Manyhogans artist and her art

Venaya Yazzie: Manyhogans artist and her art
Photo courtesy of artist.2017
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Living or existing as an artist is always a "WIP", or 'work in progress.' I often see artists post this expression next to their art images posted on social media.

I was thinking on this an how it applies to my own life as an Indigenous artist in America. My modern experience and life as a southwestern desert  artist concerns my spirit- being in persistent 'Artway' motion. I think this existence has great parallel with that of my desert cultural way of being in the perpetual mindset of "hozho" or as some know it,  "beauyway." This expression is a Navajo way of being- its is directly derived from our Indigenous tongue, our sacred Navajo language.

I was raised to be an optimist. My grandmothers and aunties, and my plethora of cousin-sisters always lived lives with that 'hozho' presence. We are a female lineage of hopeful people. Its in our DNA, we have inherited from our desert ancestors, this beautyway of being is what makes us strong; it is from our matrilineal clanship that has blessed us. I, we are descendants from the Hooghanlani' people, or Manyhogans clan family. This clan has a rich, and complex 'sacred' origin.

As I was raised up by my maternal grandparents, I was instilled with the cultural knowledge that the Manyhogans clan family was, and are the ones who made their homes (Hooghans) in the immediate shadow of our emergence (sacred center mountain) of Dzilnaodithle, (Huerfano Peak). It is said that after we 'emerged' into this Fifth World (Glittering World) we wanted to protect the sacred space, so my ancestors made the homes close to it.  My clan family relatives live in this area to this day.

One of the many blessings or characteristics that were embued to us is that of being friendly, welcoming and being happy- always having a positive outlook on life. I see this to this day in my relatives, no matter our situation, we look for the goodness.

The other important gift of my ancestral lineage is that of the Creative life, skill to create objects of art. I see this too in the Manyhogans people- we are silversmiths, potters, weavers, poets, painters... I know I am blessed, for I am a desert person, born of Dine' and Hopi Pueblo lineage. What more could a girl ask for.

Its 'hozho' like that.

Blessings in all things

By Venaya J. Yazzie 2017
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED