Navajo Poet - Poetry by Venaya Yazzie

#navajopoetry by #venayayazzie

This poem I authored is by far the one I am most proud of.

Its titled, sodizin, sodizin which refers to the sacred act of Navajo prayer. The term is an verb that perpetuates the act of reverence for a Navajo person.

To read the poem please visit As/Us Journal where it was published.  The link is below:


sodizin, sodizin by venaya yazzie


Blessings

Navajo Poet - Venaya Yazzie - Dine'/Hopi

My life has been blessed to have poetry as a part of it.

My family and the stories I hold in memory are part of what I write about.

This capture is from a publication As/Us Journal

If you would like to visit the poetry click on Navajo Poetry link below:

Navajo Poetry

Másání’s hands are always 'busy' and 'adorned'

'Masani's hands are magic
Photo by Venaya Yazzie 2017
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

As Diné, as Navajos I know we are blessed. My great grandparents to tell us this as young children. They seen how we were blessed with beautiful lands and glorious family. Today I see what they were talking about in my grandmother.

This week I was able to sit among the women in my family as we received and prepared wild tea most commonly referred to as 'Navajo tea.'

My másání as the leader in the process. She is always sharing her wisdom and stories with her family and friends. I snapped this image as she was engaged in wrapping or bundling the wild tea. Her hands are magic and they are always beautifully adorned with her grand turquoise.

She is blessed and we are blessed to have her in our lives.

This tea is what we call "dé'" or as "Navajo tea"

Wild tea in full blossom
Photo by Venaya Yazzie 2017
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

 

The summer has begun an so has the picking and harvesting of naturally growing wild tea. This wild tea has been used by the Navajo people, and other Indigenous tribal people, for hundreds of years. This tea is what we call "dé'" or as "Navajo tea."

The organic tea grows in the high-desert areas of the American southwest and can be found at this time of season (and throughout summer ) blooming its bright yarrow-colored flowers. When these yellow flowers are in full bloom the tea plant is ready to be harvested. The plant itself is a long, slender green plant that can grow up to 2 feet high and holds several leaves that branch off of the main stem. When harvesting this plan the Navajo way is to give an offering to the plant so that it can bless you and also grow again.  Also, when picking the plant one must not pull it out by the roots, but instead should cut or break off the plant at the bottom. By doing this method one can ensure that it will grow again.

The tea must be rinsed off and prepared, many Navajo do this in several ways, but one common way is to bundle the tea and tie with a cotton string. The tea must be air dried or sun dried to ensure it will not mold.  Then it can be stored in a cool, dry place throughout the year. When one is ready to drink the tea it can be boiled to make a hot tea, but some even make it into an iced tea in the summer.

Wild tea in prepared bundles
Photo by Venaya Yazzie 2017
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

This tea has been used by the Navajo for medicinal reasons, of which one is to alleviate stomach problems.  When a woman is pregnant or has cramps the tea is consumed to ease the pains.

For the Navajo weaver though the plant's blooming yellow flowers are highly esteemed, as the blossoms are used to make a rich yarrow-colored dye for the traditional Navajo vegetal-dye weavings in their Navajo wool rugs. 

By Venaya J. Yazzie 2017
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Everything has a story (Hane')

Heirloom Navajo-made turquoise cluster watch bracelet
Photo by Yazzgrl 2017 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Everything big or little - has a story. This, in the Dine' world is called 'hane,'

My life as a child was surrounded by stories. They were the most beautiful stories that originated from the mouths of my desert matriarchs. As far back as I can recall, I close my eyes and can picture the silhouette of my maternal great grandmother Louise Begay Werito. I can see her in my mindseye, sitting on the porch of her eastern Dine' home, and she is talking, talking about 'life.'

My childhood was nourished by her Navajo-tongue, her expressions and glottal tones, almost like a narrator in a grand history book. My 'masani' Louise did not speak English, instead she spoke the most sacred language on this earth; her being was the language of her ancestors. Just the thought her her brings a lump in my throat because now as an adult I truly appreciate what she was all about. She was a sovereign Navajo woman, she was a survivor, she was the embodiment of Navajo 'hozho.'  These memories of keep of her offer me that peace of mind I need at times, her voice still lingers on the rims of my ears, I can hear her - smile at me...

