At a school peppered with rich Navajo history, there are some things that can go overlooked, often in favor of the sensational. Such is the case with Diné College’s recent master artisan workshop on Navajo weaving. The event was held at the Heard Museum in Phoenix and attended by students participating in the college’s Navajo Cultural Arts Program (NCAP). The participating Diné College NCAP students were Mazie Willie and Tamerra Martin.

“The annual workshop was coordinated by the (Heard Museum),” says Crystal Littleben, a program manager with Diné College’s NCAP, an event chaperone, and workshop attendee. Littleben is a former Miss Navajo Nation and graduate of Diné College. “The students are able to use their weavings for class requirements and may submit them to the upcoming NCAP Exhibit Week.”

Littleben says the two students from the college’s NCAP who attended the workshop are pursuing certificates in Navajo weaving. She adds that attending such workshops is part of the students’ requirement to improve their skills, while learning new knowledge and techniques. “There were a total of 20 people who participated in this Navajo Weaving Workshop,” Littleben says. “The workshop requires an application process where the participants have to get accepted. [NCAP] was fortunate enough to get accepted.”