The Navajo Ts'aa ... Ceremonial Basket
The Ts'aa (pro: ts-a'ah) conveys special meaning in every detail of it's manufacture and use. Carefully woven of strips of dried and dyed yucca and devil's claw carefully wrapped around bundled grass or yucca strips. Producing a single ts'aa can take months of difficult labor. The balance of the components, and how they line up when finished is essential, so that the weaving must be uniformly tight and carefully planned. Because of this, it takes many years of practice to master. This is one of the most endangered of the indigenous arts of the Navajo, since few youngsters are able, these days, to take the time to learn the traditions and skills. In addition, the natural plants used are becoming rare in certain areas, making gathering a difficult chore. These days it is not uncommon to see cheaply made imported copies (made in the Carribbena and Africa) passed off as authentic Navajo Ts'aas; but it is still relatively simple to detect the real thing. The design and sequence of the making of the basket -- spiralling outward from the center place, recounts the stories of creation and emergence into this fourth world, by the ancestors of the Navajo. It also visually reinforces the Navajo concept of the world as a place of beauty and harmony, when all things are balanced. Hard to see in the image, the perimeter border is always carefully braided in an x-stitch which signifies all human life. The significance is further explained as humans are the recipients of all of the blessings of life and beauty, gifts from the Holy people. The Navajos' name for themselves is dine', or dineh, which means "the people" The word Navajo is derived from an early Spanish phrase meaning "the Apache Indians who keep sheep" |
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Design... (Apologies to the Navajo alphabet, which contains characters not available online) 
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