Have a Wooly Good Time at Bosque Redondo Memorial Fiber Fair

April 9th, 2024

Visitors of all ages can connect to the history of Bosque Redondo Memorial at Fort Sumner Historic Site during the Fiber Fair on Saturday, May 4, 2024, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. This interactive event includes live demonstrations and hands-on wool working activities using sheared wool from the site’s flock of Navajo Churro Sheep. The day’s festivities will include various activity stations, sheep viewing, food trucks provided by the Friends of Bosque Redondo Memorial, and more.

New Mexico has a rich and varied sheep and wool-related history, which is tied directly to the site. The Navajo Churro Sheep were brought by Diné (Navajo) captives who were forced to live on the Bosque Redondo Indian Reservation in the 1860s. The sheep were crucial to their survival, providing milk, meat, and wool. The flocks nearly became extinct due to scorched earth warfare waged by the US military, as well as the dire need experienced by the Diné during their interment. The breed was threatened with extinction; however, concerted efforts have brought the Navajo Churro Sheep back from the brink of disappearing.

"Let this event be a celebration and appreciation of the centuries-old weaving traditions that have flourished in the beautiful state of New Mexico,” said Aaron Roth, Bosque Redondo Memorial Site Manager. “From fibers derived from plants to those from animals, each woven creation holds a significant purpose and story. Let us marvel at the creativity and purpose behind each strand of fiber and be inspired to continue these rich traditions for generations to come.”

Activities throughout the day will include demonstrations about shearing, skirting, washing, carding, and spinning wool, as well as about dying, weaving, knitting, felting, and crocheting. Professional demonstrators will work with Navajo Churro Sheep wool, which is known for its softness, long staple, and beautiful natural colors.

Admission is $7 per adult and free to children 16 years and younger, and includes access to the Memorial exhibition, “Bosque Redondo…A Place of Suffering…A Place of Survival,” as well as access to all the wool-working stations and demonstrations, and a gift bag with samples of wool. Admission is free the Friends of the Bosque Redondo Memorial, Indigenous People, and Museum of New Mexico Foundation members.

Two food trucks provided by the Friends of Bosque Redondo Memorial will be available for visitors to purchase food. The New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs Wonders on Wheels mobile museum will be onsite with an exciting new exhibit traveling from the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum. The Office of Archaeological Studies will also be at the event, offering demonstrations on yucca fiber arts, basket weaving, and turkey blankets. Learn more about Bosque Redondo Memorial’s Fiber Fair at nmhistoricsites.org/bosque-redondo.

About Bosque Redondo Memorial at Fort Sumner Historic Site  

The Bosque Redondo Memorial at Fort Sumner Historic Site delivers visitors into the heart of history and tragedy. In 1863, some 10,000 Navajos were forced to make the “Long Walk,” 450 miles across New Mexico to the Bosque Redondo Indian Reservation, or H’weeldi, meaning place of suffering. Hundreds of Ndé were also interned there. Bosque Redondo Memorial was created in 2005 and revitalized in 2021 with strong support from the Diné and Ndé and designed by Diné architect David Sloan in the shape of a hogan and tepee. The permanent interpretive exhibition features evolving interactives, an interpretive trail, and programs for visitors.