muskagee Nations, and born for the Tsinajinnie clan of the Navajo Nation. Tsinhnahjinnie has a passion for Native American Arts and re-appropriating 19th century old photos of Native subjects and by her methods she changes the perspective of what the original photos were meant for. She uses the fusion of photography and contemporary digital art to challenge or change Native stereotypes, defy political concepts, and through her work she pioneered expanding the creativity of Natives to fully express their ideas and thoughts in an open and safe creative space. Tsinhnahjinnie is also a apart of the LGBTQ+ community and me also being a part of that community instantly I felt that bond through her interview and so, I thought – why not have her be a part of my blog and write about her thoughts on Indigenous art, identity and language!
I chose to select Hulleah because through her interview she allowed me to look at Native arts and look beyond the image and analyze the image and flip the perspective and take control of the visuals. As a photographer, she saw the power of images through photography, the power of possible change for the better. I also chose to write about Hulleah because she mentioned that she identifies as two-spirit, I too, identify as two-spirit and some of her work is inspired from how she identifies as a two-spirit Native woman. Tsinhnahjinnie archive ranges from the San Francisco Native American gay communities to the protests at Alcatraz, she says “I didn’t not realize I was making and expanding my archive.” Her main focus was to document events of different Indigenous communities to continue telling their stories through images of people doing incredible things.
Her Indigenous identity impacted her art by her telling the story of We’Wha, The Beloved. She explained that “We’Wha lived her life as a woman, born as man and buried as man. But during her time here on the earth she was a woman. She was an “in-between”, that she was able to go out to the outside world and brought back what she considered to be beneficial to her tribe, and teach tribal members.” We’Wha was always involved with her community, helped with ceremonies, and she was highly respected within her Zuni community from 1860-1898. Tsinhnahninnie says that “We’Wha was two-spirit and when I needed inspiration, I look at this image” (We’Wha: The Beloved). In addition, her Indigenous identity impacted her art by literally being born into the world of arts because her father was a painter and photographer. Her father was a student at the Institute of American Indian Arts and his classmates used to come to their house on a Saturday to paint and tell stories as she listened to their stories.
Tsinhnahjinnie herself attended Rough Rock Community School as a child, at that time Rough Rock Community School was the one of first schools to add Navajo Language to their curriculum and her father was the person to illustrate the Navajo textbooks, and a team of Native artists, educators, and community members created a system to take control of their image to teach Navajo culture and language to children that builds stronger Indigenous communities for future generations. You know when politicians, well-known photographers, visitors from First Nation in Canada, and visitors from around the world wanting to observe how the first bi-lingual school was doing is only a sign of building a stronger community. She also stated that “having years of archives of photographs from all her travels and being in the Bay area, sometimes people would come up to her and ask her if she might have a picture of their grandparents during the years they were in school or at events.” She said she usually would have the pictures that were requested and that in itself helps build a stronger community for Indigenous nations.
Hulleah left me with a stronger insight for how I observe the arts and how within my identity as an Indigenous person, I can have control of my image and my perception of that image. Also, her manipulation of photographs has the ability to re-interpret the colonial message and to send a message of our own to flip the perspective is such a creative but factualistic approach is innovative and it opened up my creativity and mind to take control of my image through visual sovereignty. Hulleah is such an inspiration to me and after her interview I felt the passion she had for her work and I will always carry with me what she said about controlling one’s image “nobody ever wants to be imaged as a loser, nobody wants to be imaged as defeated, and nobody wants to be imaged as less than. So, taking control of that means a lot and that’s a step taking control of one’s image.”
Faith Roessel, NAS111: Introduction to Native American Studies, Student
As part of our NAS111: Introduction to Native American Studies course, we covered a variety of topics. One segment addressed art and media. We were given the task of learning from contemporary Native American Artists. I chose to watch to T'áá awołí bee: Navajo Contemporary Arts Conversation Series as part of our continuation of hearing from Native voices. Many artists participated in this Navajo Cultural Arts Program (NCAP) series and I chose Teddy Draper, Jr. a renowned silversmith and painter who was interviewed by Dr. Ami, our NAS111 Instructor.
