The traditional Navajo sash belt is made of intricate-colored sheep wool that is woven upon a wooden loom. In comparison to the larger Navajo rug, the sash belt is smaller in width, but longer in length so the structure of the loom is smaller and is much easier to move from place to place. Similar to the Navajo rug, sheep wool is gathered during the spring shearing season. Once the wool is cleaned, wool cards are used to soften and smooth the texture of the wool. In the same process, the wool is made into a stringlike form. Next, the strength of the yarn is tightened by spinning the wool with a handmade spinning tool. Spinning takes approximately one hour to complete. When this is finished, the wool is carefully boiled in a special dying solution obtained from various herbs, cedar and oak trees. Popular colors for the sash belt are red, green and white representing the colors of the rainbow.

From the toddler, children are taught and disciplined to carry out various hobbies or activities for their gender. Young girls are taught the female role of cooking and are responsible for herding the sheep. Males, on the other hand, are expected to bring home firewood for heating and cooking. In addition, they learn at an early age that the man's job is away from the home. More importantly, responsibilities are centered around the plantation of the cornfields and bringing home hunting meat.

The significance of the sash belt is much more predominate for the woman because the sash belt is worn on a daily basis. This particular style of dress is expected of women because it is imperative to give her wisdom and health. As though it were yesterday, my mother remembers her great great-grandmother teaching her the adequacy of womanhood. Her name was Asdaa Todichiinii meaning Lady Bitterwater which was also her clan. In her old age, Lady Bitterwater instilled tremendous wisdom during her long life. As a young teenager, she, along with 9,000 Navajo men, women and children, also experienced the long mountainous walk to Fort Sumner. Many Navajos walked the entire trail. Some of her people didn't make it, however, because of exhaustion and starvation. As a talented weaver, Lady Bitterwater was widely identified as a talented Navajo rug and sash belt weaver. It is because of this talent that she was treated nicely by the American soldiers who cashed in on her beautifully designed rugs. During the Long Walk, she was one of the few who was able to ride on one of the wagons that were available. Soldiers supplied her with a loom and various colors of yarn so she could weave during the journey. "This talent is what saved my life", she once said. For the four endless years at this camp, she continued to weave. Her weaving allowed the days to go by faster and also gave her inspiration that her people would survive. When she finished another rug, she would unravel one of the cheap red blankets that were handed out to the Navajos. With this yarn she would construct another loom to weave.

After Lady Bitterwater's experience, she later taught my mother how to make Navajo rugs and sash belts. The art of designing sash belts was also passed down to me in the present day. My mother taught me to respect weaving because it was able to give us hope to survive. Traditionally, the sash belt is worn over a Navajo rug dress. In addition, this outfit is also adorned with red coral necklaces and turquoise. Physically, the sash belt is designed to give you good posture and keep you slim. It requires the woman to be up before the sun and to discourage laziness as a girl is growing up. The Navajo sash belt comes in all designs, widths and sizes. When a lady is in her childbearing years, the sash belt is also used during the labor process. After childbirth, the mother wears it to flatten her stomach to help redevelop her prebirthing size. In this case, the width of the sash belt is usually wider to provide support. For the man, the traditional sash belt is much thinner in width and tied around the top of his leg moccasins. Overall, the Navajo sash belt has attained an emotional and symbolic meaning for the Navajo people.

By: Lillian Tallman Chief