Nikyle Begay is a Diné shepherd, fiber artist, and teacher based in Ganado, Arizona, on the Navajo Nation. Nikyle has experience working in technology and the nonprofit sector, and they have an extensive background in sheep flock management, wool production, traditional wool processing, and the weaving arts. You can find them on Instagram @navajoshepherd.
For Diné shepherds, selling wool has never been just about fiber—it’s about sustaining a way of life shaped by land, animals, and family.
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In a tradition that links generations of Diné, knitting for winter ceremonies is “men’s work.”