Pueblo Textile & Embroidery (Zuni Perspective)
Brief History
Before the Spanish came to the Southwest, Pueblo
Textiles were woven from cotton or yucca fibers
(narrow-leaf yucca) by men only. The reasoning was its
close affiliation to the kiva systems/procreation aspects of
textile weaving in general—cotton introduction to Pueblo
Communities around (900-1100) from Mexico's trade
routes. The Tribes in Mexico predominately wove on back-
strap looms and taught the Pueblo People the
basics of weaving.
What weaving techniques were used by Puebloan people?
(1100-1300) Pueblo Peoples began to utilize vertical looms. In this period, we see many weaving/sprang techniques used were the following:
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Plain Weave (kilts/wedding robes)
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Twill Weave (diagonal/diamond) (maiden's capes/mantas)
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Brocade (men's sash)
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Warp-faced Weave (sash belts)
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Openwork/Gauze weave (ceremonial shirts/leggings)
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Sprang (braiding) (white wedding sash)
FUN FACT
Like Pueblo pottery (Zuni) where only women made them, Pueblo embroidery/weaving was gender-specific in which only men created textiles within the pueblo.
The History of Pueblo Embroidery
(1550-1700) Embroidery overtakes previous design patterns from earlier textiles that used resist/tie-dye methods or painted designs. Pueblo Embroidery (Pueblo Stitching) is a technique developed by our ancestors that utilizes one thread to create a single-sided design on a blank textile, not to be confused with the Spanish Colcha
Stitch.
Pottery Mound Mural (1350—1500)
Example of asymmetrical patterning using resist dye or tie-dye technique. Along with sprang (braiding ) (white wedding sash) example.
Miha: Patterns & Colors
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Design Elements on White Capes ⎯ Coloration
Traditional colors used for white capes:
• Black- for the underworld from which our ancestors emerged from, also the night sky.
• Green- is for vegetation.
• Red- is for your mother's bloodline and all things living.
Bottom Design Portion:
The bottom sections represent either a horizon line or the earthly realm⎯bottom design portion symbolism:
• Cloud Houses: The diamonds with the multi-color design inside. With white capes, cloud houses are
“windows” that show images inside are associated with beings water/moisture like kachina's faces, dragonflies,
butterflies, flowers, sun faces, and birds.
(Taboo-no animals/insects than those listed above are to be depicted in the Cloud Houses)
• Thunder Clouds: The inverted pyramids represent large billowing storm clouds on the horizon.
• Water Waves: The horizontal zig-zag patterning that goes across the white cape between each
cloud house. When connected to the cloud houses it is referred to the “linking hands” pattern
• Tassels: Attached to each corner of the white cape represent falling rain or flowers.
Top Design Portion:
The top designs on the white cape refer to “stepped clouds” or “rolling clouds”. These represent rising and falling
clouds. The black and white in the clouds (checkered pattern) also represent a rainbow that breaks the clouds. In
pueblo culture, the rainbow is the one that keeps the cloud beings in control from causing floods.
• Heartline: The straight-line runs through the garment; this line gives life to the textile.