The Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market is one of the largest and most prestigious events in the United States. This 50th anniversary year will bring together more than 650 outstanding American Indian artists to show and sell their work. Roy Kady received the 50th Anniversary Heard Museum Indian Fair & Market Guild Award, a prestigious award that was given by the Guild for his outstanding creativity for his woven horse gear/implements. To inquire on this piece, specifications, price,please contact us at (928)656-3498, or email us at navajorugs@dinewoven.com .
Turquoise Horse Gear Set
The turquoise horse prances with me.
From where we start the turquoise horse is seen.
The lightning flashes from the turquoise horse.
The turquoise horse is terrifying.
He stands on the upper circle of the rainbow.
The sunbeam is in his mouth for a bridle.
He circles around all the people of the earth
With their goods.
Today he is on my side
And I shall win with him.
This Horse Gear Set is made from 100% Dine Woven raised and hand-processed Navajo-Churro Sheep wool. It is considered the strongest dual-fiber sheep wool of its kind for utilitarian proposes, and it has a long micron count. It is a “rarity” in the sheep fiber industry; you can only find this type of wool products, from the people who raise them. As more and more Navajo Weavers conveniently use other commercially processed wool and/or yarns, Dine Woven uses only their finest wool that they raise holistically and is 100% registered/certified Navajo-Churro Sheep wool.
Saddle Pad
Felted Saddle Pad made from 100% home grown Navajo-Churro wool. Felting is done by layering carded wool and applying moisture and friction to the process for wool to felt. Felting wool is an ancient art, resulting in a sturdy fiber to make implements, bags, homes and clothing.
Horse Bridal
The Cardinal Horse that Navajo mythology values most is the turquoise of blue horse. Much of the association that the black cardinal horse has for the Apache, the turquoise has for the Navajo; for this is the mythical horse the Navajo think of as being Sun's favorite the one he rode all day. Undoubtedly, that is why Mirage Man, as mentioned earlier in connection with the Navajo myth, kept sun's turquoise horse behind the second door of the other world corrals the door which opened to the south. In the color circuit employed in this myth, the blue to the south signifies; "the bright blue sky of day." Thus, it seems consistent to reason that the Navajo would extend the association a step further and think of the sun as a deity riding his blue horse across the sky all day.
Woven Cinch
The woven cinch has made a come back in the Navajo textile world. Since the European inception and the introduction of commercially made materials, the hand woven cinches became a rare woven good. A few masters of this art are restoring the status of this once dyeing art, Roy Kady is one of them. He learned it from his grandfather, KADY Gonna Begay, who at one time owned over a 100 head of Horse and was a great horseman, who taught his children how to tame and ride horses and make their implements.
Saddle Blanket
The saddle blanket (33" L x 30 1/2" W) is woven using the Twill pattern, an old technique that is still being used in making utilitarian blankets and/or products. The Navajo's believe this particular pattern came from the "Snake People" thus making it significant in a scared pattern before the Trading Post design influences. Very few Navajo Weavers know the process and counts of these patterns, and is very well guarded by them.
