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Many Nations for the American Indian College Fund

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2023

Pendleton and The College Fund are excited to present the new blanket for 2023: Many Nations, a design by Dustin Lopez. Dustin is a student at Diné College pursuing a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree. His winning design was selected from 107 entries.

Many Nations. a College Fund blanket designed by Dustin Lopez

Many Nations

Many Nations pays tribute to the Indigenous person representing more than one tribe. An indigenized version of DNA frames the initials ‘M’ and ‘B’ to create a symbol for ‘mixtblood.’ The hourglass shape represents the Tsiiyéeł, a symbol to honor the Navajo matriarch society. A serape layout honors the Yaqui, and turquoise symbolizes the Pueblo of Laguna. These are the Many Nations of Dustin Lopez, a College Fund scholar, designer, and artist. Lopez reclaimed his identity through powwow, where he learned inter-tribal dances and embraced his mixtblood identity with a full heart and open mind.

Order the blanket here: Many Nations

The Designer

Photo of Dustin Lopez courtesy http://voyagephoenix.com/

Dustin Lopez (Diné/Laguna Pueblo/Pascua Yaqui) is based in Phoenix, Arizona. He is currently working as a designer, muralist, and educator, and attends Diné College, majoring in Fine Arts with an emphasis in Design.

Lopez explained that the design of Many Nations is meant to represent the identity crisis felt by Indigenous people who are descendants of more than one tribe or have some non-Native ancestry. Indigenized DNA strands pay tribute to water as the element we cannot exist without. The hourglass shape is made up of the initial M and B for “mixed-blood,” but the hourglass also symbolizes the Tsiiyéeł, or matriarchal society, for many Navajo artists. Star shapes represent parents, both biological and figurative, that pass along traditional teachings and help those struggling with their identity to navigate the world on and off the reservation.

Lopez used a serape design to honor the Yaqui and Laguna Pueblo side of his family and shades of red that reminded him of his home in Coyote Kills Canyon. Finally, the triangles represent the artist radiating with pride, a feeling he hopes to instill in other Indigenous people with all his works, no matter the mixture of their DNA.

With a passion for creativity, Lopez aspires to be a role model on and off the reservation. “My dream is to use art and design as a driving force to reclaim our language, culture, and identities as ‘mixtbloods’. By combining modern and street art with contemporary art, I hope to inspire successfully between both worlds.”

Here, he talks about his inpsirations for Many Nations.

Tribal College Blanket Design Contest and The College Fund

Many Nations is the third winner of the Tribal College Blanket Design contest, which seeks to elevate the voices, work, and representation of tribal college and university (TCU) students while providing TCU students with additional scholarship opportunities. Pendleton has been supporting the work of the College Fund through the sale of special blankets since 1995, and has provided over $1.7 million in scholarship support for American Indian and Alaska Native students attending Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs). Over the years, blankets have been designed by various designers and guest artists, including Larry Ahvakana, Preston Singletary, Mary Beth Jiron, Tracie Jackson, and many more.

The American Indian College Fund has been the nation’s largest nonprofit supporting Native higher education for 33 years. The College Fund believes “Education is the answer” and provided $14.45 million in scholarships and other direct student support to American Indian students in 2021-22. Since its founding in 1989 the College Fund has provided more than $284 million in scholarships, program, community, and tribal college support. The College Fund also supports a variety of academic and support programs at the nation’s 35 accredited tribal colleges and universities, which are located on or near Indian reservations, ensuring students have the tools to graduate and succeed in their careers. For more information about the American Indian College Fund, please visit www.collegefund.org.

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#IndigenousPeoplesDay

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Today is Indigenous Peoples Day.

Today and every day, we celebrate the work of our partners at the American Indian College Fund. The College Fund supports community-based accredited tribal colleges and universities that offer students access to knowledge, skills and cultural values that enhance their communities and the country as a whole.

For over 20 years, Pendleton has joined their mission with a collection of College Fund blankets, and the Pendleton endowment, to help fund scholarships to students. So far, over $1 million dollars in scholarships have been funded for 1,288 American Indian and Alaska Native students at all 35 tribal college and universities.

The Blankets, the Designers

Two College Fund scholars have designed blankets in the collection.

The newest is Unity designed by Chelysa Owens-Cyr.