Teddy is from Del Muerto, which is in between Tsaile and Chinle, Arizona and is a place that is close to Canyon de Chelly National Monument. I knew of his late father Teddy Draper, Sr. as an elder who spoke about his experiences as a Code Talker and who was a close friend of my parents. When my father passed away, my youngest son Sam told Teddy that we had found a pastel painting by him. Teddy told Sam, "Dr. Roessel always had good taste." His humor and low key confidence is exemplified in that statement and what was so appealing about his NCAP interview. Teddy was Sam's mentor in NCAP. Sam had the extraordinary experience and opportunity to work in Teddy's studio learning the art of inlay, grinding and setting stones, and everything that it entails to produce a finished piece. Sam relayed stories of what Teddy taught him and I was interested to hear more from a person who had such a positive impact on my son.
If the question was posed directly to Teddy of how his Navajo identity impacts his art, I think he would say "what?" All who he is, is intertwined in his upbringing as a Navajo person and to have someone ask that outright may not get the response you want. How do you separate out your identity? Yet, his art answers the question because what he produces in his paintings are Navajo scenes of hogans, fields, landscape, and the canyons that are in his backyard. He stated that he knew he must have some skill as a painter when his instructor at Ganado Mission School asked him to paint for an art contest. He was not happy about it but did it anyway. Later that summer a package came that had his original drawing and a check. He had won the art contest. He said that was his first realization that he could make money, which motivated him to attend the American Academy of Art in Chicago, Illinois. There he said he had tremendous instructors and was in school with other American Indian classmates that influenced his work. In all, he got positive reinforcement from other American Indians, even Alan Houser who taught at Intermountain Indian School where his father taught too and where Teddy was in high school.
The recollections of Teddy left me with the impression that artists form a community and bond closely with each other. So when you talk about communities you are speaking of how to lift yourself up and by doing so you are helping others either by example, by giving advice of how to succeed and/or being there for emotional, spiritual support. All that exemplifies Teddy and his connection to help and mentor others. If you strengthen individuals, then collectively those stronger persons create a more cohesive and improved community. People need to make a living to be productive members of their communities and Teddy spoke of the practical realities of being an artist and having to put food on the table. He is a business man and manages his art through De Chelly Art, LLC. He instructed his audience to take care of their money, invest it, do not go overboard and and do not spend in excess or you will be left with nothing. He quoted his grandfather who told him, "A rich man always dresses poor. A poor man dresses well but has no money."
What I enjoyed about Teddy's interview was his lived reality of how he got to where he is and how he has learned from it. He remembered friends who were so talented in art yet never technically trained such as his close friend Robert Draper who developed the pastel technique that Teddy uses. There is a discipline that Teddy said he learned from RC Gorman, who told him to commit yourself to 15 minutes a day doing your art. And, even when you produce a painting, you must sell it and in the beginning the additional expenses and obstacles are life changing experiences, Teddy noted. What he emphasized is you must work hard, be aggressive, control your temper, keep track of your money and do art for your soul. "There is no competition in art. It is with yourself. Confront yourself to be better."
Dr. Ami asked Teddy to speak of a lifestyle issue that affects artists and that is the abuse of alcohol and drugs. Teddy was candid and compelling in his description of his low point that landed him in rehab. He felt the Holy People got him through the roughest part. It was also his art that helped him begin his journey back as he started selling for bits of income. His grandfather counseled him that going to Alcoholics Anonymous only reinforced an identity as an alcoholic. His grandfather prayed with him and said to thank the alcohol. In his prayers, Teddy relayed he came to understand alcohol as his brother and he could not deny him because he would always be there. He saw a creek and on one side was Teddy and the other was alcohol. He said we can never cross the creek. You stay on your side and I will stay on my side. Since January 16, 1983, Teddy said he has never had an urge to drink. He helps others who seek his help.
