By Rebecca Ward and Rebekha C. Crockett

After shearing a Navajo-Churro sheep, the raw wool is still warm when it is handed off for processing. The fleece is first skirted—a process in which burrs, animal waste, second cuts, and ratty wool is removed prior to washing. The lanolin, which provides the sheep with natural waterproofing, gives the fleece a slightly sticky texture. The fleece from each sheep is bagged separately because many fiber artists prefer to know that the wool they are using comes from only one sheep. The final step in the shearing process is washing and air drying the fleece.  

Shearing Navajo-Churro sheep occurs each spring at both Los Luceros Historic Site and at Bosque Redondo Memorial at Fort Sumner Historic Site. This breed of sheep is significant to New Mexico history and to Diné communities in particular. The very existence of these sheep is a testament to the strength and resilience of the Diné. 

The History of Navajo-Churro Sheep

The History of Navajo-Churro sheep begins in Spain. Domesticated sheep have been kept for centuries in the Iberian Peninsula. Originally providing meat, milk, and wool to the people of Spain, the Iberian Churra first rose to prominence in the Douro Valley. When the Moors conquered the land in 711, they brought Merino sheep to the region along with a rich, world-renowned weaving tradition. Both Merino and Churra wool were used to weave Spanish rugs. Merino sheep and their finer, softer wool was seen as higher class and preferred by nobility across Europe while the coarse-wooled Churra remained the sheep of the common people. This preference had great consequences as Spain began exploring and colonizing the world. 

In 1496, on the second expedition to the “New World,” Christopher Columbus and his fleet of ships brought a variety of livestock to aid in Spanish colonization. One of the domesticated animals was the Iberian Churra sheep. These sheep were the less prized desert breed and therefore seen as useful and expendable. Merino sheep were kept in Spain, largely because trade agreements with other nations prized Merino wool over Churra wool. Churra sheep survived the treacherous voyage largely because they were such a hardy breed and made their way successfully to the Americas alongside donkeys, horses, and other European livestock. 

The Churra spread quickly throughout New Spain, including the Northern Territory—modern day New Mexico and Arizona—by the mid-1500s. There is some debate about the exact year that Diné families first acquired Churra sheep. According to the Navajo Sheep Project, Diné families traded for or captured sheep as early as 1540 near the modern-day Mexican border when they were brought north with the Coronado Expedition. The Livestock Conservancy and Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Park assert that Churra sheep came to Diné communities in 1598 when they were brought with the Oñate Expedition to the Ohkay Owingeh area near modern-day Española. Either way, by 1600, Diné people had taken to pastoralism with Churra sheep as their main stock. 

After the introduction of domesticated sheep, weaving, wool working, and textile production became an intrinsic part of Diné culture. For hundreds of years Navajo-Churro wool, meat, and milk were the pillar of economic and societal stability of the Diné.

The Diné have asserted that they have always had sheep and knowledge of weaving thanks to the Holy People, and primarily thanks to Spider Woman, long before the arrival of Europeans. They have shared their historic connection to sheep through oral histories and their own research. Before the arrival of the Spanish, wild mountain sheep were the only sheep found in the Americas. According to the Bighorn Institute, there are two types of wild sheep native to North America; one of which, the bighorn sheep, is native to the Southwest. The bighorn sheep, sometimes called the sheep of the Holy People, while not domesticated, were present in Diné Bikéyah, the Navajo homeland. The Diné would hunt them for their hides, horns, and meat. Their wool, which the sheep shed naturally each year by rubbing against rocks, trees, and canyon walls, was collected and used in a variety of ways, possibly even for weaving. According to Diné traditions, the Holy People promised the Diné would be given sheep of their own to care for. This promise was fulfilled with the arrival of the Spanish Churra.  

The Churra sheep eventually became the Churro—when the ‘a’ became an ‘o’ will most likely remain a mystery—and the Navajo-Churro quickly became its own domestic breed through the efforts of thousands of Diné people. The breed is distinct and still considered rare, with about 10,000 spread across the U.S. At their height, there were millions of Navajo-Churro in the Four Corners region and Diné families cared for flocks of thousands. 

This prosperity was dashed in the 1860s when American soldiers slaughtered both flocks and the people who cared for them. When the Union Army launched the Navajo Campaign in 1863, Brigadier General James H. Carleton commanded his forces to wage war against the Diné and relocate them from their ancestral homelands to the newly created Bosque Redondo Indian Reservation along the bank of the Pecos River. He had established Fort Sumner as the military post which would keep the Diné, as well as four hundred and fifty Ndé (Mescalero Apache), under military control. This forced removal opened Ndé and Diné lands to white settlers and miners. To end Native resistance to U.S. colonization and conflicts with settlers migrating West, these powerful sovereign tribes were put under the control of the U.S. government. 

