Description
Be Curious, Be Brave… Southwest weaving is the culmination of many generations of tradition and innovation that continues to this day. Guided by textile experts, create your own Pueblo-style weaving on a box frame belt loom. Along the way, examine textiles as reflections of human identity and explore the unique cultural and archaeological contexts of weaving traditions, techniques, technologies, and styles.
Based at Crow Canyon’s beautiful 170-acre campus, learn more about Crow Canyon’s mission and enjoy a memorable field trip to ancestral sites and curation collections near Bears Ears National Monument.
Highlights
- Build your knowledge of Southwest cultures while weaving textiles using traditional tools and techniques
- Learn about ancestral lifeways and the continuity of cultural connections from Indigenous perspectives at Bears Ears National Monument
- Discover the latest research on textiles and Crow Canyon’s contributions to the discipline of archaeology
What to Expect
See daily details:Sunday, August 6
Arrive by 2:00 p.m. at Crow Canyon’s campus. Check into your Student Cabin accommodations and meet your fellow travelers and scholars. Overnight, Crow Canyon Campus, Cortez, CO. (D)
Monday, August 7
Learn about the tools you will use to make your traditional Pueblo weaving, and begin spinning yarn. We have activities involving movement each day to break up the extended periods of relaxed sitting. Overnight, Crow Canyon Campus, Cortez, CO. (B, L, D)
Tuesday, August 8
Everyone is encouraged to learn and work at their own pace. After spinning the yarn, each student learns how to warp their loom and set it up to start weaving. We will learn more about Crow Canyon’s Pueblo Farming Project---a collaborative initiative that helps us better understand human-environment relationships through time. Overnight, Crow Canyon Campus, Cortez, CO. (B, L, D)
Wednesday, August 9
Visit Edge of the Cedars State Park and Museum in Blanding, Utah to view exhibits and enjoy a special curation tour of weaving-related items. After lunch, we venture into Bears Ears National Monument to explore a couple of Ancestral Pueblo sites and learn more about the rich cultural history of southeast Utah. Overnight, Crow Canyon Campus, Cortez, CO. (B, L, D
Thursday, August 10
Ease back into your weaving projects on campus. Learn more about Crow Canyon’s outdoor learning centers that illustrate different settlement patterns over time. Overnight, Crow Canyon Campus, Cortez, CO. (B, L, D)
Friday, August 11
By now, your projects are taking shape! The instructors assist and advise to ensure everyone gets a chance to experience all the weaving steps. You will have all the information and expertise you need to begin another project at home. Overnight, Crow Canyon Campus, Cortez, CO. (B, L, D)
Saturday, August 12
Departures by 10:00 a.m. from Cortez. A Crow Canyon shuttle will be available for the Durango and Cortez airports. (B)
(B, L, D) indicates meals provided: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Is this program right for me?
ACCOMMODATIONS: Crow Canyon’s beautiful, 170-acre campus features a large meadow, pinyon- and juniper-covered hillsides, and spectacular views of Mesa Verde and Sleeping Ute Mountain. Campus lodging is provided in student cabins, each of which are designed to house over 20 people. Each Cabin has five separate rooms and three bathrooms. Every participant will have their own room if they so choose but may have to share a bathroom. Crow Canyon will provide towels, and bedding, and you are welcome to bring your own if you prefer.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
How strenuous is the program? This program includes four days (36 hours+) of classroom instruction which involve long hours of sitting in a chair, at a small loom. Breaks will be offered every two hours or so, with opportunities to move our bodies and learn with our hands and other senses.
A full-day field trip to Bears Ears National Monument will involve long van rides through a remote landscape where urban comforts and running water are not available. While we take advantage of facilities along our travels, some places we will visit lack facilities. We will offer a simple “hiker’s toiletry kit” as an option when toilets are not available. We always practice “Leave No Trace” ethics. All other days of this trip will be on Crow Canyon campus where we will have constant access to showers and flush toilets. Be prepared for standing during museum tours, and light hiking on rugged terrain among remote canyonlands. Some hiking routes may be impeded by boulders and low-angle bedrock. While staff members are available for assistance, you should be comfortable using your hands to steady yourself and be able to take steps higher than a standard staircase step to navigate around the boulders and bedrock.
We will traverse a sacred landscape—the ancestral homeland of descendant communities. It is a violation of the Society for American Archaeology code of ethics for program participants to keep any artifacts or other cultural or paleontological remains from any archaeological site. It is against the law for participants to keep any such materials collected from state or federal land. It is our hope that you become site stewards and help us preserve our national heritage “in situ” for future generations.
What time does the program start on the first day? We will gather at 2:00 p.m. on Crow Canyon’s campus in Cortez.
What time does the program end on the last day? Depart by 10:00 a.m. from Crow Canyon’s Campus.
What airports will transportation be provided from? Crow Canyon provides transport to/from both Durango and Cortez airports.
What if I have a dietary restriction? We will do our best to accommodate dietary restrictions to your satisfaction.