Though art may be Teddy's profession, he finds satisfaction in how basketball coaching has become his life. It took him 20 years to find it and he enjoys working with young people and feels it has made him a "solid community member." In all the fun he has, Teddy's teams have won three national championships. I too can relate to his joy of basketball and being a coach. We may have a stereotype of an "Indian artist" and Teddy breaks any preconceived notions. When your goal is to make the world a better place and your philosophy is we must all learn to live together, then your view of the world is expansive and goes beyond the pastel colors in your hand, the silver piece you are creating. You transcend art and identity as labels. Teddy Draper, Jr. does just that and he finds joy in teaching. "All these things happen in life are not by chance." His words uplifted me and I knew why my son found in Teddy a person he could look up to and learn from, as an artist and as a person.
Jeremy Jones, NAS111: Introduction to Native American Studies Student
"It's a new thing," says painter and 2D artist Don Whitesinger. "Just learn it."
He’s talking about adapting to the virtual classroom during the COVID-19 pandemic, but you could safely infer that this is how he approaches teaching and art.
Whitesinger is an abstract contemporary artist. He calls his work "visual aesthetic expression." I chose to watch and respond to Whitesinger's T'áá awołí bee: Navajo Contemporary Arts Lecture Series presentation because I admire his artwork and I am interested in the interplay of mimetic realism and abstract expressionism.
Mostly, though, I watched the video hoping to learn about his art-making process. I got a little nervous when he said, "I like the notion of not explaining a piece of [my] art." Quickly, though, I realized he did not want to explain the meaning of his art or the ways the piece of art "convey[ed] an insight about [him]self." He would, however, explain his process.
"Art is essential to me," he said. "I need to sleep and think art at all times."
Individual artistic expression and cultural expression play off each other in his work. He is a Navajo painter, but he paints as himself. His art speaks for itself. Whitesinger’s Indigenous identity shows in his art. He presents himself in the context of his parents, teachers, and landscape. Many of his paintings depict his home communities of Chinle and Spider Rock. But, first and foremost, reveals himself as a human being.
"Art is part of the fabric of being human," Whitesinger said. "Art is like a ceremony. Art has a purpose."
That purpose, for Whitesinger, has to do with revealing and sharing yourself. For a practicing artist and a professor, the altruism of art and teaching are intertwined. Whitesinger abides by the Diné College paradigm of thinking, planning doing, and critiquing. Critiquing is an inherently communal activity, drawing people together and focusing them upon a single piece of art.
At first, Whitesinger found it challenging to incorporate Navajo concepts into his classroom curriculum. "What you should teach and what you shouldn't teach," he said, comes with a great deal of debate. As with ceremonies, there is an element of "what you see here stays here." The artist must walk a line. He must reveal only what is his to reveal; he must only tell his story.
In reference to one of his paintings of a Navajo deity, Whitesinger said, "Sometimes people see this, and they tell me I shouldn't do that. But it’s my own version of my existence here on the Navajo Nation, as far as myself and my dealing with certain things. When I paint, it makes me feel good about what I do and sometimes these images come out. So, I just work with it, and I stay with it. Sometimes people question my motives."
His motives appear to be heartfelt and personal – a giving of himself to other but also a personal joy in expression. He paints valleys, skies, warriors, ceremonial dancers, and sons, using lines and bold complimentary colors. Whether plein air oil on canvas or prints on flags or thrift store art, Whitesinger creates abstract art that vibrates and bounces with color and that simultaneously reveals a memetic and emotional truth.
"The use of lines and colors are essential to my artwork,” he said. "I try not to connect lines. When you connect them, it becomes a shape.”
Shapes reveal too much. They are too literal. Shapes do too much of the talking. They close themselves off, connecting themselves. Shapes answer too many questions. Unconnected lines reveal and allow the viewer to enter the artwork, to draw their own conclusion. Whitesinger speaks for himself, but he speaks from within the context of his community. He connect using unconnected lines. His colors dance, a ceremonial dance, revealing just enough to let us feel a “divine breeze.”
