Time Warp: Navajo Weaving Practices Then and Now

Image: Nora Naranjo Morse (Santa Clara Pueblo). Figures, mudheads, 2000. SAR.2000-5-8A-C. Photograph by Addison Doty. Copyright 2020 School for Advanced Research.

Kevin Aspaas (Diné) and Roy Kady (Diné)

This event is part of the series Cultural Currents: The Role of Mentorship in Native Arts.

Mentorship in the arts has long played an important role in the continuation and growth of cultural knowledge and practice in Native communities. This year’s Native Arts Speaker Series explores the relationship between artists and their mentors and the ways in which mentorship both preserves Native Arts and provides new paths for advancement.

Join us and our esteemed speakers for conversations about the mentor-mentee relationship, the continued importance of passing on cultural knowledge, skills, and artistic practices to the next generation, and the ways mentorship continues to shape the future of both traditional and contemporary Native Arts.

All events are free to the public and take place at the School for Advanced Research. The events can also be viewed live on SAR’s YouTube channel.

Kevin Aspaas (Diné) is a textile and fiber artistbased in Shiprock, New Mexico. He is best known forhis work with theNavajo wedge weavetechnique, an innovativetechniquehe first learned aboutfromhis mentor, Roy Kady, in 2014.Aspaasgathers and spins wool from thesmall flock of Navajo-Churro sheephe raises in Shiprock. In addition to spinning his own yarn, he also works exclusivelywith natural dyes in the manner that his ancestors would have done to honor both his relatives fromthe past and the land and animals.

Roy Kady (Diné) is a respected textile weaver, fiber artist, and sheep herder from Goats Spring,Arizona, near TeecNos Pos. Born in Shiprock, New Mexico, he revived his connection to his heritagein 1985, focusing on traditional Navajo-Churro sheep herding and weaving. Roy’s work is deeplyinspired by sacred creation songs, reflecting his spiritual bond with his craftand flock. Honored asa Master Weaver and Leader by his elders, Roy is dedicated to preserving balance and harmony inhis community. A passionate teacher, he shares his knowledge with both young and old, blendingtraditional practices with modern influences.

Host or Publisher School for Advanced Research