Sheep Chat with Nikyle Begay, Zefren Anderson, Rose and Eugene Vigil, and Cyndi Dvergsten

The Livestock Conservancy

On this weeks chat, we're excited to welcome a very special panel guests with Nikyle Begay, Zefren Anderson, Rose and Eugene Vigil, and Cyndi Dvergsten to talk about the Navajo-Churro sheep. Zefren Anderson is a Dine/Navajo Weaver from the Four Corners Region of the Navajo Nation. Both of Zefren’s grandmothers hail from weaving traditions of the Dine ancestors, From Two Grey Hills Mary Hunt and from Rattlesnake Charlotte and her mother Elizabeth Tsosie Light. He has inherited their tools and family weavings of which formed the base of journey into Dine textiles. In 2014 He joined under Roy Kady’s weaving apprenticeship to learn the life of a Traditional weaver and how work with our weavings to support their people. Nikyle Begay has been weaving since childhood, with weaving being at the root of their family culture. Nikyle learned by observing their grandmother, from early memories of tagging along with her to tend to the sheep to watching her spin yarn and weave. Nikyle enjoys sharing their knowledge, passion, and traditional stories.

Cindy Dvergsten

Cindy grew up on small farm in Minnesota and holds a degree in Natural Resource Management from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. In 1986 she and husband Mike established Arriola Sunshine Farm near Cortez Colorado. Cindy fell in love with the concept of conserving endangered breeds while attending the 1998 Livestock Conservancy (ALBC) conference which was held in conjunction with Dine Be Iina’s “Sheep is Life Celebration” in NM. She started with heritage turkeys and chickens; and then Navajo-Churro Sheep in 2004. Today she has 30 registered sheep. Two-thirds of the lambs sell as breeding stock and the rest as grass-fed lamb. They also market wool and value-added products. Cindy is passionate about working with Navajo producers who want to be successful with their sheep, land stewardship, fiber art and carrying traditional lifeways forward. She is a past board member of Dine Be’ Iina’ and continues to serve as an advisor. Cindy’s professional experience includes 15 years of Federal Service, most of which was with the USDA-NRCS. In 1996 she established Whole New Concepts LLC. As a management consultant and trainer, Cindy works internationally with family-based agriculture, small businesses and organizations. She has been a Certified Educator with Holistic Management International since 1997 and is an Accredited Professional with the Savory Institute. She provides services to the SW Colorado Small Business Development Center, being recognized as statewide Consultant of the Year in 2013. Previously she has served as president of the Colorado Holistic Management, president of the local Rocky Mountain Farmers Union Chapter, and chair of the County Planning Commission. In 2019 Arriola Sunshine Farm was designated as an “outstanding demonstration site” by Holistic Management International. Cindy and Mike enjoy sharing what they know is possible with holistic management, regenerative agriculture and livestock breed conservation.

Since Eugene and Rose Vigil were born and raised in the Chimayo Valley, they have always had an interest in the traditions of the area. Their goal is to preserve and promote all aspects of Hispanic weavings, from the most traditional to the contemporary.

Rose and Eugene create the dye by extracting the natural pigmentation from the plants they have gathered. The color from the plants that surround them in Northern New Mexico comes from local vegetation. The designs are representative of their culture, with simple stripes, twills, serrated diamonds, blocks designs, hourglass, chispas and seamed textiles.

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