Figure 1.-- Here we see Navajo weaver Lottie Saunders in 1942. She seems to be in the middle of making a new blanket, but it seems very plain. Also notice here silver belt. The Navajo also mafe beautiful silver jewelry, often combined with turqoise. The Navajo were noted for beautuiful woven blankets. Weaving was a woman's occupation. Notice her baby nearby in a baby craddle board intently warching mother. The photographer was Milton Snow with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, at the time called the U.S. Indian Service. He took numerous photyos of the Navajo during the 1930s an early-40s. Also printed on the back is 'Thoreau'. We are not sure what that means.

Navajo babies were strapped to the mother using cradel boards. This allowed the child to be secure and permitted mother to continue working. This is well estblished in the photograohic record. But it was not unique to the Navajo. We know about it because phoiography was developed in time for it to be used in the Southwest. The photograohic record of eastern tribes is non-existent and very limited for the Plains tribes. Papoose (from the Algonquian papoose, meaning 'child') is an American English word whose present meaning is 'a Native American child'. Cradle boards/child carriers were wudely used by Native Americvcans. They werev jknown by various names. In Algonquin history, the term papoose is sometimes used to refer to a child carrier. However, there are many different terms among the various tribes. Presumably the Americans helped spread the word among Natuve Anmerican people. Roger Williams first reported the word which he encountered in exchanges with the Narragansett tribe (1643). [Williams] He also reported the term was used for chilld cradle or carrier. This was commonly used by Native American people, although differen terms were used. Navajo children were raised in a comunal way with relatives playing a major role both in watching over them and teaching the tribal ways. Girls were taught food preparation, making pottery, basket making, weaving, and sewing. The boys learned to hunt and make tools, and weapons. Men were involved also in agruculture, although we do not know to what extebnt agricutural duties were xshared. Guven the involvement wih sheep, shepherswere needed. We think gthat they were mostly boys. After puberty, the girls would live with the women until marriage. Boys would have to pass a test of courage to become a warrior and full member of the tribe. .

Sources

Williamd, Roger. A Key Into the Language of America,

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Created: 3:41 PM 6/28/2023
Last updated: 3:41 PM 6/28/2023