 |
| Close up view of an heirloom Zuni Pueblo-style stranded necklace with bird adornments. Photo by Venaya Yazzie 2017 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED |
In my opinion modern Euro-American "fashion" and its politics has no connection to cultural fashion of the Indigenous tribal peoples of 21st century people.
First of all Indigenous clothing and 'regalia' is not about perpetuation of "fashion" in America. Instead Our tribal clothing attire concerns the spiritual. Yes, many of the tribal people of the Americas have adopted the fabrics or textiles of contemporary culture, but that is only due to aspects of Euro-American colonization affects of the current generations. We have survived colonization and it is true that many of us are still amidst the process of assimilation, but be sure we survive with our traditions of adornment culture intact. This expression does not merely press the tangible aspects but it also concerns the spiritual concepts of our tribal adornment.
Our garments we make concern story, they are our oral histories made into shirts and skirts. The additions of silver, shell, elk teeth, turquoise, whatever it may be, are our prayers intended to bring protection and blessings to the wearer of the garment.
Specifically here in the high-desert southwest, Navajo and Pueblo communities are very aware of this philosophy. Too ensure our survival of our tribal existence and identity in our current tribal garments we pray and visualize our direct ancestral designs given to us, and being the motions of 'creation' of these beautiful garments. For the Navajo women, we make our wool rug dresses of our warrior matriarchs, and weave ancient land and storm cloud patterns to keep us strong and protected. For the Pueblo, they work in cloud designs to their garments in order to page homage and instill teaching about the connection of land and rain.
I speak only from experience as a Navajo/Hopi person. I cannot speak for all the other 500+ tribal nations across the country. But, I do know we all have connection in our tribal belief systems and that many parallels exist.
Secondly, our Indigenous expression via our garments and jewelry are not fashionable trends that mainstream American society is about. Our tribal clothing is not and never should be meant to be "trendy." I say this as it was understood and passed to me via my elders and matriarchs. Yet, I have seen and currently see how globally non-Indigenous people have illegally taken our tribal designs and clothing styles.
This type of tribal appropriation is what we have to deal with as Indigenous people in 2017 - we must keep up our guard in all areas of our culture to ensure our distinct identity and designs.
Thirdly, the American fashion industry concerns American consumerism and materialistic tendencies. The mass production of garments ensures that poor Third World countries keep up the forced labor and low wage garment factories just so a majority of entitled Americans can all wear name-brand products. The homogenization of America's fashion is a sad tale, for it means that everyone should be the same, basic and 'safe,' a concept that does not in anyway reflection the diversity in our tribal people's viewpoints and overall Indigenous epistemologies.
The truth is that the Indigenous tribal clothing and jewelry of the Americas is about keeping the spiritual vision and 'medicine' of the souls of the People intact. The Indigenous tribal clothing and jewelry we have made and continue to create is Our armor, Our distinct tribal designs are Our strength. By wearing these items we are collectively stating that we are alive, we are surviving and moving forward with our tribal ways and identity.
Be sure we are not the "vanishing race" that Edward Curtis labeled us, instead we are stronger, brighter, and more enlightened than ever. That is and always how Creator intended it all to be.
Perpetuate Beautyways everytime.
By Venaya J. Yazzie 2017
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
No comments:
Post a Comment