Navajo girl 'adorned'

Photo collage of a Navajo girl
Photo credit kohuhuoke

I share this image (s) of this Navajo girl dressed in post-Long Walk traditional attire. She wears the typical collared-shirt with long sleeves, tiered skirt, deer and cow hide moccasins and of course her turquoise jewelry adornments. She's perfect! Beauty-ful desert 'Indigenous Adornment."

'Relatives' in Mongolia

Mongolian women 'adorned' in traditional garments
Photo credit Tibet Travel via Instagram

I found this image of a Mongolian woman via a person I follow on Instagram. There are many reasons why I adore this photograph.

First, I see many of my own Navajo relatives in this woman, her facial features are pheno-typically like those I see in the desert southwest. In fact she reminds me of one of my good friends' oldest daughter.  Secondly, I admire her clothing she wears, it seems most of what she is wearing is made of fur and possibly reindeer skin. But above all, she is 'adorned' in beautiful turquoise earrings. And, she seems to be wearing some red ochre color on her cheeks. This kind of of application parallels what Navajos do also, as a way of protection from the sunrays, but we call it 'chii.' 

Many Navajo claim not affiliation with the Mongolian or the people of Tibet and other Asian cultures, but I have an open mind and therefore have found a plethora of cultural parallels that exist, especially in the area of traditional adornment practices.

But, please take this image for what it is, a look at the cultural and tribal ways of adornment, of creating beauty.