Her 'Beautyway'

Female Navajo child with lamb
Photo source Internet
Photographer Unknown

This image has made its way across the Internet for some time now, I do not know the photographer but assume it was captured by a non-Navajo person visiting the area. The era of this scene seems to be maybe during the 1930s-1950s.

There are many assumptions that can be made by quickly viewing this image, but if one takes the time to really "see" the image, it tells its story to the viewer.  It depicts a young Diné (Navajo) female child sitting outdoors with a lamb in her lap.  She is 'adorned'  in her southwest desert tribal clothing with cultural adornments on her shirt.  It is a cute capture to be sure, but for me it also shows the engagement of tribal sovereignty, not so intentionally  by her, but of those who consciously dressed her.

Even in modern society many people assume that the Diné are an intact culture, but sadly we are amidst American colonization. Its true that the year 1492 was documented as "first contact" for many Indigenous people living in the eastern coast and into Florida and Puerto Rico. But for the Indigenous desert dwellers of the now labeled 'American Southwest' "first contact" was not that long ago.  It was the Spaniards who first approached the Indigenous lands of the area. In 1535 under the direction of Spaniard Cabeza de Vaca the Europeans began their trek of the coast of Texas to displace and perpetuate grand acts of violence upon the southwestern 'first footprint' people.

For my Diné  the first encounters with the Spanish happened around 1540 by conquistador Coronado, who trespassed on Indigenous lands in the area of what we call Dinétah, near present day Navajo Dam area in northwest New Mexico. And at that the early Diné  ancestors did their best to stay clear of the newcomers.  But in 1864 the Euro-American government leader Kit Carson engaged a forced march of Diné  from Arizona to a prison internment camp in central New Mexico at Fort Sumner near present day Santa Rose, NM. The Diné  were held hostage at this prison till 1865 when the Diné  leaders spoke up and insisted we be allowed to go 'home' to our ancestral lands. This was a time of great suffering, violence and death. But we endured and kept faith and hope and today my Diné  are stedfast in perpetuating their existence.

I share this story because it lingers in this image of a young Navajo girl with her lamb.  Every image you see of a Navajo man or women, this story is with them, it is their aura if you will. This history is what is called the Long Walk of the Navajos, for us it is expressed as Hweeldi, 'the time of sorrows.' Just like this image of this child, it is in our Diné  DNA, it will never leave us, it is the reason for our present existence in the 21st century.  Though this trauma can have a great many ill effects, many of the Diné  keep it as a reminder that we have endured and can keep existing as Diné  people in a modern world.

This image of a Diné  child 'adorned' in her tribal adornment depicts how we have endured and taken parts of the American culture and thus used it for our survival. Historically, the Diné  have adopted the used of velveteen  and calico cotton to make their garments both for men and women. This child wears a velveteen blouse, I assume a handmade garment by her matriarchs and also a tiered-shirt with ribbon or ric-rac  edging. Her shirt is 'adorned' with silver buttons, which was a mainstay for Diné  clothing in this era.

Though this child may have not be aware of her act of decolonization, she is the inspiration for a Diné  women living in 2017 -  she sits in her 'Beautyway.' She is my muse, and she is my faith that my Diné  will continue to be strong and steadfast in keeping hold of the culture of our ancestors who came before us.

Blessings in all things.

By Venaya J. Yazzie 2017

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Our tribal attire is not your fashion trend

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