This handwoven weaving is by Diné weaver Rose Maloney from the Western Navajo Reservation.
Its intricate Red Mesa style is considered a form of Teec Nos Pos (in English, “Ring of Cottonwood Trees”).Teec Nos Pos designs most often display one of two unique stylizations – one boasting elaborate geometric motifs and the other a collection of zig-zag patterns with distinct borders. Both are present in this piece.
This weaving also presents a moving “eye dazzler” effect due to the contrasting light and dark colors, vertical chevrons, and radiating diamonds.
If you take a closer look at the lower left border, you’ll see a single line of contrasting color extending from the edge. This line is known as the ch’ihónít’i, which translates to “spirit line” or “spirit pathway”.
In Navajo culture, it’s believed that our thoughts, desires, and prayers are tangible objects that can have lasting effects on the world. When a weaver creates a textile, they entwine part of their spirit into the woolen yarns that form the pattern. The ch’ihónít’i allows the trapped part of the artist’s spirit to safely exit the textile, separating them from any negative experiences the weaving may encounter in the outside world.
This beautiful piece is not just a work of art, but a symbol of Navajo tradition and spirituality.
Learn more about the making of original Navajo textiles like this one in the three-minute documentary below:
