Navajo Rug Weaving by Mae Yazzie
Yei Rug

26" x 34"

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The Yei is a slender, front-facing figure that represents a supernatural being in Navajo culture, one with the power to heal. Male Yeis have round heads, while the more common female Yeis are shown with square or rectangular heads.

As early as the mid-1800’s, Navajo weavers were placing pictorial elements into their weavings. Yei’i figures first appeared in Navajo weavings before the turn of the twentieth century. Considered highly controversial because of their sacred imagery, Navajo weavers nonetheless persisted in incorporating these religious figures into their rugs.

The difference between a yei and yeibichai weaving depends on the depiction of the holy Navajo beings. Yei weavings tend to have static, front facing figures, depicted either singly or more frequently with multiple figures in a horizontal row often surrounded on three sides by a single rainbow yei.

Yeibichai weavings depict the actual ceremonial dance performed in the winter months. An elaborate nine day ceremony, it features male and female yei’i, Talking God, the water sprinkler, fringe mouth yei’i, medicine men and patients. All or some of the above mentioned deities and people will appear in a yeibichai weaving, typically in a more animated form to portray the dancing of the yei during the ceremony.

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