The monsoon rains of the late 70s on the high desert dirt and sand and sagebrush are also among the memories of my shared life with my matriarchs and numerous cousins at Huerfano, New Mexico. And too is the beautiful blue of my grandmother's turquoise and silver jewelry.

I share this image of an heirloom Navajo-made turquoise cluster watch bracelet that belongs to my maternal grandmother, but it is one that is on its journey to soon rest on my wrist. As my grandmother says, she is 'shrinking' in golden years and so this bracelet is not fitting as it used to. The other day she asked me to put it on, and wouldn't you know it fit perfectly on my brown wrist. I know with the look in her gleaming eyes that she said, 'your bracelet.'

When I look at my grandmother' s 'adornment' collection I see many stories they carry with them. Each piece, whether a pair of earrings or a necklace carries a tale of how they came to be and how they made their way to my 'masani's' life. Its a story just like my great-grandmother's, full of expression and history.  I love that this is so because I know when I wear them I too become a part of the continued 'hane'.

Origin is our roots, this is our story.

By Venaya J. Yazzie 2017

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

'Hózhó náasha'

My trekking buddy, Rollie Pup
Photo Yazzgrl ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2017

Hózhó náasha - the essence of this is 'life.'

As a southwestern person, my life is rooted in the expression of the my inherited ancestral Diné identity. As a eastern Diné and Hopi woman my language concerns the dialog of the high desert matriarchs of then and now. Everyday live this 'Hózhó náasha' way of being my optimism grows and lingers in my ears so that my life will be in a good way.

Creator God gave us our Indigenous languages, He alone knows our destiny. Everyday I wear my turquoise gems and have prayer to ensure my protection and guidance from above. The modern lives of Indigenous people is a sacred way of living. Collectively we gather in our own tribal communities and survive and exist - this is a blessing.

My current live is lived in gratitude and a quite humbleness. Growing in my adulthood has brought me to a peaceful place. I an content in my space and strong in my acquired knowledge. I know the gifts my Creator gave given to me and I live to 'live' a good life guided by 'Hózhó náasha.'

shił hózhó.

By Venaya J. Yazzie 2017

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Ama' blessings

Hope you were able to enjoy festive blessings with your family on Mother's Day. Our family has always had strong ties to our 'mother's, for our 'Matriarchs' are the people who make our family whole and rich with family blessings.

This year my masani' will be 87 years old. So, we celebrated with her on Mother's Day with a feast of good food. She received many wonderfully colored flowers and card from her loved ones including her children and grandchildren.  I realize what a wonderful gift she is to all of  us. And, that her being in our lives in someway makes us better people.

I captured this image of her (hands) adorned in her cultural jewelry she years daily and her rose gift,

I hope you get a blessing from it and that it tells you a story of our 'matriarchs.'

Blessings

Nostalgic Tota' Art Mural

Mural Art in Tota'

Photo by Venaya Yazzie 2017

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Its funny how you can live in a place and never really 'see' all it has to offer; visually.

I've lived in my home community for the majority of my life and have always wondered why Tota' does not have more public art or mural art. My community is so rich with talented Dine' artists, from those who paint in the more traditional cultural motifs, to the new-visionary Indigenous art. So, I continue to ask, "Why is there not more mural art?"

This brings me to this post, as I have just found some incredible, and quite nostalgic mural art. This art is quiet wonderful in its depiction of Dine' (Navajo), done in the 1970s era of the Navajo Yei-Bi-Chei motif. I think what I really like about this mural is the pure linear 'crispness' of the images, and too the mix of good colors.

Seeing this mural gives me hope and inspires me to seek out funding for such art. As a visual artist, I feel it is my duty to be vigilant and speak up and about the Arts, especially Indigenous art.

This art hives me hope.

Blessings.