Navajo Artists Weave Magic by J. Fatima Martins So, make sure you keep an eye out for our upcoming blogs about Night Chant or The Yeibitchai Dance. Forward to Friend. The male gods wear full leather helmet masks like this one with a ruff of spruce twigs (formerly furs) around the neck. These weavings emerged from the Shiprock, New Mexico area after the turn of the 1900s when weavers began putting the figures of Deities from the traditional sand painting ceremonies in their rugs. Culture Group(s) . Curtis; Edward Sherriff Curtis, https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/. A membership group for young professionals who are interested in immersing themselves in the American art experience. Provenance: from a collector of Native paintings from California, Recommended Reading: American Indian Paintings of the Southwest and Plains Areas by Dorothy Dunn, American Indian Painting of the Southwest and Plains Areas [SOLD] (4,541 3,448 pixels, file size: 9.67 MB, MIME type: Edward Curtis; E. S. Curtis; Edward Sheriff Curtis; E.S. In the early 1900's, Yanapah, a Navajo weaver married to trader Richard Simpson and living near Farmington, New Mexico, started weaving large single and double figure vertical yei . Monument Valley Navajo Children Rest Herd Sheep Totem Pole Men Horse They wear red garters to hold up their leggings and moccasins on their feet. Navajo Yei Be Chei (Yeibichai) - Dancers to summon the gods - LinkedIn Free shipping for many products! Oceania. Ceremonies are performed to either attractor exorcise effects to The People. Now youll recognize the next Yeibichai dancers Navajo rug that you see! Talking God is distinguished by his white mask with eagle feathers. Winslow,AZ Valley National Bank Navajo County Arizona Mashek & Zeigler The Yei Be Chei dancers are the humanimpersonators who perform the ceremonies. One of the most sacred festivals for the Navajo tribe, it is a healing ritual that seeks to cure the ailing and also restore the delicate balance and order of relationships between people within their universe. He also wears a spruce ruff around his neck, a white deerskin sash knotted over his left shoulder, and a kit fox pelt hanging down his back. Dancers of the Nightway: Ceremonial Imagery in Navajo Weaving presents a selection of these unusual pictorial works. light-colored background and used a plethora of aniline-dyed ! - 5 Yei Circa 1920. Water Sprinkler can be identified by the three eagle feathers above his blue mask. Yei / Yei-Be-Chei Navajo Rugs for Sale - Nizhoni Ranch Gallery CEREMONY: Yei Bi Chei Dance Bird Navajo Rugs Galleries and dealers come together to bring World Tribal and Native American Art to homes through a virtual event. Native American Navajo Painting by Jack Black from Cove AZ. Yei and Yeibichai Navajo Rugs - Perry Null Trading Co The myth characters personified in this rite are termed Ybchai, Grandfather or Paternal Gods. These 60-to-95-minute units pair thinking patterns with works of art to instill a thinking disposition transferable across classroom curriculum and into the wider world. An ethnologist and linguistic expert, Washington Matthews, is one of the very few people who wrote extensively about it in his bookThe Night Chant,which was published in 1902. However, if there were not enough qualified younger men, one or more mature women might be invited to perform the female Yei roles. This painting features dancers from the 9 day healing ceremony known as the Yeibachei. Differing from the Shiprock Yei, the Yeibichai Navajo Indian rugs are usually bordered weavings and depict Navajo dancers impersonating Yei spirits. Navajo jeweler Boyd Tsosie brings his life and culture into his art. 1945, cottonwood, paint, dyed feathers and pipe cleaner, from the collection of Rebecca and Jean-Paul Valette (Photography by Laura Shea). Great data. Another area of influence This media is in the public domain (free of copyright restrictions). Storm Navajo Rugs English: Navajo Yebichai dancers. The Yeibichai are supernatural beings who created the Navajo people and taught them how to live in harmony with the universe. Charley's Navajo Rugs for SaleAuthentic Navajo Rugs for Sale Native American Navajo Indian Weaving. 39" x 44" A yei'i is a Navajo holy person. Acrlic oil on canvas. Female Yei wear square half-masks. Mix - Navajo: Night Chant, Yeibichai Dance n/a, Ben Hudson Begay, Quartet, and more 26 Authentic Music Of The American Indian Various Artists Updated 3 days ago The Indian Road - The Best of. Prior to the turn of the 20th century, Yei were not permitted to be represented in textiles or paintings in any permanent forms. At some distance away is a brush enclosure where the dancers don the sacred masks which have been ritually prepared by the medicine man. Africa And youll be able to appreciate the meaning behind the intricate weaving and vibrant colors. You're welcome. placing pictorial elements into their weavings. Click on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. in northwest New Mexico came from the Newcomb Trading Posts Navajo Rug Weaving by Shirley Comb - Yeibichai Dancers - Ancient Nations She has always wanted a Navajo rug and this is the year! 6 Duration. Considered highly controversial because of their sacred Ceremonies are performed to either attract or exorcise effects to The People. Add a one-line explanation of what this file represents, Navajo Yebichai (Yei Bi Chei) dancers. Teec Nos Pos Navajo Rugs Your email address will not be published. Prior to the turn of the 20 th century, Yei were not permitted to be represented in textiles or paintings in any permanent forms. 