The Adopt-A-Native Elder nonprofit is celebrating 40 years of delivering food, health and hygiene supplies, and providing firewood and emergency assistance to Navajo elders living on the reservation. So, this year’s Navajo Rug Show Sale, which runs Friday through Sunday at Deer Valley’s Sno w Park Lodge, will mark that milestone, said Director of Business and Operations C.J. Robb. “There will be cultural programming throughout the weekend, and hopefully families and kids will come,” he said.  Friday night offers two ticketed events — a VIP Experience and a Gala — and tickets are available at the door or through the nonprofit’s website, anelder.org. The VIP Experience ticket includes admission to the gala. Adopt-A-Native-Elder board member and weaver Erma Nells shows one of her hand-woven rugs during a past Adopt-A-Native Elder Navajo rug show and sale. The money raised from rug, jewelry and other traditional art purchases during this weekend’s event will help Diné elders purchase food, firewood and other supplies that will help them get through the winter on the reservation. Credit: Photo courtesy of Adopt-A-Native Elder Saturday and Sunday events are free and open to the public.   Some of the weekend programming will include a veterans ceremony, a performance by students in the Nebo School District American Indian Education program, live weaving demonstrations, interaction with weavers and their families and a pow wow. Of course, the main attraction of the rug show is the marketplace, where the public can purchase handwoven rugs, jewelry, baskets and other traditional crafts, Robb said. “People think of the rug show as a fundraiser, but these elders set their own prices and receive all the proceeds from their sales,” he said. “Everything helps them sustain themselves in their own traditional way. Every one of these sales they make helps them afford food for their families. It helps them heat their homes and sustain their traditions.” Adopt-A-Native Elder’s mission is more important this year than ever because of the weather conditions on the reservation, said Executive Director Linda Myers. “All the roads were flooded or washed out, and one of the greater issues right now is they don’t have access to clean water,” she said. “They usually go to the chapter house and fill barrels with water for drinking and for their animals, but with the roads being so muddy, they haven’t been able to get out for those things.” In addition, many of the elders need coats and winter clothing, Myers said. “So there’s still a lot of stuff going on down there,” she said. For information about how to help, visit anelder.org. This weekend’s event also helps preserve a culture, said Myers. “It is about creating meaningful connections between people and ensuring that Navajo Elders are honored not only for their artistry but for the lives they have dedicated to their land and way of life,” she said. This year’s rug themes are Winter Solstice and Winter Forest, according to Myers. “Last year when it didn’t snow, I started thinking about creating something about winter because we didn‘t have much of a winter,” she said. “So, I created these bundles of yarn with colors they don’t usually use.” These colors included blues and greens, which differ from the traditional reds, oranges and yellows, Myers said. “We sent the yarn out in February to about 20 weavers,” she said. “I also sent them pictures of snow because they don’t get a lot of snow down there.” The weavers sent back 45 themed show rugs, Myers said. “The rugs include scenes of snow, mountains and forests in winter, scenes that don’t look like the reservation,” she said. “They loved doing it and really put some work into them.” One of the weavers who lives near Phoenix also included a snowman in her pattern. “It was the first snowman I had ever seen in a rug,” Myers said. “So, I asked her why she did it, and she said, ‘I always wanted a snowman, but Phoenix doesn’t get snow.’” In addition to the show rugs, the sale will include more than 300 rugs of all styles created by old and young weavers, Myers said. “They will bring other things to sell as well,” she said. Winter Solstice is a sacred time for the Navajo, or Diné Nation, said Rodger Williams, Adopt-A-Native Elder co-founder and cultural consultant. “The ancient ones (our ancestors) always had two observations when speaking of Winter Solstice,” he said in a statement. “One is the time/season when the sun returns, after it has been going south for so long.” The sun’s return marks a new beginning, Williams said. “Ceremonies and dances will be performed with anticipation of more joyful moments,” he said. “There will be plans made for the rest of the year, including planting and new growth, new life.” That brings up the second Winter Solstice observation, which is the evergreen trees, Williams said. “These trees stay green all year like (they are) teaching us about durability, endurance, survival and renewal,” he said. “They represent a continuation of life. At Winter Solstice time, the thought of longevity of life becomes a reminder to appreciate what we have.” In addition, the trees represent resilience, according to Williams. “We can be resilient in spite of setbacks and challenges that life presents,” he said. “Other things we know from these trees are the medicinal values in curing injuries, scurvy and others. (They) also provide food like pine nuts and tea.”  Winter Solstice is a time for rest, Williams said. “We will have winter stories and songs of animals to share and enjoy,” he said. “These stories also have teachings of life, as well as for entertaining.”  Attendees of the Adopt-A-Native Elder Navajo rug show and sale examine one of the many hand-woven rugs that are on available for purchase. They money goes helps the weavers and their families buy supplies, food and firewood. Credit: Photo courtesy of Adopt-A-Native Elder Winter Solstice also takes place in the middle of the Diné winter season, which spans from October to the end of February, Williams said.  “Some of our strongest or most significant ceremonies are done only at this period,” he said. “During these ceremonies, Holy Ones come into our lives personified as dancers and singers for healing and for restoring ourselves.”  Myers is grateful Adopt-A-Native Elder has had the opportunity to serve the Diné Nation for four decades. “I started with eight elders, and it was just me at the time,” she said. “I set up in parks to get money. Then I would go shopping and take the supplies to the reservation.” Myers moved the rug show 37 years ago from the park to the Kimball Art Center for a one-day event, said Robb. “This year, we have three days at Deer Valley with 28 weavers, and I think it shows that commitment of service,” he said. “Today we take down 300 volunteers each year to the reservation, and one of the greatest things the program has to focus on is being a steward of that trust that has built up over 40 years. What we have is all of those relationships with families and community members. And it’s not just one person doing it. It’s all the volunteers.” Myers knows the nonprofit couldn’t have survived without volunteers. “I’ve had so many great volunteers who have put years and years into the program,” she said. “I have volunteers who come from all over the country to do this. And while many volunteers have also passed, we’ve assisted thousands of elders. So, it’s everybody’s work. It’s not just mine.I still oversee it, but it’s not about me. It’s the circle of hands that grew around it.” Adopt-a-Native Elder Navajo Rug Show When: Friday through Sunday Where: Deer Valley’s Snow Park Lodge Cost: $40 for Friday gala; free Saturday and Sunday Web: anelder.org The post Adopt-A-Native Elder celebrates 40 years of assisting Navajo elders appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less