Alright now, wat-a-ya-gonna-gimme-for-it?
When you hear this call, you know that Bruce Burnham is kicking off one of his family’s popular Navajo rug auctions.
Canyonlands Natural History Association (CNHA) has partnered with R B. Burnham & Company of Sanders, Arizona, to present Moab's first annual Navajo rug auction. Two to three hundred Navajo rugs in many designs and sizes will be presented for auction on Saturday, September 10, 2011 at Moab’s Grand Center (182 North 500 West).
CNHA is presenting this auction to promote cultural awareness and appreciation of Native American arts. 80% of the auction proceeds will go directly to the Navajo artisans. CNHA will dedicate its portion of the proceeds to the CNHA Discovery Pool, which funds research projects on public lands of the Colorado Plateau.
The event begins with rug appraisals starting at 9 am (until noon) for those who would like to learn more about Native American rugs they already own. From 10 am until noon, you can preview the rugs being offered and ask questions about individual items. The auction starts at 1 pm and lasts until all rugs have been presented. Weaving demonstrations and cultural interpretation will also be part of the
event.
While you are in town for the auction, you can also enjoy the Moab Music Festival, and be treated to not only beautifully crafted Navajo rugs, but also to great music by world-class musicians!
The Burnham family has been trading with the native people of the Four Corners area for five generations. Working with the weavers, they have helped to develop several distinct rug styles including the New Lands Raised Outline, Burntwater, Germantown Revival and Spider Rock. The Burnham’s are noted for their encouragement of innovation and quality in Navajo textiles.
The auction venue is a great way to learn about Native American art for anyone who is interested. The Burnham crew is happy to spend time before and after the auction discussing artists, art, and other aspects of the area where they live and
work.
Canyonlands Natural History Association is a non-profit that has supported the parks and public lands of southeastern Utah for over forty years. CNHA’s funding comes from memberships, donations, and sales from our retail outlets in Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, Hovenweep and Natural Bridges National Monuments, as well as the Moab Information Center (MIC) and federal agency outlets.
CNHA supports educational and resource management programs of three federal land agencies on the Colorado Plateau - the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, and the USDA Forest Service - as well as CNHA’s own educational and scientific research programs.
Discover the beauty and artistry of Navajo weaving at Moab’s first annual Navajo rug auction! Saturday, September 10th, at the Grand Center in Moab. Appraisals 9 am-noon, Preview 10 am-noon, Auction at 1 pm. For more information, call CNHA at 1-800-840-8978 and be sure to mention that you read about it in Moab Happenings.
Food will be catered by the Moab Brewery and will include beef tri-tip, chicken, vegetarian pasta, beans, cole slaw, corn bread, salad, dessert, and the Brewery’s special keg root beer. Tickets are available at the HSMV office in the Moab City Shelter, as well as the Moab Barkery.
ding the BBQ, they could honor Zee’s mother, help to accomplish and support something much needed, and do something fun that local people would enjoy. Zee started barbecuing several days in advance; friends and staff shucked corn and helped with other preparations. The Center Cafe’s staff was awesome, donating their time and even their tips to the Humane Society! They all looked forward to it and had a great time. The lovely cafe, the generosity of the staff, donors to the auction, and attendees made this a highlight of the summer season for many local residents.
“Relay is a unique opportunity for our community for come together to celebrate people who have battled cancer, remember those we’ve lost, and fight back against the disease.”
