Yei / Yei-be-chai

9 products

Navajo Healing Ceremonies

“Yei” (pronounced “yay”) is the Navajo name for the benevolent supernatural beings who bring their healing power to medicinal sandpainting ceremonies still performed today. In fact, Yeis were first portrayed in rugs through traditional sandpainting designs created for these ceremonies, but the modern Yei rug is more of a pictorial composition, showing a row of the front-facing stylized stick figures. Between the Yeis, cornstalks, feathers and arrows may appear, and a Rainbow Guardian often surrounds and protects the figures on three sides, indicating the sandpainting roots of this particular style.

“Yei-be-chai” is the name of the masked human dancer participating in the actual healing ceremony and embodying the Yei. This allows the Yei spirits to come among the people during the ceremony. The Yei-be-chai rug portrays a line of dancers, usually shown from the side and often with one foot raised as though in a synchronized dancing motion. The patient for whom the ceremony is being held may be shown facing the procession. The medicine man and “Talking God” often lead the way, and a clown is often shown at the end of the line.

Some weavers currently involved in these two styles include Margie Harvey, Daisy Nakai, Marilyn Paytiamo, Ruby White, and Elouise Bia.

9 products
Yei-be-chai by Ella Yazzie - Garland's
Yei-be-chai by Ella Yazzie - Garland's
Yei by Ruby White - Garland's
Yei by Ruby White - Garland's
$3,600
$6,500
Storm Pattern Yei by LaRose Bia - Garland's
Storm Pattern Yei by LaRose Bia - Garland's
Yei by Ruby White - Garland's
Yei by Ruby White - Garland's
$1,200
Sold Out
Yei by Marietta White - Garland's
Yei by Marietta White - Garland's
$4,400
Sandpainting Tapestry by Gladys Manuelito - Garland's
Yei-be-chai by Sarah Paul Begay - Garland's
Yei-be-chai by Sarah Paul Begay - Garland's
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