SW Indigenous Women's Power in 2018

Pueblo women in traditional

women's garments

Photo sources: World Wide Web

I really adore this historic photo. Its a simple portrait of a southwestern woman dressed in her best Pueblo-style women's garments. She stands in her stillness so beautiful and powerful.

As a southwestern Indigenous woman I know the feeling of this 'power' she holds, for I too know it as I often wear my cultural garments. Its a way of being that really cannot be described, but only to say I feel like a time-traveler in my desert moccasins and women garments and of course, turquoise!

In this image the ancestor femme wears a Pueblo-style woven dress, manta wrap, white deer skin moccasins and leg wraps and a silver bead and naja necklace adornment.  I assume it may be a Navajo-made necklace because at this point in history, Navajoland hosted a plethora of silversmiths.  And one characteristic of early Navajo silver jewelry, such as this squash blossom type, was made with not turquoise, just pure silver. I also love this image for the fact that the women seems to be very unique in her look. She seems to be very light-skinned and has light-colored hair in this photo, so as an observer I believe she may be albino.  I have met many Pueblo people from New Mexico and Arizona who are albino.  I many cause these people are revered and honored for their difference in phenotype.

In the chaos of the 21st century it is a relief to know I have a 'power' in my cultural ways of being, as I can still honor my southwest ancestors, my desert matriarchs and adorn myself in these ancient traditions. Its a way of being a 'warrior woman' - knowing this grand history of them is my super power indeed!

Blessings all around.

Posted March 2, 2018
by Venaya Yazzie
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2018