October 24, 2023

Navajo Silversmiths

Navajo Silversmith Alex Beeshligaii seeks to preserve his artform by passing Diné traditions and language on to his children.
More like this story
Navajo Silversmith Alex Beeshligaii (Diné/Apache) has worked as a traditional silversmith for more than three decades, making jewelry using tufa and sand molds. He learned the art from family and community members and he sings to the artwork that he makes, as he was taught by his late mother. He works with his son, Shane Beeshligaii, to pass on the tradition and philosophy of the artform as well as the Navajo Diné language and history.

Producer: John DeSoto
Videographer: Nate Huffman, Danny Sax
Editor: Danny Sax
By posting comments, you agree to our
AZPM encourages comments, but comments that contain profanity, unrelated information, threats, libel, defamatory statements, obscenities, pornography or that violate the law are not allowed. Comments that promote commercial products or services are not allowed. Comments in violation of this policy will be removed. Continued posting of comments that violate this policy will result in the commenter being banned from the site.

By submitting your comments, you hereby give AZPM the right to post your comments and potentially use them in any other form of media operated by this institution.
AZPM is a service of the University of Arizona and our broadcast stations are licensed to the Arizona Board of Regents who hold the trademarks for Arizona Public Media and AZPM. We respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples.
The University of Arizona