Although The Same
Characteristic Styles Of Weaving And Decoration Are General, None Of The
Larger Designs Are Ever Reproduced With Exactness.
Every fabric
carries some distinct variation or suggestion of the occasion of its
making.
Among the Navahos the women invariably do the weaving though in the past a
few men were experts in the art. Among the Pueblo Indians the men perform
this work. The products of the Pueblo looms are readily distinguishable
from those of the Navahos, the latter having far out-distanced the Pueblos
in the excellence of their work. Only among the Hopi, are blankets made
that in any way resemble the work of the Navahos. Generally a Hopi man
weaver can be found at work in the Hopi House, as well as Navaho women
weavers.
The Hopi to this day preserve the custom of wearing a bridal costume
completely woven out of cotton. After the wedding breakfast the groom's
father "takes some native cotton and, running through the village,
distributes it among the relations and friends of the family. They pick the
seeds from the cotton and return it. A few days later a crier announces
from the roof of a house that on a certain day the cotton for the bridal
costume will be spun in the kivas." Here the friends assemble and "the
rasping of the carding combs and the buzzing of the primitive spindles"
are heard accompanied by singing, joking and laughing of the crowd. This
cotton is then woven either by the bridegroom or his father or other male
relation, into square blankets, one measuring about 60 by 72 inches, the
other about 50 by 60 inches, also a sash with long knotted fringes at each
end.
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