Hopi with Navajo jewelry.

Hopi woman.

The necklace is a Dine' style necklace, made in the choker style.

Later the Navajo would make the necklace longer and add some other beads to make the unique Dine' jewelry piece called by the Anglo, Squash Blossom necklace.

The girl is also wearing her traditional Hopi Butterfly earrings. These earrings are made in the traditional Hopi styled called mosaic.

Navajo-made silver beads with naja pendant.

 Navajo-made silver beads with naja pendant.

Laguna Pueblo Woman. 1880s

Many surrounding tribal peoples such as the Pueblo in the desert southwest traded with the Dine' People. The majority of the exchange was in woven wool rugs and silver and turquoise jewerly items.

This picture shows a Pueblo woman ADORNED with a Dine' old style naja pendent necklace with silver beads.

She is wearing a traditional Puelbo manta woven dress.

Navajo woman painting.

Safekeeping by James Sayers

This painting features a c. 1880s Navajo woman wearing a traditional woven dress and holding a lamb painted by artists James Sayers.

This is a really regal depiction of a Dine' woman dressed in and ADORNED with turquoise. Her hairstyle is in a traditional Navajo woman's hairstyle, which is called Tsiiyaal, a hair bundle. She wears a Dine' woven rug dress and turquoise beads and earrings.

Good art!

Juanita. Dine' woman.

Dine' woman

Late 1880s

This historic photograph depicts a very important Dine' (Navajo) woman named Juanita (English name). She was the wife of fierce Dine' leader, Manuelito.

In this portrait she is wearing a traditional Dine' woven dress (made of wool) called Biil,  and traditional Dine' buckskin mocassin and wraps, we call these Kelch'ii. She is ADORNED with a silver concho-styled belt which is most likely fastened to a leather belt strap.

Around her neck is strung beads probaly of turquoise, heishe shell and or coral.

This portrait sitting also depicts a variety of Dine' woven rugs scattered about, and Juanita is also sitting upon one.

Another one of my fav photos of Dine' matriarch.

Navajo Blue Bird song.BLESSINGS

Bluebird

As I posted earlier, every Tuesday I will post a fav song of mine. Today as I was leaving home a Bluebird was sitting on a lower branch on a tree outside the house. I am assuming the bird was a girl, and she was so beautiful sitting in her blue feathers. Even the little birds out there are sharing in ADORNMENT. They are ADORNED in wonderful feathers and fluff with elegant colored beeks. Truly nizhon!

So here I share with you two songs about the BLUEBIRD.  The first one is a Navajo song and the second song is an Apache song both inspired by the Bluebird.

ENJOY!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDUhfbFfd1s

(By Lena Clark from the album Navajo Songs from Canyon De Chelly)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAoMkUv-RYE

(By Joe Tohonnie Jr.)

quote: organic adorment.

Concerning the human body’s interal/organic adornment via Diné  philosopy. This quotation is amazing and so profound, something we should consider every day we wake & live.

 

“Our whole body, such as our arteries, veins, flesh and bones are made up of beautiful white shell, turquoise, abalone shell, black jet, red beads, and sacred banded-rock. There are arteries that carry dark blood and light blood. All of these arteries, veins, minerals, and the blood within our body breathe…” 

-Wilson Aronilth Jr.

critical analysis.historial photo of Diné.male adornment.



Historical photo of a Navajo elder man circa 1900.



This is very profound photograph. The contents of the people portrayed in it are significant for they tell a story in a visual way.  As a researcher I have done many critical analysis of historical photographs for the purpose of finding and re-telling story of the Indigenous groups and individual people photographed by non-Indigenous persons. I find this photograph very strong in that it depicts a Diné  elderly man ADORNED in his finest Diné  jewelry and traditional clothing.

HEADDRESS........ In his seated position we can see that he is ADORNED as he wears a traditional Diné mens war headdress.  Historically such head coverings where made from dearskin finished with silver pendants and usually topped with turkey feathers. SHIRT.....This elder is looks to be wearing a velveteen shirt with a madarin-type collar, the upper arm sleeves and front on his shirt include silver-type ornaments, a practice that was standared in many early tradional clothing for men and women. JEWELRY.....He is wearing various strung bead necklaces. Most likely the beads were made of turquiose,abalone, whie shell or  heishe shell and or coral shell.  He is also wearing  two silver band rings and silver bracelet on his right hand and wrist.  SHOES......This Diné man is wearing traditional moccasins that are knee-length and look to have silver ornaments down the outer sides of his legs. He has wool-woven sash type weaving wrapped about the upper part of his leg.

Overall, this  Diné  man is surely regal as he sits ADORNED in his finest. I see how he iminates powerful of will, strength and all things good.

What I find very interesting as a researcher is the man who sits beside the elder man to the right. Since this is an era of the Indian Boarding School my thought is that this man may be a product of the education system therefore, we see a Diné  man in full assimilation. He sits there so plain in his white collar shirt, and combed hair with not sign of traditional tribal adornment. What a contrast indeed from the elder and also from the two childred seated, which both are stil ADORNED in Diné attire.

Overall, such a powerful photograph.

-venaya

Land.adorned.

Photo by venaya yazzie 2012

i have always seen the land as being adorned in the nature that surrounds her. i am in constant awe of nature in action. i may be walking into a concrete building, but in an instant i may get a chance to watch a leaf fall from a tree to a gray stone. it is natural adornment, i am able to see beauty in action. what a blessing. everyday a moment in nature initiates adornment. a leaf turning one color to another. a rock turning a darker hue when water trickles over it. a huge thundercloud covering  the land send the portion into a darker, misty hue.....the land adorned with cloud shadows! look at your surroundings, be blessed by what you see.

blessings all around.
-venaya