Gift of Odelia V. Copeland
Traditionally, the wedding basket is used in a variety of ceremonies. During the ceremonies, the “pathway,” or break in the band design (red with black triangles), is pointed to the east. In a Navajo wedding a small container of water, and a wedding basket containing ceremonial gruel or mush are set out by the bride’s father. As part of the ceremony, the father draws lines with pollen across the gruel – first from the east to the west with white pollen and then from the south to the north with yellow pollen. After dipping water from the water bottle over each other’s hand, the bride and groom eat the gruel from the east, south, west, north and center of the wedding basket, with remaining portions eaten by the guests.
