Navajo Shepherd Exchange

Navajo/Dine shepherds Nikyle Begay and Jay Begay have agreed to come to Vermont and share their skills, perspective and knowledge with us in the week leading up to the Vermont Sheep & Wool Festival. TO REGISTER EMAIL Mary.m.lake@gmail.com. In the subject line, write one of the following: Navajo Weaving, Navajo Tanning, or Navajo Shepherd Intensive. This will confirm what you are signing up for. Please provide your full name and phone number and we will be in e-mail correspondence from there.

Visit marylakeshearing.com/skill-sharing.html for more info.

SEPTEMBER 28-30: Nikyle Begay will be leading a Traditional Navajo Twill Weaving Workshop. $600/student for the 3-day workshop. Purchase of necessary supplies for the workshop is required and not included in the tuition.

SEPTEMBER 28-30: Jay Begay will be leading a Traditional Navajo Brain Tanning Workshop. $300/student for the 3-day workshop. Salted hides and frames are required and available for purchase and not included in the tuition.

OCTOBER 1: Jay and Nikyle will lead a Navajo Churro Sheep and Shepherd Intensive. This day-long workshop will provide participants with the opportunity to hear and see traditional Navajo/Dine approach to flock evaluation and management. We will look at the flock of Doug and Michelle Morton in Peacham, VT, and discuss characteristics of the breed, history of the Navajo/Dine shepherding, animal and wool management and shepherd philosophy. Sheep will be blade sheared, fleeces skirted. This will be a great opportunity for shepherds of any breed to experience the Navajo/Dine perspective. It is sure to be enriching and inspiring. Attending this day is $100.

AT THE FESTIVAL OCTOBER 3-4: Jay and Nikyle will be stationed on the green doing weaving demos, shearing demos, shepherding talks and evaluations on Navajo Churro sheep and Angora goat fleeces throughout the weekend. 

THESE EVENTS ARE MADE POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF CAN DO SHEARING, THE VERMONT SHEEP & WOOL FESTIVAL AND THE VERMONT FIBERSHED