Family jewelry

Antique heirloom Navajo silver and turquoise bracelet
Photo credit: Venaya Yazzie 2016 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Easter weekend with the family and extended family was a blessing. My grandmother's older sister and her daughter's visited us. Holidays bring each of us family members closer in one place to dialogue and share our lives with each other, but it also includes the gathering of family jewelry.

As I sat with my two matriarchs at the kitchen table, we drank tea and ate sweet goodies, and we talked about the past full of our family and ancestors. I watched the two sisters eyes gleam as they spoke of their late father Jim Werito and how he was a 'good man' who cared and worked hard for his family. In their talk I watch their  turquoise-adorned fingers and wrists gesture with Navajo words about the land and the abundance of spring rains in their youth at Huerfano, New Mexico.

This image was captured by me after asking one matriarch if I could take a closer look at her bracelet. She expressed that this was an 'old' bracelet that she had 'for years.' She took off the bracelet from her small wrist and carefully handed it to me. Just by the first look I could tell this bracelet was and heirloom that carried many stories of its journey with this desert matriarch. 

The conversation shifted and we all three talked fondly and with much admiration about the small silver and turquoise cluster bracelet that I held gently in my hands. A new memory was made that evening, and many stories of the bracelet and its connection to Werito family memories traveled the rim of my ears and into my spirit. Truly, I was blessed.

In a good way.

Egyptian royal turquoise

Egyptian turquoise
Image via Facebook post 2016

Astounding!

When I first saw this image I was amazed by the size of this necklace pendant. This image was first posted on Facebook by someone who was interested if anyone knew the origins of the piece. I responded with, 'Egyptian royalty.'

When I first began my formal research about Indigenous Adornment, or Navajo, Pueblo turquoise and beliefs, I found that indeed turquoise is a global gem used by a plethora of diverse cultural people. It is true that the upper class, or royalty of ancient Egypt wore or 'adorned' themselves with the beautiful blue hues of turquoise, and gold. This is so interesting to me because clearly this stone was given value via monetary status, and thus only the Pharaoh and his court could wear this stone. Yet, for the Navajo and Pueblo this stone was essential to all people.

The fact that turquoise was wore by ancient Egyptians includes many parallels, but there are so many more differences in why the two cultural people used turquoise. In the end the stone has helped to create more stories even into the 21st century.

Blessings