Southwest Native American Crafts

Homemade kilns used for Native American pottery functioned due to the climate of the Southwest region.

Southwest Native American crafts represent the ideas important to the tradition and culture of the people. For centuries, Native Americans have used their crafts in religious ceremonies, in everyday life and for barter and trade purposes. Southwest Native Americans use new tools and materials to progressively forge their traditions and culture. From the pottery of the Pueblo Tribe to the woven rugs of the Navajo, the artful traditions of this region still thrive today.

History

Southwest Native Americans raised and sheared their sheep, then dyed and spun the wool.

Native American crafts date back around two thousand years. The early Mogollon, Hohokam and Anasazi tribes from long ago all made pottery, giving birth to the famed Puebloan culture of the Southwest. Native Americans believed the pottery held a spirit; therefore, great artistic care was put into the firing and painting process. The oldest Navajo loom thought to be in existence dates back to 1300 A.D. Known for weaving blankets, the Navajo tribe used a dye called "Indigo." This dye was formed naturally from leaves of the indigofera shrub, which the Navajo obtained through trading and bartering. Metalworking and silversmith skills were also developed by the Navajo in the 1800s and gave way to intricate jewelry and belts that are still sold and traded today.

Pottery

The Pueblo tribe used a unique firing method called "black on black," which gave their pots a distinctive look.

Native Americans of the Southwest had a traditional process for making pottery that was unlike the materials and kilns used today. Clay was dug from the ground, broken into a fine powder and soaked in water to remove impurities. Broken pots were mixed into the clay to make the compound pliable. The clay would then soak for a week until the compound was moldable. By hand, Native Americans would form the shapes from the compound, each tribe having a distinct style. The molded form was then dried, polished and painted with an intricate design. The final step was firing the pottery, which took place on grates over open fire. Water jugs, containers, cooking pots and ceremonious urns were a large part of the pottery tradition of Southwest Native Americans.

Basketry

A quality Apache basket has a fine weave, complex design and symmetry.

It is believed the Southwest Native American art of basketry dates back 7,000 years. Tribes crafted their baskets by hand and used them for function and in religious ceremonies. Many different styles and colors were used, depending upon the tribe. Apaches created baskets for rites of womanhood, where the Navajo used baskets for curing ceremonies. Yucca, cat tail, cottonwood and sumac are a sampling of the various materials used to weave baskets. The Pima, Apache and Papago tribes continue to make baskets in the modern day, viewing the basket as a necessity. The same tools are used to form the basket, which includes knives, bone and metal.

Beadwork and Metalwork

Turquoise remains the most popular and sought-after stone in vintage Native American jewelry.

Glass beads were first introduced to the Southwest tribes 500 years ago and were used in various crafts and jewelry work. In the 1800s, the Navajo, Hopi and Pueblo tribes were introduced to metalwork through trading with the Spanish, which dramatically changed the appearance of their jewelry. Turquoise, silver and copper jewelry items were fashioned by hammering and etching onto the surface of the materials. Silver and copper also were formed into beads, which were used for decorative necklaces and bracelets. In the 1930s, the Native Americans were introduced to coral from Japan, which has been used in modern pieces of metalwork.

Sandpainting

Sandpainters grind rocks to make the sand used to create their colorful works of art.

According to Desert USA, "sandpaintings are used in Navajo Chantway ceremonies performed to help bring an ill patient back into harmony and balance." Revered by Native American medicine men, religious symbols in sandpainting must not be duplicated, or illness will befall the artist. Today, commercial Southwest Native American sandpainters still alter each image in accordance with the traditional belief of medicine men, and their work is crafted between the traditional period of sunrise and sunset.

References

• Desert USA: Southwestern Arts and Crafts
• Native Languages of the Americas: Pottery

Resources

• Cameron Trading Post: Native American Indian Art and History