Making the Navajo Bow, A Bow Maker's Journey

The Navajo people and their traditional territory spanned wide and far throughout Arizona and New Mexico. Navajos were and still are master hunters and agriculturalists. Following the seasons Navajos would travel wide and far to gather enough resources to last through the cold winter months while also storing foods such as corn, beans, squash, and chili peppers. The Navajo made and crafted three types of bows--the self bow, sinew backed stick bow, and the sinew backed horn bow. Elite and wealthy members of Navajo people carried the horn bow, whereas common members of Navajo society carried the sinew backed stick bow and self bow. In this video we take you step by step in making the Navajo style bow.