The Unity blanket, by Pendleton Woolen Mills for the American Indian College Fund.

The Lakota word for horse is Sunka Wakan, or Holy Dog. At sunrise, a horse gallops through a Lakota village of traditional tipis. A geometric Morning Star greets the dawn over each dwelling, announcing the coming of sunlight to the earth and the gift of a new day. The horse or Holy Dog stands for strength and unity, the central figure in a design that represents how Nature and Native people are one.

Chelysa Owens-Cyr (Fort Peck Assiniboine & Dakota Sioux/Pasqua First Nations Cree) is an artist from Montana’s Fort Peck Indian Reservation.

Designer Chelysa Owens-Cyr (Fort Peck Assiniboine & Dakota Sioux/Pasqua First Nations Cree) is an artist from Montana’s Fort Peck Indian Reservation. As a College Fund scholar, she studied Business Administration at Fort Peck Community College. She is a self-taught contemporary ledger artist, beader, graphic designer and painter, influenced by her family and culture. “I work with many mediums to share my personal teachings, beliefs, stories and visions with the people.”

Courage to Bloom is designed by Deshawna Anderson.

The Courage to Bloom blanket, by Pendleton Woolen Mills for the American Indian College Fund.

Arrow shapes in this pattern symbolize finding a good path in life, acknowledging that every path holds pitfalls and dangers, as well as opportunity. To honor the loss of missing and murdered indigenous Native people, an hourglass shape at the base of the largest blossom symbolizes life’s spiritual journey through the most difficult circumstances.

Designer Deshawna Anderson (White Mountain Apache/Crow) is a College Fund scholar at Little Big Horn College in Crow Agency, Montana, where she studies Business Administration. She is of the Butterfly Clan and a child of the Greasy Mouth.

Designer Deshawna Anderson (White Mountain Apache/Crow) was a College Fund scholar at Little Big Horn College in Crow Agency, Montana, where she studies Business Administration. She is of the Butterfly Clan and a child of the Greasy Mouth.

More Information

You can see all the blankets for the College Fund at pendleton-usa.com. We look forward to introducing a third scholar-designed blanket next year.

Courage to Bloom for The College Fund

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We are proud to present…

Courage to Bloom blanket for the College Fund - front

“Courage to Bloom,” the inaugural winner of the student competition for the American Indian College Fund blanket design.

Courage to Bloom blanket for the College Fund - back

Arrow shapes in this pattern symbolize finding a good path in life, acknowledging that every path holds pitfalls and dangers, as well as opportunity. To honor the loss of missing and murdered indigenous Native people, an hourglass shape at the base of the largest blossom symbolizes life’s spiritual journey through the most difficult circumstances.

The Designer behind the Design

Deshawna Anderson, photography by Justin Stewart
Photo by Justin Stewart

Designer Deshawna Anderson (White Mountain Apache/Crow) is a College Fund scholar at Little Big Horn College in Crow Agency, Montana, where she studies Business Administration. She is of the Butterfly Clan and a child of the Greasy Mouth.

Deshawna Anderson, photography by Justin Stewart
Photo by Justin Stewart

As a visual learner, Deshawna became interested in art as a tool to educate the viewer on the perspective of its creator. She is influenced by Apache and Crow culture from the Crazy Mountains to Salt River Canyon. She also draws inspiration from historic and contemporary burden baskets, beadwork, quillwork, and attire.

The Future

This design, “Courage to Bloom,” was chosen from a field of 48 entries to the College Fund blanket design contest. There were many outstanding designs submitted, including paintings and beadwork. It was extremely difficult to choose just one design to translate to the loom. The breadth of talent we saw makes us anticipate what our College Fund scholars will create in the future.

Learn More

“Courage to Bloom” at our website: Courage to Bloom

Learn more about The American Indian College Fund here: The College Fund

Learn more about earlier College Fund blankets here: College Fund Blankets by Pendleton

Photos of Ms. Anderson by Justin Stewart

Made in USA label with eagle for Pendleton

Nike N7 and The College Fund blanket for 2019 – 7 Generations

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7 Generations

7 Generations wool blanket by Pendleton for the College Fund.

We are proud to present “7 Generations,” the latest blanket in the American Indian College Fund Collection which helps fund scholarships for Native American students. “7 Generations” is also our newest partnership with Nike’s N7 Fund, a trust whose mission is to bring sports to Native American and Aboriginal communities in the US and Canada.

