Spider Woman's Children

Navajo Weavers Today

Navajo rugs set the gold standard for handwoven textiles in the U.S. Their history and value to collectors is unparalleled. But what about the people who create these treasures? You might be surprised. Spider Woman's Children is the inside story, told by two women who are both deeply embedded in their own culture, and considered among the very most skillful and artistic of Navajo weavers today. Barbara Teller Ornelas and Lynda Teller Pete are fifth-generation weavers who grew up at the fabled Two Grey Hills trading post. Their family and clan connections give them rare insight into where the craft has been and where it is going. They take you into traditional hogans, remote trading posts, reservation housing neighborhoods, and urban apartments to meet weavers who follow the paths of their ancestors, who innovate with new designs and techniques, and who uphold time-honored standards of excellence. You'll meet men who learned to weave from their grandmothers; women who weave alongside their aging moms; a young woman who incorporates contemporary images into skillful, highly collectible tapestries. You'll walk with elderly women over their sheep pastures and cornfields in search of natural dyestuffs. You'll see how well made, simple weaving tools from generations past take a place of pride in every home. And throughout, you'll see examples of the finest, most mindful weaving this rich tradition has to offer