A Most Unexepected Compliment

[Riverkilt]

Well, its a substance abuse treatment center so alcohol is a common topic, and my kilts are wool....the Navajo clan system is similar and very different from Scots - matriarchal to begin with and they traditionaly don't even date anyone from the same clan - and they consider three or four different clans "their clan"...most complicated if you're not Navajo.

[lukeyrobertson]

I'm quite moved by the conversation between the two of you. It speaks of respect and awareness for each other. I also appreciate how quickly the humour gets to the ground of "what matters" in this context but even more deeply I suspect, speaks of compassion and understanding. What a privilage to be part of that exchange. A compliment indeed.

[piperdbh]

Would it be worth thinking about to have a length of Navajo "rug" woven, and then made into a kilt? That would be really something.

[Riverkilt]

Had some Navajo yard woven into a tam to go with my Isle of Skye kilt. Weaver complained how much sand was still in the wool...authentic for sure.

Have often thought of what a tartan woven in the colors of some of the distinctive Navajo district rug weaving patterns would look like.

[castledangerous]

LOL, I find it interesting that those are the two things he chose to point out. And not the other, more obvious, commonalities. Like tribal/clan similarities. Native American tribes have always seemed to share a sense of brotherhood with the Scots, even back during colonial times.

For a detailed discussion of this thesis, see the book I just finished reading, White People, Indians, and Highlanders by Colin G. Calloway

[Barb T]

Reminds me of one of the most wonderful afternoons of my life when our daughter, in her Highland dancing outfit, danced the Highland Fling and played her pipes, after which her Navajo friend danced a jingle dance in full costume. The next day, we all went to a Highland Games, where Carolyn competed, and the day after that, we went to a powwow, where her friend competed. The passion about culture and heritage were so very much the same!

When Carolyn was married, her Navajo friend was one of her bridesmaids, and, after the ceremony with kilts and pipes, her friend, along with her Navajo fiancee, did a Navajo wedding blessing ceremony for Carolyn and Ken. To special for words!

[Riverkilt]

How cool! Have been privledged to be invited to a Traditional Navajo wedding. There are many many similarities between the cultures.

A few years ago I was leaving the Flagstaff Highland games, driving in full kilt across the Navajo reservation and hit a speed trap outside Leupp, AZ. Navajo cop asked why I was dressed like that. Told him I just came from the highland games. He asked, "Who won?"

Really had to grit my teeth to keep from laughing. Explained that it was like a Scottish Pow-Wow. He understood that.

[Barb T]

Too true - the powwow was just like an Indian Highland Games!

Carolyn and I also had the privilege of attending the full four days of her friend's kinaalda many years ago, as well as her Navajo wedding last year. Both were enormous privileges, and we were blessed, as bilagaana, to be totally welcomed at both events.

[Dale Seago]

[thread hijack]

I've often thought over the years that the historic relationship of the Navajo and Apache was more than a wee bit like that of the Vulcans and Romulans in the fictional universe of Star Trek.

Here's a short piece that will give a sense of what I'm talking about:

http://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/watkins/navajo.htm

[/thread hijack]

[Riverkilt]

One of the reasons the Navajo tribe became so large is that in the old days they signed up most anyone who wandered through their area and invited them to stay - creating a new clan. Course, same for anyone they captured. Capture a young Mexican woman and a new clan (Naki) is born. To this day some of the things Navajos are noted for were "borrowed" from other cultures - sheep and silversmithing from the Spanish. The Navajos still use the Spanish words for bread, cheese, and Sunday.

Navajos, particularly the women, often chose to intermarry with other cultures. And yes - the Navajo - Apache relationships are very common, as are Navajo- Bilagaana (White), and Navajo - Ginnie (Black), and most any other culture. Intermarriage with other Native American tribes is extremely common, Navajo-Hopi, Navajo-Zuni, Navajo-Lakota, et.al.

So, you can see how most Navajo folks would be open to the kilt - even though different for them. They can look at most anything and see the good in it or the usefulness in it and accept it for that.

Kinda like a few years ago at Cameron Trading Post a young Navajo truck driver literally raced up to me asking question after question about kilts - I was wearing a Utilikilt and he saw the "driving comfort." Don't know if he ever bought one, but he sure liked the idea.