Decoding the Symbols

Front and back views of the new N7/College Fund blanket by Pendleton

This USA-made wool blanket illustrates the past, present and future of Native peoples. The central N7 motif represents the impact of each person (the diamond) on the three generations before and after (arrows). A storm pattern with zigzags of lightning honors heritage, while steps show the path to overcoming life’s challenges. The rich colors were inspired by traditional dyes, and reflect the beauty of the southwestern landscape.

The Designer

Designer Tracie Jackson sits on a stage wearing Nike N7 gear she designed.

This blanket was designed by Tracie Jackson, a Diné artist and designer from Star Mountain in the Navajo Nation. She is a 4th generation artisan. Her grandparents and mother are silversmiths, and both her maternal great grandmothers are rug weavers. Her family encouraged her to study the traditional art forms of her tribe, and with their support she became a painter, jeweler, beader, and graphic designer.

Tracie studied design at the University of Oregon and currently works in Portland, Oregon, designing for the Nike N7 program. This has been her dream job since she was 14 years old, when she first saw N7 at a Native basketball tournament. “I was taught to get an education and use it to help our Native community, which pushed me to become a designer for N7.”

Photos and Models

7 Native American women on a raised platform dressed in Nike clothing and shoes.

The photos of this collection are fantastic. You’ll notice that the designer and her models–athletes, leaders and activists–are holding shutter buttons, and choosing how to represent themselves in these photographs by taking their own shots. We are proud to be part of this.

See and Learn More

Please go see the entire collection here: Nike N7 collection

See the “7 Generations” blanket here: 7 Generations

Pendleton label with bald eagle: "Pendleton since 1863 Highest Quality Made in the USA."

A New American Indian College Fund Blanket for 2017

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Gift of the Earth

Pendleton is proud to unveil our blanket for The College Fund for 2017, Gift of the Earth. See it here: Gift of the Earth.

Gift of the Earth blanket by Pendleton

For over 20 years, Wieden+Kennedy, the American Indian College Fund, and Pendleton Woolen Mills have worked together to create this amazing line of blankets as a way to raise money and promote the need for higher education in Native American communities. Our newest blanket, Gift of the Earth, was designed by Patty Orlando. A bold design on a neutral backdrop is inspired by the traditional Hopi pottery of Arizona. Today, Hopi potters draw from generations of knowledge to create their beautiful, unique works of art. This design pays testament to this practice of learning from the past while moving into the future.

Shondina Lee Yikasbaa poses in traditional Dine clothing, family jewelry, and the Gift of the Earth blanket.

The College Fund Bankets

It joins a collection of blankets designed specifically for the American Indian College Fund, many of them designed by Native artists. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of College Fund blankets provides scholarships for Native students to attend tribal colleges and universities. The College Fund has been the nation’s largest philanthropic effort supporting Native American higher education for more than 25 years.

Shondina Lee Yikasbaa poses in traditional Dine clothing, family jewelry, and the Gift of the Earth blanket.

Today, slightly more than 13% of American Indians age 25 and older have a college degree, less than half the U.S. national average. What’s more, 40% of the American Indian population is under the age of 18.  The College Fund is helping more American Indians of college age to start and complete their college degree through scholarship support.  The College Fund also provides program support for students once they are in school to help them succeed both academically and in their careers.

Shondina Lee Yikasbaa poses in traditional Dine clothing, family jewelry, and the Gift of the Earth blanket.

“Pendleton is proud to be a part of the American Indian College Fund’s mission, and its purpose to transform Indian higher education,” said Mort Bishop, Pendleton President.  “By creating an awareness of the unique, community-based accredited Tribal Colleges and Universities and offering students access to knowledge, skills and cultural values, the College Fund enhances their communities and the country as a whole.”

Shondina Lee Yikasbaa poses in traditional Dine clothing, family jewelry, and the Gift of the Earth blanket.

About the American Indian College Fund

Founded in 1989, the American Indian College Fund has been the nation’s largest charity supporting Native higher education for more than 25 years.  The College Fund has provided more than 100,000 scholarships since its inception and an average of 6,000 scholarships per year to American Indian students and a variety of programs to support their academic efforts ensuring they have the tools to graduate and succeed in their careers.  The College Fund consistently receives top ratings from independent charity evaluators.  For more information, please visit www.collegefund.org.

