Dorothea Born
My Navajo name was "White Apple"
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Lectures
I have been lecturing on the Navajo culture for many years now. I have done this for various groups and interested parties, such as at Kiva and Nanai meetings. I have also given lectures in collaboration with various museums, such as for example at special exhibitions in the Museum of Ethnology in Leiden and in the America Museum in Cuijk. In addition, my lectures are always very well received at meetings of, for example, rural and/or the Dutch association of housewives. It is precisely the fact that I tell my story from my own experiences that makes my lectures fascinating, lively and interesting.
Lecture on the Navajo weaving art:
I tell my story on the basis of many self-made slides and in the intermission it is also possible to watch a video made about Monument Valley, an area where the Navajos have lived in a very traditional way for centuries and still survive without electricity and running water to this day. I also bring various sample materials that can be viewed. After the break I will go deeper into my graduation topic, namely the weaving art of the Navajo women. I chose this subject because it allowed me to combine Anthropology, Art History and Women's Studies.
First I discuss the practical side of weaving such as herding the sheep, shearing, carding, spinning and weaving itself. This is still done in a very traditional way. After that, the art-historical aspects such as the different styles, the influences from outside, the use of color and the patterns are discussed. Finally, I will go deeper into the spiritual side of weaving and the meaning that weaving has for the women themselves and within the Navajo culture. By placing the art of weaving within the lives of the women themselves and making these women visible behind the art of weaving, it becomes clear that each woven rug is a reflection of "The Way of Life" of the Navajo's and that all aspects of this unique culture are intertwined in this.
Reading about my book:
My personal story, a story of a white woman, far away from home, living with the Navajos in the Arizona desert, with all the unique, sometimes painful and difficult situations, I have always carried my story with me, but never really told. During the tours that I have organized and guided through Arizona, I have sometimes lifted a piece of the veil and in my graduation thesis on the Navajo weaving art I have processed personal experiences and anecdotes, but my own story, my personal story was always safely hidden inside me waiting to be told one day.
My wish is therefore to take everyone who is open to this on my special and unique journey. A journey that is about the journey itself, the experiences I have gained along the way and how the journey itself has shaped, changed and enriched me. My story is of course a story with the Navajo culture in the lead role, but because it is also a love story, it is also about cultural differences and the search for two people to find a way through them. During my lecture it becomes clear how much determination and perseverance I had to have to survive as a white woman among the Navajos, who were not all happy with my presence. I tell about all the beautiful, funny, emotional, special but also scary moments that I have experienced, such as the ceremonies that were held to drive me away from Monument Valley.
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I had to make choices and trust my own inner voice and finally found my path. However, my time with the Navajo has changed me and my life forever and by telling my own story I hope to inspire others to follow their passion and find their own path.
May you walk in beauty!
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