Group touts value of churro sheep

By Natasha Kaye Johnson
Diné Bureau

Dr. Adrienne Ruby takes blood from a Churro ram while owner and event organizer Jay Begay Jr. from Rock Ridge, Ariz., braces the ram at the Churro Ram Exchange at Ganado High School on Sunday afternoon. Before the rams were exchanged they were tested for diseases, vaccinated, and inspected. [Photo by Matt Hinshaw/Independent]

WINDOW ROCK — For the Diné, sheep symbolize the "good life," living in harmony and balance on the land. The organization Diné bi'na, Sheep is Life, want to keep that concept alive and strong.

This past weekend, the non-profit group hosted the fourth annual Navajo Churro Ram Exchange, where sheep producers brought in their churro rams to exchange with other producers. The event allows producers to switch out healthy rams so that they can obtain new bloodlines for their flock, and prevent disease and deformities within the flock like "split eye." The exchange was hosted in three locations including Tees Nos Pos, Chinle, and Ganado.

"It's important for us to carry this breed," said Jay Begay, Jr., organizer and staff with Diné bi'na'.

In the mid-1600's, the Diné acquired the Churro sheep from the Spanish, where eventually their lifestyle of hunting and gathering changed to farming and pastoralism. Today, sheep are still very much a part of the culture.

"It all ties back to tradition with the original breed that we had in the old days," said Begay.

Begay said there is a sacredness that the ram has to the land. Because "In those days, our elders and our grandparents made a living off that breed, with the fiber," said Begay. "Some of the best weavings found in the museums are from the churro wool."

Unlike wool from modern commercial breeds, wool from primitive carpet-wool sheep such as Churro is low in lanolin; so, it does not require water for washing or take much carding, making it ideal for rug weavers. Keeping the churro sheep healthy and high in numbers, organizers feel, is integral to keeping the practice of Navajo culture.

"It's so we can continue the long tradition of raising sheep and working with fibers," said Racheal Dahozy, organizer.

Because of this, the organization provides technical assistance to Navajo shepherds and weavers, like the exchange program, as well as various workshops. The workshops do not just attract Navajo people, Begay said, but people throughout the world who have an interest in dyeing and weaving.

While the tie that the Navajo people have with the churro sheep is strong, there was a time when it was coming extinct. In the 1970's, there were only 450 of the old type Navajo-Churro the Nation. In 1977, animal scientist, Dr. Lyle McNeal a professor at the University of Utah recognized the cultural impact the breed had on the people and collected as many churro sheep he could find from the southwest region.

"He took the sheep back to the university and started his own little farm," said Dahozy.

McNeal reproduced as many sheep as he could on the farm, and then eventually redistributed them to the Navajo people. His efforts continued and later became founded as the Navajo Sheep Project, hosting the first "Sheep is Life" event in Utah. This is the 15th year since the organization has been in existence as a non-profit, and it has grown immensely since then.

In 2002, the Navajo Sheep Project dispersed 400 Churro head to the people. Begay estimates that the number of sheep has increased about four times since the project began, with a minimum of about 1,600 sheep. Though the sheep are no longer in danger of becoming extinct, Dahozy said, not very many Navajo sheepherders have the churro sheep.

But those who do have the sheep are finding creative ways to market them with the help of the organization.

Last fall, the organization helped to form a lamb co-op, where sheep producers can sell their lambs to restaurants. Begay said the co-op began with one individual, but caught the attention of other sheep producers. The La Posada restaurant in Winslow is one restaurant that serves lamb from the co-op.

"We promote our animals as all natural," said Begay, unlike many animals today which are fed proteins and hormones.

Begay said that churro meat has some health advantages, and is a lot leaner than other breeds of sheep.

Most importantly, though, is that the organization is helping to ensure that sheep will continue to be a cornerstone to the identity of the Diné. Those involved with the organization range from the young to the elderly.

"We try to focus on the youth so they can continue with our tradition to raise sheep," said Begay. "It all ties back to tradition."

For more information, visit www.navajolifeway.com.