To view the entire American Indian College Fund Collection, click here: The College Fund Blankets.

“Blessing Song” from the album Tribute to the Elders (CR-6318) by the Black Lodge Singers courtesy Canyon Records License 2017-023. All rights reserved.  www.CanyonRecords.com.

Photos courtesy of the always chic  Shondina Lee Yikasbaa

Shondina Lee Yikasbaa poses in traditional Dine clothing, family jewelry, and the Gift of the Earth blanket.

PWM_USA_label

The Peaceful Ones and Gift of the Earth

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2017 blankets inspired by Hopi culture

“Hopi” is a shortened form of Hopituh Shi-nu-mu, or, “The Peaceful Ones.” The Hopi reservation covers almost 2.5 million acres of northeastern Arizona, near the Four Corners area east of the Grand Canyon. The Hopi reservation is completely surrounded by the Navajo reservation. Its 14 villages sit on three rocky mesas; First Mesa, Second Mesa, and Third Mesa. The Hopis have lived here for over a thousand years. They follow a yearlong calendar of rituals and ceremonies, and carefully maintain their traditions.

The first blanket is our newest American Indian College Fund blankets, Gift of the Earth, which celebrates Hopi pottery.

Gift of the Earth

Pendleton Gift of the Earth blanket

The Hopi have a sacred relationship with the ancient caretaker of the earth, Masaw, and respect every gift given to them. The clay they and their ancestors have sourced from the land for centuries is treated with the utmost regard. Because of this, the Hopi people maintain a beautiful and unique pottery tradition on the mesas in Arizona. Craftsmanship and creativity drawn from generations of knowledge flow through the potters today as they work. This blanket draws on the design elements from these brilliant pieces as a testament to learning from the past while moving into the future.

An antique Hopi clay pot glazed in tones of gold, rust, and black. Photo by Holly Chervnsik, used with permission

(source – photo by Holly Chervnsik)

Interesting facts about Hopi pottery:

  • The golden hues of early Hopi pottery might have sparked the tales of fantastic wealth that lured early Spaniards to the Seven Cities of Cibola.
  • Smooth, symmetrical vessels might appear to be wheel-thrown, but are formed by hand through “coil and scrape.”
  • The most common shapes are shallow bowls and flat-shouldered jars.
  • Paints are made from natural materials, such as tansy mustard and beeweed.
  • Hopi pottery is open-fired with sheep dung and cedar.
  • Today, most pottery is made on First Mesa.

Like all our College Fund blankets, sales of Gift of the Earth help support scholarships to Native American Scholars. Learn more here: The College Fund. 

Our second Hopi-inspired blanket for 2017 is The Peaceful Ones.

The Peaceful Ones

Pendleton The Peaceful Ones blanket

They call themselves Hopi, a shortened version of their true name: Hopituh Shi-nu-mu, the Peaceful Ones. Members of this Southwest nation follow the Hopi Way, based on the instructions of Maasaw, the Creator and Caretaker of Earth. The Peaceful Ones strive to be mannered, polite, and peaceable in all interactions. Their path will eventually lead to a state of complete reverence for all things. This design is based on an embroidered Manta, the garment worn by Hopi women in ceremonies that follow the lunar calendar. Through their traditional ceremonies, the Peaceful Ones hope to bring tranquility and harmony to the entire world.

A traditional Hopi manta, next to two women wearing Mantas.

Interesting facts about the manta:

  • The manta is a rectangular cloth, fastened at the right shoulder and held by a sash.
  • Mantas were originally woven of undyed cotton. Over time, dyed threads and geometric patterns added beauty to the garment’s simple shape.
  • The practice of wearing blouses or shift dresses under mantas came much later, under pressure from missionaries.
  • Once the everyday wear of Navajo, Pueblo and Hopi women, the manta is now worn during important ceremonies.

We are excited to be sharing these blankets here: www.pendleton-usa.com.

The Pendleton blanket label logo; an eagle with wings outstretched, with the words, Pendleton since 1863 - highest quality - made in the United States. This label is in red, white, and blue.