Navajo At the Sing Basket - Lorraine Black (#251)
$2,500.00
Artist: Lorraine Black
18 3/8" x 2 1/2" deep
Rounds: 33
"At the sing," is a representation of the Mountain Chant ceremony practiced by Navajo people. It is a traditional ceremonial activity based on purging negativity from the body and mind. The dance is conducted inside a green circle of branches embraced by the Holy People. Participants sing and sway around a large, hot fire. The Mountain Chant is one of the few remaining ceremonies still being practiced in Navajo-land and it is taken seriously. Lorraine Black is an excellent weaver, and this basket is an exceptional example of her highly developed skill set.
About the artist:
Inspired by dreams, Lorraine Black's skills have literally elevated basket weaving to new dimensions. Lorraine Black's infectious laugh belies the serious magic her hands conjure up when weaving a basket. Unprecedented in her ideas, Lorraine's baskets are innovative and beautiful. Many of them make good use of texture through over-stitching and the addition of objects such as flint arrowheads or horsehair.
Related legends:
Tsilkehji - Mountain Chant
There were twelve men and two women belonging to one family called N'Dohtet-leh and whose home was at Taylin (Horse Lake in the Apache country); they rode on sun dogs killing the cave dwellers in that region while the two women stayed at Taylin. Early one morning they came to Kintyel near Kayenta and found the cave dwellers holding the Eagle ceremony, and the N'Dohtet-leh killed all the Eagle dancers? More about this legend