100% GUARANTEED: If you are not satisfied, return rug, in the same condition as it was received, within 10 days and your purchase price will be fully refunded less shipping costs. The ceremony lasts nine days and has a healing function for tribe members and is generally performed in the winter. Known as Ybchai in Navajo, the Nightway is a ceremonial that lasts nine nights and is performed by a singer to heal a patient, although family members and friends are often present in the hogan, along with the Holy People, for the healing. The only use was for true Navajo sandpaintings used in healing ceremonies. MAKER:Unknown The Night Chant or The Yeibitchai Dance is one such ceremony for which you may not come across a lot of detailed descriptions. elaborate nine day ceremony, it features male and female yeii, Eduard S. Curtis. The Yeibichai are supernatural beings who created the Navajo people and taught them how to live in harmony with the universe. ", To Order: Call 559-259-9482 or Click Here to Email. Bonhams : A Navajo set of Yeibichai Dancers men and patients. Following his graduation he went to work as an illustrator for the Indian Service. sandpainting designs. CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS: California law requires that we charge sales tax on all shipments to California addresses. In the earliest pictorials, Yeibichai were shown in frontal view, but by 1925-1930, most Yeibichai pictorials show the dancers in profile. Yei Bi Chei masks are always made by skilled medicine men. Male Yeis have round heads and FemaleYeis have square heads. Smithsonian American Art Museum and Renwick Gallery. Yeii figures Pictorial Rugs Photographie/Personnalits/C/Edward Sheriff Curtis, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Navajo_Yebichai_(Yei_Bi_Chei)_dancers._Edward_S._Curtis._USA,_1900._The_Wellcome_Collection,_London.jpg&oldid=574767445, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, American photographer, anthropologist, explorer and film director, Flash did not fire, compulsory flash suppression. The Yeisperform specific dances and rituals, as directedby the Medicine Man, during the ceremony forthe desired end. Charley's Navajo Rugs Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. The Yei Be Chei weavings present the dancers asthey dance, perform, and enact the ceremony ofthe Yeis. Log in, Navajo rugs: More than just a pretty base | Arizona Sonora News Service, AUTHENTIC NAVAJO WEAVING Toh-Atin Gallery : I'd Order That. Two Grey Hills Navajo Rugs. The Yeis perform specific dances and rituals, as directed by the Medicine Man, during the ceremony for the desired end. Yeibichai Navajo Rugs Differing from the Shiprock Yei, the Yeibichai Navajo Indian rugs are usually bordered weavings and depict Navajo dancers impersonating Yei spirits. Required fields are marked *. early 1900s, Yanapah, a Navajo weaver married to trader The Yei Bi Chei (also spelled Ybichai) is a sacred night dance of the Din (commonly but improperly called Navajo) people of the southwestern United States. Navajo: Night Chant, Yeibichai Dance - Smithsonian Folkways Recordings person. They each wear a blue mask with two eagle feathers above the mask. Navajo Regional Rugs, Saddle Blankets, & Other Styles Information, Navajo Regional Rugs & Navajo Saddle Blankets Info. The ceremony ends with thechanting of the Bluebird Song which celebrates the happiness and the peace that the bluebirdsymbolizes. who was responsible for the creation of rugs depicting Navajo The Navajo Yeibichai Kachina is sometimes called the Talking God, although in many ceremonies the Yeibichai does not actually speak. 1991-1992, carved and painted cottonwood, sand, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Chuck and Jan Rosenak and museum purchase through the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment, 1997.124.103A-Q. Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 American Indian dance styles In Native American dance: The Southwest dances such as the curative yeibichai of the Navajo. North America This story is from the April - May 2020 edition of Native American Art Magazine. All or some of the above mentioned deities These finely-crafted wall hangings depict the participants in the mesmerizing Yeibichai dance, the evening conclusion of a nine-day healing rite called the Nightway. The Wellcome Collection, London.jpg. Four major rites are carried out throughout nine nights. Edward S. Curtis. The masked dancer personifies the god represented. more animated form to portray the dancing of the yei during the Dating back to around 1000 BC, the ceremony takes place over nine nights, and it is believed to have been first performed in Canyon de Chelly. Navajo: Night Chant, Yeibichai Dance - YouTube Do you have any replicas of the chief style rugs or the Ganado style ? Craftsman David Dave Drake, enslaved for most of his life, produced uncommonly large ceramic jars in 19th-century South Carolina adorned by his poetic verses. Yei and Yeibichai Weavings: Depictions of the Holy People Every year near the holiday season, Adobe Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico, holds its Native American Nacimientos exhibition. Navajo-Artist.com, Lajasta Wauneka Gallup, New Mexico 87301, Email: info@Navajo-Artist.com Phone: (505) 409-5796. Copied imagery, Navajo weavers nonetheless persisted in incorporating Asia The latest news, articles, and resources sent to your inbox weekly. The ceremony lasts nine days and has a healing function for tribe members and is generally performed in the winter. NAVAJO YEI BE CHEI (Yeibichai) The Yei Be Chei dancers are the human impersonators who perform the ceremonies. Entries (RSS) and Comments (RSS). Yeibichai weavings depict Caribbean 1970s Sandpainting Rugs Your email address will not be published. Other elements includedmay be: gourds, ruffs of spruce around the neck,fox pelts, moccasins, woven garters or sashes,arrows, corn, clouds, stars, and more. Ganado Navajo Rugs Bringing up the rear is Water Sprinkler, the Navajo God of Precipitated Waters. MORE STORIES FROM NATIVE AMERICAN ART MAGAZINE. Yeibichai Dancers Navajo Rug - Charley's Navajo Rugs for Sale Yei weavings tend to have In the 19th century, a Yeibichai dance team would consist entirely of men. He is the bringer of rain and the water carrier of the gods. Want to learn more about the painting you found while clearing out the attic? If you are someone who likes and appreciates Navajo arts and crafts, such asNavajo coin purses, check out our online store to discover a selection of products made by native Navajo artists. The Yei Be Chei dancers are the human impersonators who perform the ceremonies. This resource uses images from photographic surveys in 55 communities in 30 states across the United States as source documents to spark sustained inquiry. 48" high x 68" long unframed GENERAL REGION:North American The large rug measures 5' x 8' and can be seen in detail at: http://bit.ly/nrg-ght794It is part of the Woven Holy People Show at Nizhoni Ranch Gallery. In the We are passionate for art. The original black&white picture is Wellcome Trust. The rugs from this area tended to be larger and the . Navajo Rugs If the file has been modified from its original state, some details such as the timestamp may not fully reflect those of the original file. Curative ceremonies, with long song cycles, are emphasized by the Navajo, along with circular social dances, recalling those of the Great Plains tribes. The Yei Be Chei weavings present the dancers as they dance, perform, and enact the ceremony of the Yeis. the actual ceremonial dance performed in the winter months. The Night Chant or The Yeibitchai Dance is one such ceremony for which you may not come across a lot of detailed descriptions. The ceremonially attired dance teams enter the firelit area in front of the hogan led by Talking God or Yeibichai, the grandfather of the Yeis, who carries his sacred Abert squirrel bag. American Indian Painting of the Southwest and Plains Areas [SOLD], Size: 2-1/2 x 7-1/4 image; 9-1/4 x 14 framed. This issue was further amplified by the fact that even the tribes themselves were reluctant to divulge any information. . Most of the Yeibichai patterns showed Talking God and Water Sprinkler facing forward, with blue masked dancers facing sideways, legs bent in a dance position. All hand carded, and spun, and hand dyed native wool. Performance Yeibichai Dance at WRHS Sport Center Ribbon - YouTube As early as the mid-1800s, Navajo weavers were There is also a leader, Talking God, and a fourteenth Yei, the Water Sprinkler. This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published (or registered with the U.S. But it can give you a greater sense of appreciation when you realize the history and mythology behind specific weavings. They are: Even though an extremely demanding ceremony, Night Chant plays a pivotal role in Navajo life, and just one blog is not enough to explain all the rites and rituals associated with it. Din (Navajo) Yeibichai Dancers [SOLD] - Adobe Gallery ETHNICITY:Din (Navajo) Traditional Navajo Ceremonies: The Yeibitchai Dance Or Night Chant The Yeibichai dance is performed in front of a ceremonial hogan that has been built in a remote location near the patients home. It is matted and framed in a wood frame. Yeibichai Navajo Rugs - Authentic Navajo rugs, blankets and weavings Navajo Dancers dress up as Yei (Navajo Gods) during the Night Chant Ceremony, a nine-day-long ceremony only performed in the cold time of the year, when snakes are hibernating. Navajo pictorial weaving has been a mirror of the Navajo experience, with the first documented mention of pictorial weaving in 1840. . to the development of Navajo yei and yeibichai weavings. "Thanks so much. Dancers Of The Nightway Thursday, March 3rd, 2016// March/April 2016 Clitso Dedman (Din Navajo), Yeibichai dancers, ca. Contrasting the Shiprock Yeis, the Lukachukai rugs tend to have backgrounds of dark gray, tan, gold or brown, and Yei figures are less detailed and colorful. or where I might try to buy one? into their own Navajo rug creations. Get notified of new items. The Yeibichai are often featured in a ceremony called the Nightway Chant dance. Briscoe Western Art Museum hosts a traveling exhibition dedicated to contemporary Chickasaw artwork through January 18. Navajo Yeibichai are masked dancers representing the Deity Yei Supernatural Beings. This page was last edited on 12 July 2021, at 16:45.