Why do Navajo artist use sand to create paintings?

Dry paintings are not traditionally done as works of art or by artists. They do not just use sand. Pollen, cornmeal, flowers, ochre, gypsum, charcoal and other items are used.

They are used as a part of a larger traditional healing ceremony. In English these are often called "chantways", hatáál in Navajo. The designs act a bit like a portal for the Diyin dine' (holy people) to come.

It is made by letting the powders drip from the practitioners hand. So it has to be ground finely to make lines and designs. There are about 60 chantways.

Each ceremony can have about 30 paintings . They are still performed. A traditional ritual practitioner usually knows 2 or three ceremonies.

It takes years to properly learn the multi-day ceremonies. They involve chants, songs, prayer, myth, dance, herbs, dry paintings and other activities depending on the chantway. It is all performed and coordinated by the Hataałii and his assistants.

Often the patient is placed on the dry painting while different parts of the ceremony are performed. Usually the image related to the mythic story or prayer being performed. After the ceremony is done the painting is swept up.

In some ceremonies some is put in a bag for the patient to sleep on for a few days. Sand and other ingredients are used so the power gathered into the place for the ceremony can be dispersed afterwards. The painting can absorb the toxic power in the patient.

Because of the sacred nature of the ceremonies, the sandpaintings are begun, finished, used and destroyed within 12 hours. It could be dangerous if it was not. People could get sick in various ways, physically or spiritually.

Starting about 100 years ago (around 1916-19) in order to preserve some sand paintings Hastiin Tłʼa (Hasteen Klah meaning Mister or Sir Lefthand) started making permanent sand painting and weaving of the designs. He changed them in subtle ways so others and he would not get sick. He was a Hataałii.

Others, in time, followed his practice. They became popular with white collectors and started to be sold around 1945-55. Some still make them for sale to this day.

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