For the first meeting of the Spring 2018 semester, President’s Colleagues of Dixie State University will host John Rich Jr., owner of Jacob Lake Resort, in a presentation on the history of the Navajo tradition of weaving.
Rich will present “A Brief History of Navajo Weaving and Some Guidelines for Collecting,” sharing about the difficulties the Navajo face, the beauty of their culture and the heritage that struggles to survive in the 21st century. The presentation is set to take place at noon on Jan. 8 in the Zion Room on the fifth floor of the Jeffrey R. Holland Centennial Commons. Parking will be available in the parking lot west of the Holland and north of Burns Arena. The meeting is free and open for the public to attend.
Rich’s knowledge on Navajo traditions comes from a lifetime of working with Native American artisans and childhood memories of watching his grandpa stand on native baskets to show their sturdiness, hiding behind stacks of Navajo weavings to be left alone while reading a book, and sitting on a flat Hopi rooftop to watch Katsinas dance. Now, as a buyer for the Gift Shop at Jacob Lake Inn for more than 40 years, Rich works to build personal relationships with native artists and has developed a great love for their history, culture and art.
The President’s Colleagues of DSU, established more than 20 years ago by Douglas Alder, professor emeritus and former president of Dixie State, is a group of retired professors and other professionals who live mostly in the Washington County area. Alder, who also started DSU’s Honors Program, organized the group as a way to increase academic activities on campus.
The next President’s Colleagues meeting will be held on Feb. 5. Dr. Elizabeth Crook and Dr. Frederick Crook will present “Living in China” in Lecture Hall 156 of Dixie State’s Russell C. Taylor Health Science Center, located on the Dixie Regional Medical Center campus at 1526 East Medical Center Drive.
