Navajo Rug Auction

I attended a Navajo rug auction on Saturday. It was a fundraiser for the Maxwell Museum of Anthropology.

The Navajo people have been known for their handweaving since Spanish Colonial days. Tribal members still weave as a means of supporting their families. The company conducting the auction has traded with the Navajos for 5 generations--you could tell they had a depth of knowledge, also a real respect and affection for the (mostly) women artisans. Many of the weavers were present and showed their work.

Although I've lived in New Mexico for a long time, I had never attended this kind of auction before. It was more exciting than I expected, and yes, I got caught up in it. I got 2 fairly small pieces that I'll post to the blog when I get a chance. It was a great way to spend an afternoon, learning about a still active part of Native American culture and seeing a beautiful art form.


The auction was held in the town of Bernalillo, which is just north of Albuquerque. This is a view of Sandia Mountain. I took it from the car with my cell as I left town. The landscape here is always interesting!