Center view of the Horse Song Textile.
FROM THE WAR GOD'S HORSE SONG
I am the Turquoise Woman's son.
On top of Belted Mountain,
Beautiful horse--slim like a weasel.
My horse has a hoof like striped agate;
His fetlock is like a fine eagle plume;
His legs are like quick lightning.
My horse's body is like an eagle-plumed arrow;
My horse has a tail like a trailing black cloud.
I put flexible goods on my horse's back;
The Little Holy Wind blows through his hair.
His mane is made of short rainbows.
My horse's ears are made of round corn.
My horse's eyes are made of big stars.
My horse's head is made of mixed waters--
From the holy waters--he never knows thirst.
My horse's teeth are made of white shell.
The long rainbow is in his mouth for a bridle,
and with it I guide him.
When my horse neighs, different-colored horses follow.
When my horse neighs, different-colored sheep follow.
I am wealthy, because of him.
Before me peaceful,
Behind me peaceful,
Under me peaceful,
Over me peaceful,
All around me peaceful--
Peaceful voice when he neighs.
I am Everlasting and Peaceful.
I stand for my horse.
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Horse Song Textile, 251/2" X 351/2".
HORSE SONG (Blessing Way)
How joyous his neigh!
Lo, the Turquoise Horse of Johano-ai,
How joyous his neigh,
There on precious hides outspread, standeth he;
How joyous his neigh,
There of mingled waters holy, drinketh he;
How joyous his neigh,
There in mist of sacred pollen hidden, all hidden he;
How joyous his neigh,
These his offspring may grow and thrive forevermore;
How joyous his neigh!
Photo courtesy of Craig Watson, c. 03
Horse Song Textile in progress.
I was inspired
to weave this piece after hearing the stories and songs of the scared Horse
of my people. The inspiration came to me while herding my sheep in the
Carrizo Mtn, this past summer. A lot of wild horses roam in the area and the
songs and stories of the horse came back to me. My grand father Kady Gonna
Begay taught the Horse Song to me. My mother still tells me stories of our
horses of about a 100, and how she'd help her father tame them. My older
sisters would go out every morning to give offerings to the horses so they
too can walk in beauty..
Kady and Shi Choii Elizabeth
Horses are legendary figures and are a part of the Dine curing ceremonies. In our Beautyway ceremony the White Water Horses are called upon to eradicate snake infection. The Sun’s turquoise horse is used to combat illness, if you offend a horse, or if you get the “horse sickness”.
The Horse to the Dine people has four major facets in Dine Life—birth, puberty, marriage and death. At birth, if you want your child to be a great horse person, you tied the child’s umbilical cord to mane or tail of the horse. During the puberty ceremony the horse songs are sung and at a traditional Dine wedding ceremony horses are given to the brides family upon marriage. Horse trapping are also important, often times bridles, saddles and other Horse implements were given to the medicine man as a form of payment for certain ceremonies. And so at the time of your death your favorite horse (s) were saddled and bridled up, piled up with your personal possessions and killed near your grave.
All of Roy’s weavings are signed with his trademark design woven into his textiles. His trademark is a pictograph of the Dine’ Tribe that inspired him as a teenage when visiting Dinetah in New Mexico.
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