Former Heard Museum Mellon Fellow Finds Family Ties in a Textile
By Ann Marshall, Ph.D., Director of Research & Rebeka Peshalakai (Diné), Institutional Giving Coordinator
In 2018, Jean-Paul and Rebecca Valette gave the Heard Museum their remarkable collection of 57 Navajo textiles with ceremonial themes woven during the early decades of the 20th-century. The Valettes had done breakthrough research to identify the weavers of some of their textiles from a time when few weavers’ names were recorded. Heard Museum curators don’t like writing “Artist Once Known” on exhibition labels; we want names and biographies. Now, we have that important information about a textile from the Valette Collection featuring a rare and highly unique depiction of Monster Slayer that is shown in our Substance of Stars exhibition.
Rebeka Peshlakai’s mother, Michelle Alex-Tsosie, recognized the textile as one woven by her grandmother, Bekay Betsi Beligache! Alex-Tsosie was visiting the Heard Museum’s exhibitions during the 2023 World Championship Hoop Dance Contest. Peshlakai, now the museum’s Institutional Giving Coordinator, was, at the time, one of the Heard’s Andrew W. Mellon Fellows. Peshlakai was busy working at the Hoop Dance when her mother texted her that she had recognized the weaving as being by Beligache.
Alex-Tsosie has fond childhood memories of her grandmother. Peshlakai interviewed her mother and is sharing some of what they discussed here.
Bekay Betsi Beligache (Navajo, 1886-1987) was a weaver who specialized in large-format textiles, characteristically adding more than one spirit line and, toward the end of her life, featuring Yei Bi Chei and Yei figures in her work. She was a pillar of the community and well respected; people listened to her when she spoke. The family honors her memory by passing down stories of her teachings to this day.
Alex-Tsosie affectionately refers to Beligache as the Nálí lady, which is a shortened version of the Diné word Análí Asdzą́ą́, meaning “paternal grandmother.” Beligache was important in Alex-Tsosie’s life, often telling her not to be afraid and to live her life to the fullest. Alex-Tsosie recalls when she was about six years old sitting with her grandmother, who would tell Alex-Tsosie about what she was weaving and educate her about “spirit lines.” It was these teachings that led Alex-Tsosie to recognize her grandmother’s work in the Heard Museum galleries.
Beligache’s sister was also a weaver. At’ééd Łibah Bima, meaning “Light-colored girl’s mother” in Diné Bizaad (the Navajo language) also wove textiles with ceremonial themes. Both sisters had a flock of sheep they cared for. Their wool was all hand-sheared, -carded, -spun, and -dyed. Vegetal dyes were made from plants gathered around their home in Piñon, Arizona. For them, weaving was their way of life. Beligache sold her work at various trading posts around the reservation, traveling to even sell roadside to support her family. One of the trading posts she frequented was at Teec Nos Pos.
Often, the names of Diné weavers are not known. In Diné teachings, one’s name is known only to oneself and one’s parents, and by medicine people. So the names of weavers are not recorded, or weavers may be known by another name. It is of great importance to Alex-Tsosie and her family that Beligache’s teachings and skill be recognized today.
About the Authors
Ann Marshall, Ph.D.
Ann Marshall is Director of Research at the Heard Museum, where she has dedicated more than 45 years of her career. She earned a Master of Arts degree from the University of Arizona and a Doctorate degree in Arts Administration from Arizona State University.
Rebeka Peshlakai (Diné)
Rebeka Peshlakai is a former Andrew W. Mellon Fellow and serves as the Institutional Giving Coordinator at the Heard Museum. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Northern Arizona University and has experience in curatorial research, art conservation, and exhibition planning.
Image credits (in order of appearance):
Bekay Betsi Beligache (Diné, 1886-1987) standing next to a newly completed textile, held up by relatives in front of the family’s red truck.
Rebeka Peshlakai (Diné) standing next to Bekay Betsi Beligache’s Yei Textile, c. 1920s. Handspun wool, natural wool color, aniline dyes. Gift of Jean-Peal and Rebecca Valette. Heard Museum Collection.
Bekay Betsi Beligache posing for a photo with her husband Alex Beligache.
At’ééd Łibah Bima, Bekay’s sister, spinning wool for her own project.
