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

Buy only Indigenous-made, legit Art

Genuine SW jewelry items made by Pueblo artesians of Santo Domingo Pueblo, USA

Fine Art, Mixed Media, Cultural art/crafts made only by Indigenous people is legit product.

Don't be fooled by those people outside of the Indigenous Nations who are making counterfeit items and then claiming and selling those products as "Native American" or "Made by Native America." These are only two examples of phrases used to sell fake "Indian," and Indigenous-made art.

The world or Indigenous art and the cultural crafts is under great attack in the year 2017.  There are a plethora of non-Native, non-Indigenous, non-Navajo entities who are blatantly copying our art esthetic in our visual and jewelry art.  The current countries that have made moves on this ill-practice of stealing and creating fake "Indian/ Native American Art" include: Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, China among others.

I have recently been in a conversation with a Dine' (Navajo) jeweler who understands this dilemma that the Navajo people, Navajo artesian, Navajo Nation as a whole is dealing with. This state of stealing and re-creating fake Navajo jewelry items is a sick practice by those who have appropriated my Navajo culture and innate artistic abilities to made counterfeit cultural items.

Please, please do not buy these fake items. Please report the sellers as it is illegal to sell fake "Indian or Native American" art. The Indian Arts and Craft Act of 1990 exists to protect Indigenous people. Here is an some information from the website:

https://www.doi.gov/iacb/act

"The Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-644) is a truth-in-advertising law that prohibits misrepresentation in marketing of Indian arts and crafts products within the United States. It is illegal to offer or display for sale, or sell any art or craft product in a manner that falsely suggests it is Indian produced, an Indian product, or the product of a particular Indian or Indian Tribe or Indian arts and crafts organization, resident within the United States. For a first time violation of the Act, an individual can face civil or criminal penalties up to a $250,000 fine or a 5-year prison term, or both. If a business violates the Act, it can face civil penalties or can be prosecuted and fined up to $1,000,000.

Under the Act, an Indian is defined as a member of any federally or officially State recognized Indian Tribe, or an individual certified as an Indian artisan by an Indian Tribe.

The law covers all Indian and Indian-style traditional and contemporary arts and crafts produced after 1935. The Act broadly applies to the marketing of arts and crafts by any person in the United States. Some traditional items frequently copied by non-Indians include Indian-style jewelry, pottery, baskets, carved stone fetishes, woven rugs, kachina dolls, and clothing.

All products must be marketed truthfully regarding the Indian heritage and tribal affiliation of the producers, so as not to mislead the consumer. It is illegal to market an art or craft item using the name of a tribe if a member, or certified Indian artisan, of that tribe did not actually create the art or craft item..."

Be vigilant, be smart when investing and purchasing Indigenous (aka, Native American, Indian art).
When you can buy directly from the seller/artist, and ask questions about the art piece especially when you are buying southwestern Navajo, Hopi, Zuni, Pueblo jewelry.  Make sure it is sold as genuine.


Bless.