Mariah Claw is Diné from Lukachukai, Arizona– a small community at the base of the Chuska mountains on the Navajo Nation, speckled with dense sagebrush and deep green pinon trees, where the air smells of sweet earth and mesas blush red under the light of the sun. She grew up in the slightly larger town of Chinle, Arizona, playing in cornfields, canyons, and on ball fields with her siblings, cousins, and friends.

Mariah’s academic background is in Anthropology. She has a BA from Dartmouth College and an MA from the University of Arizona. Her academic interests included Critical Indigenous Theory, Indigenous education, auto-ethnography, oral history, discourse analysis, material arts and culture, community-based research, and collaborative research.During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mariah took up weaving as a method of taking care of herself and connecting to home. Since then, she has had the privilege of broadening her knowledge about textile artistry by connecting with master weavers and natural dye experts across many communities, from Diné to Zapotec and in between.

Weaving is a critical tool for protecting and preserving cultural knowledge. Mariah's experiences have inspired her to further her skills as a weaver to become a teacher for young Diné. Most recently, Mariah partnered with the National Park Service and Chinle Office of Diné Youth to organize and launch two successful week-long youth weaving and natural dyeing workshops on the Navajo Nation. For Mariah, teaching workshops is not only a privilege but also a responsibility she is eager to pursue further.

Mariah Claw is Diné from Lukachukai, Arizona– a small community at the base of the Chuska mountains on the Navajo Nation, speckled with dense sagebrush and deep green pinon trees, where the air smells of sweet earth and mesas blush red under the light of the sun. She grew up in the slightly larger town of Chinle, Arizona, playing in cornfields, canyons, and on ball fields with her siblings, cousins, and friends.

Mariah’s academic background is in Anthropology. She has a BA from Dartmouth College and an MA from the University of Arizona. Her academic interests included Critical Indigenous Theory, Indigenous education, auto-ethnography, oral history, discourse analysis, material arts and culture, community-based research, and collaborative research.During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mariah took up weaving as a method of taking care of herself and connecting to home. Since then, she has had the privilege of broadening her knowledge about textile artistry by connecting with master weavers and natural dye experts across many communities, from Diné to Zapotec and in between.

Weaving is a critical tool for protecting and preserving cultural knowledge. Mariah's experiences have inspired her to further her skills as a weaver to become a teacher for young Diné. Most recently, Mariah partnered with the National Park Service and Chinle Office of Diné Youth to organize and launch two successful week-long youth weaving and natural dyeing workshops on the Navajo Nation. For Mariah, teaching workshops is not only a privilege but also a responsibility she is eager to pursue further.