For dates, gatherings, and last-minute changes, Facebook is where we post as things happen — follow the camp to keep up. This page follows the sheep herder's seasonal calendar: the four Diné seasons that shape life with the flock.
Follow the Camp on FacebookThe Diné year turns with the seasons and the flock. Each season carries its own work, its own ceremonies, and its own teachings — beginning with the fall new moon.
With the new moon, Fall marks the start of our Diné New Year — harvest time and preparation for the colder months.
Introducing the ram or billy into the flocks and exchanging; harvesting farm crops; collecting wood for weaving tools and basketry materials; gathering fall plants for the colors to dye wool; and preparing winter food — making jerky and storing for the months ahead.
Winter focuses on rest and storytelling — the quieter season the Diné use for cultural continuation.
Communal Spin-Off gatherings, processing wool, weaving baskets and belts — all while telling our creation and winter stories of the animals as they hibernate, and beginning our winter ceremonies.
The Diné Winter Solstice — the return of the light and the renewal of life, a time for reflection and connection with nature and community.
Winter storytelling of transformation and renewal, ceremonies and traditional games, and cooking demonstrations — families and community gathering to celebrate, reinforcing our bonds and cultural identity.
Spring marks a time of renewal and growth — the rejuvenation of the land and the flock.
Shearing, drenching, castrating, docking, vaccinating, sheep ceremonies, and planting the early crops.
Summer emphasizes warmth and the abundance of resources.
Trailing the flocks to summer camp; planting corn, beans, squash, and melons; and foraging herbs, berries, roots, fruits, and corn pollen.
The Diné Summer Solstice — the sun at its highest, marking the start of summer and the sacred balance between the earth, the sun, life, and our dibé (sheep).
Ceremonies honoring the sun and its life-giving power, and the planting and harvest that align the camp with the cycles of existence — a time of celebration, reflection, and balance.
The calendar above is the rhythm of the year. For the actual dates — shearing days, new lambs, the trail to summer camp — keep an eye on Facebook. That's where we share what's happening.