For the Navajos, weaving is an inherited occupation.  Traditionally little girls learn it from their grandmothers who learned it from generations before.

The Marianito Family have been weaving for us for decades - since 1998 to be exact. The Marianito ladies - all Master Weavers, Kathy, Jalucie, Lucie, Jamie, Judy, Laverta and Julia and Elaine Upshaw have woven over 300 commissioned pieces of art just for our Exclusive Navajo Churro Collection. They have literally have won countless awards at the Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial and have had their weavings featured in museum exhibits, shows and catalogs.

While they are widely known for their Chief Blankets, as the below weavings reflect they weave many different designs much of which has a modern art twist.

Unlike most weavers, they push their own envelope and have taken on weaving with yarn made from Alpaca fleece and Bombyx Silk.

Kathy Marianto has an especially interesting family history. Kathy's great-great-grandmother Juanita was considered one of the finest blanket weavers in the 1870s and 1880s.  Juanita’s husband, Manuelito, was one of the most prominent leaders of the Navajo people.  It was Manuelito, Kathy’s great-great-grandfather, who was instrumental in negotiating the Navajos release from Fort Sumner and Bosque Redondo in 1868, returning to their homeland, the only displaced tribe allowed back on their true native soil.

To view the complete Marianito Collection from our Exclusive Churro Collection - click here!