I am rooted in the high-desert southwestern Indigenous tribal people

My existence in the 21st century.
Photo by VENAYA YAZZIE 2017 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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My life as a Dine'/ Hopi woman is a truly sacred existence. Our lives as Indigenous people is a sacred existence. I am rooted in the high-desert southwestern Indigenous tribal people of what is called the 'American southwest.'  My hardy, resilient desert ancestors dwelled in the areas of what the colonizers called "New Mexico" and "Arizona."  I am the modern voice of my past ancestral history, it is a moving, living tribal voice that will never be silenced or halted.  My cultural history has already been spoken, and when I leave this earth, no one can stop that sacred story that has already lived, and will continue to exist in the canyons, valley and mesa tops of  Dinetah, Navajo land and in the land of the Hopi.

In the time of my ancestors, each individual lived a dangerous life full of wild animals, and wild lands. Yet they survived and were steadfast in their ways of 'knowing.' The southwest Indigenous Epistemology of Navajo and Hopi ancestors aided and protected them in their daily lives.  Though I'm sure there were roadblocks, and ever-present dangers, my People were steadfast and smart and they were triumphant every time.  How do I know this? Well, I am here on this earth, on this land. And, the fact that I was born, and survive and continue the legacy is who we won, how we continue our sacred stories.

In today's climate of modernity though, we the present ancestors live with new obstacles and dangers. Today, in this generation of Indigenous existence, we each guard and protect ourselves from technology and those unknown, faceless foes on the Internet.  In that 'unreal' space, there exist issues such as the fake, and stealing of personal identity, hacking and other such ill actions. So, we must be aware, be conscious, be weary, be on the 'look' for ourselves, and and behalf of our Indigenous relatives. We should all be our "Brother's Keepers" this is the legacy of our ancestral people, lets not lose this practice of empathy, for this is also our strength.

Too, we each must continue to be steadfast in protecting our Indigenous art and culture.  If there is one person who on non-Native, non-Indigenous who thinks to act upon one of us, they are acting upon ALL of  Us Indigenous! We, the new generation of Indigenous (american) tribal people are strong and not passive and not status quo, we are Warrior. We are the new voice of Indigenous in the 21st century.

Be on guard my Indigenously- Beautyful people, we are Creator's Chosen People - every breath, each step, each act, every laugh, in our inhale and exhale we are a sacred act. Truly.

Bless each other.

Venaya

posted 10-31-17

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED