A 2018 Re-introduction

One of our new robe-size blankets for 2018 is the Tucson blanket. We especially love how the red version came off the loom.

The Legend Behind the Pattern

The Tucson area was originally home to the Akimel O’odham people, who simply call themselves O’odham, which means ‘The People." Their creation story inspired this pattern. We have a short version on the hangtag, but the longer version is really quite beautiful.

In the beginning, there was only darkness and water. The darkness congealed, gathering here and there. From these dark deposits, the Creator was made.

Creator wandered above the water, with no destination and no path. As he wandered, he began to think. He became fully conscious of who he was and what he was to do. He reached into his heart and pulled out a magic creation stick.

Creator was unsure of the stick’s use at first. He used it as a walking stick as he strode over the waters. He noticed that resin was beginning to form on the tip of the stick. He took it in his hands, and created ants. So Creator took a large ball of the resin and used his feet to form it into a perfect ball. As he molded the resin, he chanted a song.

Chuhwuht tuh maka-i

Chuhwuht tuhtuh nato

Chuhwuht tuh maka-i

Chuhwuht tuh nato

Himalo, Himalo

Himal, Himicho!

I make the world, and see,

the world is finished.

I make the world, and see,

the world is finished.

Let it go, let it go,

let it go, start it forth!

As he chanted, the ball grew larger and larger, growing until it became the Earth. Then, the Creator took a great rock and broke it into countless pieces. He threw it into the heavens, and the scattered pieces became the stars. He took another rock and made the Moon. But neither the moon or the stars cast enough light.

The Creator reached into his flesh and took out two bowls of water. He thought his thoughts of light. He pulled the bowls away from each other, causing the Sun to appear in the sky. But the sun needed to move. Creator bounced it like a ball to the east, and it bounced back to the west, even as it does today during sunrise and sunset.

Opening Ceremony Memories

Back in 2009, Tucson was one of the most popular patterns in our first collaboration with Opening Ceremony. Remember this? We do!

The Tucson pattern is available in blankets, bath and beach, bags, scarves and even a mug. Go see them all here: Tucson by Pendleton

And here’s a look at the tan version–just beautiful.