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Cross-cultural Strawbale Workshop - October, 2005

A strawbale-construction and cultural workshop will be held in Window Rock, AZ on the Navajo Reservation, May 15 - 24, 2006.

Participants will learn to build a load-bearing strawbale building with interior dimension of 14’ x 20’. This project will include erecting the strawbale walls, and placing doors and windows. We will be constructing a shed-style roof with south-facing clerestory windows, and if time allows, do natural-earth plasters for the walls.

Lunches will be included and evenings will be filled with Navajo cultural activities. These activities could include sweat lodge, storytelling, traditional plant walks, and other teachings from traditional Navajo elders.

We don’t want to just build a strawbale building. From this project, and the diversity of the participants, we want to build a sense of community and cross-cultural sharing and awareness. This is how people came together in the past to help one another make homes, not houses.

The cost of the 10-day gathering is $540 per person. We want to make it clear that the participant fee is for the strawbale project it self. There is no cost for the cultural activities.

Dave Brave Heart, from Southern Colorado, will be the strawbale-construction facilitator. Local facilitators are Gino Antonio and Molly Bigknife Antonio.

There is a local Mission that can accommodate up to 16 people, in a “hostel” fashion, at the cost of $15 per person, per night (7 miles away from workshop). There is also a Quality Inn in Window Rock (928) 871-4108 and a Navajoland Days Inn in St. Michaels (928) 871-5690 (3 miles away from workshop). There are also a multitude of places to stay in Gallup, NM (about 30 miles from workshop).

To register, and for more information, please email Gino and Molly at [email protected].

More information, such as camping and local amenities will be posted shortly.

Please register as soon as possible, as we expect the workshop to fill quickly.

GEIGER RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF SUSTAINABLE BUILDING
Crestone, Colorado 81131 Email: Contact Information