Navajo Ceremonial Baskets: Sacred Symbols Sacred Space
- Summertown, TN: Native Voices, 2003
Summertown, TN: Native Voices, 2003. First edition. SIGNED. 151pp. Octavo [25.5 cm] Illustrated wrappers. Fine. Signed by the author on the title page. Signed by the author on the title page.
"Before the earth was created as we know it, there were the Jewell baskets - one of white shell, one of turquoise, one of jet, one of abalone, and two others. When First Man and First Woman were created, then the regular ceremonial basket came after these baskets. This ceremonial basket is all of the Jewel baskets combined into one." - John Holiday.
From this quote we gain a sense of the seminal importance of the ceremonial basket in Navajo culture. Each color, each stitch represents an aspect of nature, life, the people, and their ancestral beginnings. The baskets and the ceremonies in which they are used are essential to the well being, balance, and harmony of both individuals and the community.
"Before the earth was created as we know it, there were the Jewell baskets - one of white shell, one of turquoise, one of jet, one of abalone, and two others. When First Man and First Woman were created, then the regular ceremonial basket came after these baskets. This ceremonial basket is all of the Jewel baskets combined into one." - John Holiday.
From this quote we gain a sense of the seminal importance of the ceremonial basket in Navajo culture. Each color, each stitch represents an aspect of nature, life, the people, and their ancestral beginnings. The baskets and the ceremonies in which they are used are essential to the well being, balance, and harmony of both individuals and the community.