October 18-20, 2002

Navajo Sheep Project

a nonprofit organization

Navajo-Churro Sheep Come Home to the Navajo Nation Chinle High School Agriculture Department

In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Navajo Sheep Project, over 300 Navajo-Churro ewes, rams, and lambs are being distributed to Navajo weavers and shepherds on October 18, 19 and 20 at the Chinle High School Agriculture Department facility. This occasion marks the return of this special breed to its place of origin, where it was given to the Navajo by the Holy People. For many years, NSP has been bringing flocks of Navajo-Churro back to the Navajo Nation. This weekend marks the first large-scale return and the fulfillment of a commitment made by NSP founder Dr. Lyle McNeal 25 years ago.

Navajo-Churro sheep are the foundational stock of traditional Dinç agropastoralist lifeways and the source of wool upon which their internationally famous weaving arts are based. The breed is better suited to survive during drought conditions often experienced in the Southwest because they more efficiently utilize diverse forage and can go without water for up to five days. Navajo-Churro wool is highly-prized in specialty markets, bringing from $1.60 up to $8.00 per pound at a time when most wool from the Navajo Nation is being sold for only ten to 15 cents per pound. The wool also comes in natural colors, including apricot, grey, black, brown, and beige, which are avidly sought by weavers and other fiber artists.

Over six months ago, NSP began sending application forms to weaving families and experienced sheep producers. Individuals with the proper grazing permits and sheep management facilities were given the option to either trade their cross-bred sheep for pure-bred Navajo-Churros, to trade a weaving, or to purchase a flock at a substantially reduced price. The largest flock size is 20 ewes and several rams, with many flocks averaging ten head. A select few new producers have qualified for starter flocks of four ewes and a ram.

NSP is collaborating with Dinç be' iinö, Inc., a nonprofit group in the Navajo Nation, to help with communication among the recipients and provide services. The Navajo-Churro owners will be asked to participate in technical assistance programs, as well as DBI's Sheep is Life Celebration at Dinç College in June. Modern record-keeping, genetic controls, and intensive management techniques will be melded with traditional strategies to help sheep producers make a reasonable economic return on their flocks and support sustainable pastoralist lifeways.

The public is invited to witness the historic return of the Navajo-Churro sheep on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the Chinle High School Agriculture facility, located just east of the new Primary School off of Highway 191, right before the junction with Highway 7. Signs will be posted on the highway. The sheep will be unloaded from the truck on Friday morning, with distribution beginning Friday afternoon and continuing Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day.

The non-Churros that are brought in for trade will be sold to the public on Saturday and Sunday as mutton sheep and lambs. Cash prices are $30 to $40 each. Since NSP had a large crop of males this past breeding season, interested Navajo shepherds can apply on-site to purchase surplus Churro rams and ram lambs at a reduced price.

The famous Navajo-Churro sheep are the "Old OnesÓ revered by Dinç elders for hundreds of years. In the early 1600s, Navajo acquisition of "la raza ChurraÓ from Spanish colonists inspired a radical lifestyle change. As the Navajo managed their growing flocks, they developed the Navajo-Churro, a breed uniquely suited to the Southwest climate. Genetically resistant to many sheep diseases, Navajo-Churros can withstand austere conditions, frequently birth twins and triplets, are excellent mothers, and produce lean, flavorful meat. The breed is recognized by the American Sheep Industry and currently is classified as "rareÓ by the American Livestock Breed Conservancy. The internationally-famous traditional Navajo weaving evolved to utilize the special qualities of the beautiful Navajo-Churro wool. Navajo-Churro wool brings higher prices than that of commercial breeds, while weavings from this wool are prized by knowledgeable collectors for their luster and durability.

The Navajo Sheep Project, a tax-exempt 501c3 organization, was founded in 1977 by Dr. and Mrs. Lyle McNeal to bring back the almost-extinct Navajo-Churro breed and reintroduce it into Navajo and Spanish communities. While working with families on the Navajo Nation, Dr. McNeal recognized the genetic and cultural significance of the Navajo-Churro and determined to reintroduce the breed to the Southwest. Following this current distribution of Navajo-Churro sheep, NSP will continue to offer technical assistance to Dinç sheep producers, support culturally-relevant economic development, work with Dinç be' iinö on the Sheep is Life celebration, and bring approximately 100 ewe and ram lambs from its breeding stock back to the Navajo Nation each year.

For information on the Navajo Sheep Project, call Mark Petersen, President, at 435-649-6619; visit the breed association at www.navajo-churrosheep.com; or visit Dinç be' iinö's site at www.recursos.org/sheepislife.

Contact Mark Petersen, President, marpet42@aol.com or 435-649-6619.