Weaving A Navajo Wedding Basket: A Step-By-Step Guide

Navajo wedding baskets are an important tradition in Navajo culture, representing a deep-rooted culture and serving as a reminder of the connection between humans and the natural and spiritual world. The baskets are made from natural materials like sumac, willow, and yucca, and are woven by Navajo and Paiute weavers of the Southwest. The process of making these baskets involves collecting and drying the fibres, splitting or dyeing them, and then using unsplit sumac rods as the foundation for intricate designs. The baskets are used in various ceremonies, including weddings, where they hold gifts for the couple or the bride's family, as well as cornmeal mush, a common ingredient in most Navajo ceremonies.

The basket's foundation is made from bundled willow

The foundation of a Navajo wedding basket is made from bundled willow. Willow is a natural and sustainable material, which can be harvested from coppiced willow trees. The process of coppicing involves pruning the plant to the ground to encourage new growth. This new growth is called a "stool" and it forces the root system to become more robust, yielding an abundance of growth in the following season.

Once the willow rods have been harvested, they are sorted and bundled by variety and length, and left to dry completely for several months. The drying process will shift the willow from a green state to a "semi-green" and eventually a brown state. At this point, the willow is ready to be re-hydrated and prepared for weaving.

To re-hydrate the willow, the bundles are submerged in warm water for a period of time that depends on the length of the rods. Once the rods are able to achieve a 90-degree bend without cracking, they are ready to be used for weaving. If the rods are not going to be used immediately, they can be frozen to suspend them in a soaked state.

To create the base of the basket, weavers use a variety of tools, including secateurs, weights, needle-nose pliers, and a fid, also known as a bodkin. The sides of the basket are then built by attaching uprights and creating a simple weave at the top. The basket is finished off with a handle.

The Navajo wedding basket is a significant piece of Navajo culture and is used in traditional wedding ceremonies. The basket is filled with cornmeal mush, which is blessed by the Medicine Man. The couple dips their fingers in the mixture and eats it before inviting guests to do the same. The basket also holds gifts for the couple or the bride's family, which are given in even numbers for good luck.

Sumac and willow are stitched together with yucca fibres

Sumac, willow, and yucca are all natural materials used to make Navajo wedding baskets. The yucca plant is a member of the Agave family, and its long, white fibres are extracted from the leaves. To do this, the leaves are lightly pounded with a smooth pounder, which loosens the fibres from the epidermis and flesh of the leaf. Scrapers are then used to remove the skin and flesh of the leaf. The fibres are washed, and the process is repeated until the fibres are ready to be made into cordage.

The fibres are then used to stitch the sumac and willow together. Strips of sumac are wrapped around rods of the same plant, and yucca fibres are used to secure them. The yucca fibres are also used with herringbone needles to weave the sumac and willow together. The fibres are pulled through the lid of a tin can to split or dye them, depending on the desired thickness and pattern. Once the sumac rods are wrapped and secured, the weavers use unsplit rods as the foundation to weave their intricate designs.

The willow foundation is created by bundling the willow together, and the sumac is then stitched on with split willow or sumac. The stitching materials are coloured with dyes and woven into the basket to create designs. The dyes used can be aniline or commercial. The designs in the basket are commonly made in white, red, and black geometric bands that circle the centre of the basket. The centre of the basket represents the Sipapu, the place where the Navajo emerged into the current world through a reed.

Dyes are used to colour the stitching materials

The Navajo people have a rich history of basket weaving, with the baskets holding cultural and spiritual significance. The baskets are used in a variety of ceremonies, including weddings, and are believed to bring blessings to the home. The use of colour in the baskets is an important aspect of their design, with each colour group typically representing an aspect of life and nature.

The white colour in the centre of the basket represents the Sipapu, or the beginning of life. It can also symbolise birth or new life. The black colour is often used in combination with natural or red fibres to represent the spirit world that surrounds the natural world. The struggles and blessings of life are symbolised by the different colours in the black banding.

The red colour in the banding represents rainbows, which stand for happiness, bounty, and marriage. The colourful bands often wrap around other patterns to signify an important event. Pale colours, on the other hand, represent rain and clouds and can also be used to communicate birth or new journeys. When combined with other colours, pale fibres represent light.

Natural dyes derived from plants and other materials can be used to colour the stitching materials of Navajo wedding baskets. The choice of dye depends on the desired colour and the cultural significance of the basket.

The basket is filled with cornmeal mush during the ceremony

The Navajo wedding basket, or the Ni' Hodiltsoii, is a traditional and sacred item used in Navajo wedding ceremonies. One of the unique features of this basket is that it is filled with cornmeal mush during the wedding ritual. This cornmeal mush symbolizes a blessing of abundance, fertility, and a long life for the newlywed couple. Here is a step-by-step guide to creating the cornmeal mush and understanding its role in the ceremony:

The cornmeal mush is typically prepared by the mother of the bride or a female relative. They will grind the corn and mix it with water to create a thick, porridge-like consistency. This process is done with care and respect, often with prayers and blessings. The mush is then carefully scooped into the wedding basket, filling it to represent the abundance and prosperity that the couple will share.

During the wedding ceremony, the basket filled with cornmeal mush is placed in a prominent, central location. Often, it is positioned so that the couple can see it throughout the ritual. The cornmeal mush symbolizes a strong foundation for the marriage, representing the sustenance that will nourish their union. The basket itself represents the circle of life, with no beginning or end, a symbol of the enduring love and unity of the couple.

As the ceremony proceeds, the couple may offer prayers or blessings over the basket. They may give thanks for the abundance symbolized by the cornmeal mush and ask for a long life together, filled with prosperity and children. The couple might also pour water or blue corn pollen onto the mush, symbolizing the blessing of water, which is a precious resource in the desert environment of the Navajo Nation.

After the ceremony, the cornmeal mush is carefully removed from the basket and returned to the earth. This act symbolizes giving back to the earth from which their blessings came. The basket itself is then kept by the couple as a treasured heirloom. It serves as a reminder of their wedding day and the blessings and good wishes bestowed upon them.

Creating the cornmeal mush and filling the Navajo wedding basket is a sacred and meaningful part of the wedding ceremony. It connects the couple to their cultural heritage and the blessings of their community. The cornmeal mush represents not just physical sustenance but also the spiritual and emotional nourishment that will support their marriage throughout the years.

The basket is blessed by a Medicine Man

The basket is also a symbol of the connection between the spiritual and the natural world. The designs in the basket are made in white, red, and black geometric bands that circle around the centre. The centre of the basket represents the Sipapu, the place where the Navajo people believe they emerged into the current world through a reed. The first colour encountered is white, then black, and finally red. The white opening in the centre leads to the edge of the basket, and this line is important as it must always point towards the East, where the door of the hogan is located. The door of the hogan always faces East to greet the morning sun.

The basket is also symbolic of the state of balance and harmony known as Hozhooji, or the Blessing Way. It is used to symbolise important life stages and milestones. The Navajo wedding basket is used to hold gifts for the couple, which are given in even numbers for good luck. The basket is also used to hold blue cornmeal, which is blessed with pollen and mixed with water to create a paste that is eaten by the couple during the ceremony.

The basket is a sacred object in Navajo culture and is one of the only art forms that cannot be made by a machine. The basket is always crafted by hand and is made on a foundation of willow, which is bundled and stitched together with split willow or sumac. The stitching materials are coloured with both aniline and commercial dyes and woven into the basket to create intricate designs.

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