Carleton enlisted Colonel Christopher “Kit” Carson to command the campaign.  Carson waged scorched-earth warfare, leveling homes, burning crops, and slaughtering livestock to starve the Diné into surrendering. Some Diné fled into canyons, preserving small flocks of Navajo-Churro sheep, and waited for those taken to Bosque Redondo to return. The majority, however, were force-marched approximately four hundred miles from their homeland in what is known today as “The Long Walk” to what the Diné call Hwéeldi or “Place of Suffering.” Those who still had livestock when they surrendered were allowed to bring their animals.  Conditions during the Long Walk and at Fort Sumner devastated the meager flocks of Navajo-Churro, shrinking from 6,962 sheep to a mere 940 by the time the Diné returned to their homeland in 1868. Starvation conditions forced the Diné to butcher the animals for meat, despite the need for their wool and milk. In fact, wool was key to the people’s survival while interred, especially during the bitter cold of Fort Sumner winters. Captain McCabe in an official report, stated “…One industrious female can finish a blanket in three weeks, which will wear for ten years, [and] is perfectly water-proof.” Also contributing to the loss of sheep were frequent raids by groups whose traditional homelands the Diné were now on, such as the Ka’igwu (Kiowas) and Nu–mu–n—uu (Comanches), who stole livestock and took women and children captive.

The Treaty of 1868, signed between the U.S. government and the Diné, secured the establishment of a reservation in their homeland, despite the U.S. government’s original intention of sending them to Oklahoma. The treaty included a provision that each Diné man, woman, and child were to be given two sheep. They did not receive said sheep until a year later in 1869, whereupon one of their leaders, Barboncito, who was elected head chief when the treaty was being negotiated, said:

Take care of the sheep that have been given you as you care for your own children. Never kill them for food. If you are hungry, go out after the wild animals and the wild plants. Or go without food, for you have done that before. These few sheep must grow into flocks so that we, the People, can be as we once were. 

The Diné repopulated their Churro flocks and the sheep thrived for sixty years, allowing the Diné to sustain themselves, continue their traditions, and participate in bartering at the trading posts established throughout the reservation. Then, in the 1930s, New Deal Stock Reductions had devastating consequences for the breed.

 Rebuilding the lost herds between 1869 and 1930 had taken time and patience. By the early 1930s there were, once again, millions of sheep within Diné Bikéyah. This garnered attention from the U.S. government. Environmental devastation was
becoming apparent as cattle, goats, and sheep herds over-grazed the Southwest. To mitigate erosion and environmental loss, the Livestock Reduction Act was passed as part of the New Deal. The program was initially voluntary and offered financial compensation for each lost animal but, because it went against Diné ways-of-life to kill sheep without an apparent reason (celebrations, feeding the community), it was adamantly opposed by most herders on the Navajo Nation. By 1935, however, the program became mandatory, and U.S. government personnel were deployed to force herds into compliance. While the Livestock Reduction Act was meant to be sweeping legislation that affected all herders and ranchers, Diné communities were disproportionally targeted compared with white herders and ranchers. Navajo-Churro flocks were reduced from roughly one million sheep to less than four hundred within a year. The economic and cultural devastation cannot be overstated. Many elders who witnessed the violent killings of their sacred sheep still tell of this event. It was so destructive the Diné refer to the Livestock Reduction Era as the Second Long Walk. 

In the 1970s, Dr. Lyle McNeal, a professor at Utah State University, started the Navajo Sheep Project after coming across a small flock in California. While McNeal had read about the Navajo-Churro, seeing them in person prompted him to launch an effort to breed the rare sheep. While in the Navajo Nation, he encountered elders who recognized the sheep and asked where he had gotten them. From these elders, Dr.
McNeal learned of their deep historical and cultural significance which made his mission even more important. Since then, other organizations have formed to assist with breed
revitalization efforts, many of them lead by Diné.

Physical Characteristics of the Breed

Many physical characteristics separate the Navajo-Churro from the Iberian Churra. The Navajo-Churro is a desert sheep, perfectly adapted to the environment of the American Southwest. In fact, certain adaptations that make Navajo-Churro sheep perfect for desert living were traits the U.S. government decided made the breed less desirable, including the Navajo-Churro’s inability to gain fat and muscle as quickly as other sheep. This adaptation, however, allows them to flourish in high desert regions because their watering and grazing needs are lesser than that of the Rambouillet or Dahl sheep, which were introduced to the Southwest later. While the slow-growing trait made them ideal in the deserts of New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah, the U.S. government felt that it was
imperative to breed only sheep that grew quickly to maximize meat production. The U.S. government’s attempt to make Native communities switch to more “desirable” breeds of sheep proved impossible until they forced the switch by killing Navajo-Churro sheep en masse.  

Some Navajo-Churro rams have four or more horns—this noteworthy but coincidental trait is considered one of the hallmarks of the breed. This was likely a recessive genetic trait in some of the Churra sheep brought to the Americas. Another distinctive part of the Navajo-Churro appearance is the lack of wool on their legs and faces. This helps them keep cool, prevents wool from impairing their sight, and keeps burrs and other prickly plants from getting caught on their legs.

One way the Navajo-Churro stands out from their Churra cousins is in the colors of their coats. Generally, Iberian Churra sheep are white with dark brown spots on their faces. Navajo-Churro, however, have been bred in a variety of colors. This trait helps with making woven designs in textiles. White, cream, tan, brown, grey, black, and red coats are common among Navajo-Churro flocks. Some sheep may be spotted, while others are one color. The sheep were also bred to produce less lanolin, and their wool takes to natural dyes better than other domestic sheep fleece. The low lanolin means little to no water is needed for washing the fleece—a great adaptation for a landscape where water can be a scarce resource. Navajo-Churro wool grows in longer, less tightly curled tresses, making it ideal for hand-spinning or drop-spinning, but it can also be worked on a spinning wheel. This wool is the most sought after by Diné weavers. In recent years, people have been able to acquire Navajo-Churro wool again. Previously, the Diné imported wool of Karakul sheep of Kazakhstan because of its similar texture to Navajo-Churro wool. Diné weavers so preferred a coarse wool that they imported fleece from across the world. The need to outsource wool from such a far-off place demonstrates the deep economic impact of losing the Navajo-Churro. 

Navajo-Churro Today

Navajo-Churro sheep continue to be important to the Diné way of life, both economically and spiritually. Navajo-Churro mutton and wool both command high prices on the market, thanks to various initiatives recognizing the unique qualities of these sheep. Moreover, many Diné practice traditional methods of wool processing, spinning, dying, and weaving. The yarn and textiles made from it are world-renowned for their quality and beauty and are made either for ceremonial purposes or for the global market.  Al Henderson, who comes from a long line of Diné shepherds, noted, “My grandmother, mother, and aunties who were rug weavers valued Churro wool the best. The wool per sheep were of better quality and when sold to the local trader it paid a handsome price.”

Combined, there are more than fifty Navajo-Churro sheep at Los Luceros and Bosque Redondo. Their presence at these Historic Sites is part of an ongoing breed revitalization effort led by multiple individuals and organizations. Like most domesticated sheep, the flocks must be sheared annually. Historic Site staff members organize regular vaccinations, vet visits, and shearing at both locations. 

 The wool at Los Luceros Historic Site is given to the Española Valley Fiber Arts Center (EVFAC) for distribution to fiber artists in the local community who donate their time and money to help with shearing each year. EVFAC teaches the communities of Northern New Mexico about traditional Spanish weaving techniques. With the wool they collect from the sheep at Los Luceros, they teach classes on cleaning, carding, spinning, and dying wool. This empowers local shepherds, farmers, and fiber artists to continue their work. 

Bosque Redondo’s sheep help tell the painful history of the Long Walk and subsequent imprisonment of the Diné and Ndé, and they help sustain the traditions that originated from the relationship between the Diné and these incredible
animals. Beginning in the late 2010s, when the flock had grown larger than could be easily maintained by Bosque Redondo staff, they began to donate sheep to Diné families. The animals are owned by Friends of the Bosque Redondo Memorial, which enables them to donate two or three sheep to Diné families who apply each year. Since 2017, more than one hundred and eighty sheep have been donated. Nina Toledo, a recipient in 2024, shared her family’s story of the sheep:

My older sister was telling me she also remembers that my grandmother also had sheep. Maybe like one hundred which was a lot at that time… But according to my older sister my grandma remembers losing sheep to the sheep reduction by the government—maybe like in 1935… Navajo-Churro Sheep [became] endangered and nearly extinct and caused a huge cultural shift.  Economic and cultural power was taken from the hands of the Navajo women… My mother and father started raising sheep and goats in 1955.  From there the sheep and goat herd grew. It was regular sheep. No Churros.  After my parents both passed away in 1998 the sheep slowly dwindled til there were no more sheep left. Which was sad… They helped my ancestors survive even though many of them died during the Long Walk. I would like my children and grandchildren to learn all that I have learned about the Churro sheep so I will be teaching them and to tell them to help me take care of the sheep… My parents would be so happy that I got these sheep too.

The story of the Navajo-Churro is one that resonates with many visitors to Bosque Redondo and Los Luceros. Despite extermination efforts during the Long Walk and the Livestock Reduction Act, Navajo-Churro sheep have made their way back to the Diné people. Unfortunately, what happened to the Navajo-Churro is not a unique tale. Other animals, both domesticated and wild, have faced complete or near extinction at the hands of the U.S. government and American settlers. Thankfully, for the Navajo-Churro, thousands of people have been invested in the success of the breed and in ensuring the ongoing relationship between the Diné and their sheep.”
—

Rebecca Ward is the instructional coordinator at Los Luceros Historic Site in Alcalde. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Museum Studies and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology. 

Rebekha Crockett is the instructional coordinator for Bosque Redondo Memorial at Fort Sumner Historic Site. In her free time, she enjoys reading, archery, and taking her dog Ekho on walks.