About sandpaintings...
Sandpaintings Sandpaintings are probably the best-known rituals performed during traditional Navajo Indian religious ceremonies. The ceremonies are communal affairs, directed by tribal Medicine Men who spend years training before they may practice among their people. Considered as altars, Sandpaintings are produced entirely from memory. The Medicine Men and their assistants create them by allowing different natural colored sands and minerals to filter in a delicate controlled stream between the thumb and forefinger. Sandpaintings might more accurately be described as dry paintings. Sandpaintings are made from all natural colored sandstones that are gathered from various locations throughout the 25,000 square mile reservation.
Mr. Stevens was apprenticed to a Medicine Man at the age of 8, and conducted his first Blessingway ceremony at age 18, but still worked with other Medicine Men on other ceremonies. Mr. Stevens is credited with being the first to perfect two different methods of making permanent Sandpaintings on rough surfaces. Mr. Stevens taught his immediate family his process for making permanent Sandpaintings. His sons, and daughter as well as his daughter in law became quite proficient in making permanent Sandpaintings. Numerous persons now make permanent Sandpaintings, usually from pictures.
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BACK Created on December 12, 2003 by RedMin Productions All Materials Copyright © 2003 by Nizhoni Cards, all rights reserved