Shania Homer, NCA197 Navajo Cultural Arts Practicum Student, Weaver
Yá'át'ééh! Hello my name is Shania Homer and I am painter who is now learning how to weave! My 1st clan is bitter water, 2nd clan is tangle, 3rd clan is zuni edge water, 4th clan is start of the red streak. I was born in Page Arizona and was raised in Cedar Ridge Arizona. I’m 20 years old and a freshman student at Diné College. The first class I took at Diné College was Navajo rug weaving last spring. I liked it so much that I’m now currently enrolled in the Navajo Cultural Arts Certificate, emphasizing in weaving.
Our classes started off with a virtual SWAIA Scavenger Hunt. But the other activities we did in this class were also fun. I learned how to write my Artist statement and Artist biography and how to take photos of not only my weavings but also my paintings. And I liked that I got to learn new information that I never took the time to learn in high school - for example - I got to interview my grandma about her knowledge of weaving! There is so much to learn from our own families!
Also, I loved getting a chance to see my classmates' artwork. They really amazed me because we choose different topics, weaving, moccasin making, silversmithing. It was neat because I got to see different forms at art like when I got to the local flea market in Tuba City. And I missed the flea market during the pandemic!
As a painter and I have a background knowledge of weaving. Dr. Ami, my instructor, worked with me so that I could also showcase my painting too. But not just any paintings. She encouraged me to paint weaving scenes. I got to do 2 paintings about a Navajo rug weaver. I felt happy and I even got to show my paintings to my grandma which see love the painting. I posted those paintings on to my Facebook and got to see my family/friends comment so many nice things about my artwork. So, I can say that taking pictures for week 6 was my favorite activity. I learned about lighting, spacing, and equipment.
For those thinking about learning our our Navajo cultural arts, here is my advice - try your best and don’t give up. Try weaving, silversmith, basket making, etc. You never know how much you will like taking that class. I, myself, I tried weaving for the first time and I had fun. I learned how to weave 2 beautiful rug they may not be prefect but trying is the key to success. And if you find a class that you really like - keep going and see where that takes you.
Brenna Clani-Washinawatok, NCA197 Navajo Cultural Arts Practicum Student, Weaver
My name is Brenna Clani-Washinawatok. Ta’neeszahnii nishli, Tachiinii bashishchiin, Bit’ahnii dashicheii, dóó To Dich’ii’nii dashinali. I am a student at Diné College earning a certificate in Navajo Cultural Arts with an emphasis on weaving through the Navajo Cultural Arts Program (NCAP). I am also a mother, wife, and practicing attorney from Upper Fruitland. I entered NCAP in the Spring of 2021 after much reflection since the start of the pandemic in early 2020. The pandemic caused so much chaos, fear, isolation, and anxiety. My weaving provided peace-of-mind from the turmoil and helped me process the psychological and existential challenges of this pandemic. Thus, my weaving become much more important to me as a fifth-generation weaver.
Weaving is a significant part of my life and my identity. My weaving knowledge and skills were passed on to me through my maternal and paternal clans. As such, the pandemic made me think about the intergenerational wisdom and traditional knowledge I posses, and how do I contextualize this wisdom and knowledge for future generations. Thus, I reached out to Dine College as its mission is to help the well-being of the community.
In response to the pandemic, Dine College offered on-line classes, discounted tuition by 50%, waived certain fees, and offered other incentives to support students to keep cultural alive. With these incentives, I enrolled in the Navajo Cultural Arts Program. Less than a year into the program, I have discovered so much about myself. The courses helped me figure out what it means to be a Dine cultural artist and the cultural responsibilities that comes with it. The program provided insight into the art world—along with the critiques and criticisms. Moreover, I enhanced my weavings skills and learned new skills. Overall, the program helped to replenish my sole, connect me back to who I am and where I came from, and where I am to go from here.
I would encourage those who are thinking about learning, enhancing, or re-learning cultural arts to consider Diné College’s Navajo Cultural Arts Program. Earning a certificate in Navajo cultural arts has never been more accessible and enriching.
