Spider Woman on Mars
Clip: 10/24/2023 | 4m 40sVideo has Closed Captions
Aaron Yazzie and TahNibaa Naataanii reflect on the birth of the universe.
NASA engineer Aaron Yazzie and Navajo master weaver TahNibaa Naataanii reflect on the role of weaving in the birth of the universe at the place where it all began: Spider Rock, a holy monument at the heart of sacred Canyon de Chelly.
Funding is provided by Partnership with Native Americans.
Spider Woman on Mars
Clip: 10/24/2023 | 4m 40sVideo has Closed Captions
NASA engineer Aaron Yazzie and Navajo master weaver TahNibaa Naataanii reflect on the role of weaving in the birth of the universe at the place where it all began: Spider Rock, a holy monument at the heart of sacred Canyon de Chelly.
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipWOMAN (speaking Navajo): ♪ ♪ (talking quietly) TAHNIBAA NAATAANII (chuckling): Wow.
YAZZIE: Wow, this is beautiful.
Beautiful.
I really love being back home and coming to this canyon.
This is the birthplace of our Navajo weaving.
YAZZIE: Mm-hmm.
This is the home of Spider Woman.
This is the home of Na'ashjé'íí Aszáá and Na'ashjé'íí Hastiin.
YAZZIE: Mm.
Mm.
And those are the holy deities of our, our Navajo people.
YAZZIE: Mm-hmm.
NAATAANII: At the beginning of our existence, when we were created, this place was also created.
- Mm.
And Spider Woman, by bringing weaving to the Navajo people, brought not just that skill, but a lot of other teachings, um, values that we hand on to our younger generations.
Yes, and what's very important to know about this holy, holy ground and the weaving that came to our people is, it is not a legend and it's not a myth.
♪ ♪ (person vocalizing) NAATAANII: It's in our daily lives as weavers and as Navajo people.
♪ ♪ (person vocalizing) WOMAN (speaking Navajo): ♪ ♪ YAZZIE: For us to exist in a world like this is just a miracle.
♪ ♪ So much has to be perfect in order for life to thrive and exist.
And it's, almost makes us feel like that much more of a miracle, uh, to, to understand all the conditions that have to be right.
If we find life on Mars, it's going to teach us so much about our own existence, not only on this planet, but in this entire universe.
(men singing in Native language) ♪ ♪
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Funding is provided by Partnership with Native Americans.