Original 'Be Matriarch' handbag designed by Venaya Yazzie at Yazzgrl Art Designs

Original 'Be Matriarch' handbag designed by Venaya Yazzie at Yazzgrl Art Designs
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2018

Newest handbag design I designed and created in homage to my desert matriarchs who have consistently used and upcycled the Four Corner area product, the Blue Bird Flour cotton bag.

BE MATRIARCH!
#bematriarch

'Be Matriarch' Original Handbags by Venaya Yazzie - Yazzgrl Art Designs

I have been busy as Autumn is approaching. Here is one image of my newest 'Be Matriarch' Original Handbags I designed and created. They are based on the concept of "re-purposing" in mind. This bag is made with 90% re-purpose items such as the duck canvas, zipper, leather, printed fabric and floral scarf.

In Beauty.

Dine' (Navajo) made turquoise cluster earrings

Dine' (Navajo) made turquoise cluster earrings
Photo credit: Venaya Yazzie 2018
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Pretty much all my life, I've been in the company of the revered southwest Indigenous gem: turquoise. Whether it is in its raw, unprocessed form or made into a modern Dine' jewelry piece, turquoise is the center of our Indigenous universe.  For thousands of years the Dine', the Pueblo and Apache have had turquoise within their narrative. In 2018 this mainstay is still at the center of many people's life.

Though mainstream American culture has adopted the personal adornment use of turquoise and have made it infamously trendy, turquoise use in North America is rooted withing the community of southwest Indigenous tribes.  It has origins in many of our Indigenous creation stories and stand as a type of amulet that perpetuates protection of self and spirit. But, I should also express that this mineral has also been used in the past by other global cultures including the people of Tibet and the royalty in ancient Egypt.

I share this image as a means of showcasing contemporary designs of modern Dine' silversmiths. I acquired this pair of Dine' turquoise cluster earrings one year at the annual Northern Navajo Nation Fair in Shiprock, New Mexico, USA.  For me the best way to buy such Dine'-made jewelry pieces is directly from the maker. So I must express that these were purchased by a Dine' artist who was walking, vending down the parade route in Shiprock.

I wanted to share this too because I hope you learned a little more about the use of turquoise. It is a valued mineral for more than just its monetary value, and its more about the spiritual and origin.

Bless.

Posted by Venaya Yazzie 

7/31/18

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2018

Hold Fast to your Matriarchs

"Hold fast to your Matriarchs."
Photo by Venaya Yazzie - Yazzgrl Art
2018 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

The times are tumultuous for modern people on this planet. In this continent the same can be said, as we have national leaders who are evil and liars since 1492. But, we as Indigenous people, have lived in such chaos since a time called "contact." We've endured true evil acts upon us as human beings, but we endured and now we still survive. Because of all our Indigenous ancestors have been through, we current ancestors, are steadfast and even more resilient; its in our DNA. Though "They" continue to ignore our existence and treat us with grand disrespect, "They" are the lost, because we as Indigenous still have our prays, our songs, our ways of Being.  We know the real historical truth of our existence. We, who are the original inhabitants of this land in north america - Creator made it so. We are a blessed people, Creator made it so. He spoke us into existence, and we breathed first air into our lungs. Today we talk the talk and continue to walk the walk - a Red Road that was made in a sacred way for us, Creator's children. This moment in contemporary society was created and meant to destroy us, but our Indigenous identity and spirit will never be taken from us. Right now we still have our Indigenous Matriarchs and Grandfather's who continue to hold fast to our hands, to teach us, to lead us into the coming events. Right now we Indigenous live life confidently because of their shared prayers and songs passed on to us. And we Indigenous perpetuate our revered protections: turquoise and cultural regalia in our modern lives. Today, we are Present and Woke. Believe it. So, go forth and p r a y and b l e s s each other Brothers and Sisters.

Posted 7/18/18
By Venaya Yazzie
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Dine' and Tibetan, the Turquoise Parallels

Tibetan Woman
Photo credit: Instagram via TibetPortraits Lhasa
By Brant Knutzen(2003) 2018

Of the plethora of parallels that exist among the Tibetan people and the Dine', the most notable concerns personal adornment practice, or as I express "Indigenous Adornment." This blog entry concerns those existing similarities, especially when it comes to female personal adornment.

Originating from the high-desert community of northwest New Mexico, and being a woman, I have lived and experienced the expression of southwest Indigenous Adornment. Growing up I always seen my maternal clan matriarchs cultural adornment steadfast with turquoise.  The gem turquoise has been a mainstay for the Dine' and Pueblo people of New Mexico and also the Apache and Hopi nations of Arizona.  For among the Dine', the turquoise is believed to be a positive amulet that brings safety and continual protection, mentally, spiritually and physically for the wearer. 

Doing my research in the area of Indigenous Adornment in the "americas" and in the Tibetan cultural, the fact is that we both share the same reverence for turquoise. The main difference being that the Tibetan people prefer to wear raw, unprocessed turquoise, while among the Dine' wearing turquoise in various forms of processing does not matter much. Instead, many Dine' wear and use turquoise as a means of symbolically perpetuating: balance, harmony, protection.

Also on her person is her coral necklace pieces and also the one coral piece on her headdress. Again the Navajo use coral as a major part of their southwestern adornment efforts.

I share the image above as an example of how the modern Tibetan female wears turquoise on her person. It seems that a favorite way of 'adornment' in Tibetan culture has the individual affixing turquoise directly to their hair, something that I have not seen Navajo people do.

#IndigenousAdornment

This photo capture by Brant Knutzen via Instagram is one of many outstanding images of the Indigenous people in Tibet.

(posted 7-1-18/ edited 7/6/18

  by Venaya Yazzie

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED)

Desert woman's hands; my hands

Hand(s) Portrait
Photo credit: Eileen Braziel 2018
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Every person who walks into you path is a divine appoint to your life journey. This is what I truly believe- that Creator God has pre-destine our lives. I am thankful for the "art" people in my life, they bring their gifts and bless me with them.

The earth too blesses me life, I am continually inspired by the beauty of 'her' - the earth, my muse.

I really love this picture, it tells a grand story of my life as a southwestern desert woman, as a Navajo/Hopi artist. Everyday I wear the turquoise adornments that carry 'story' too.

Blessings

Hopi Pueblo sun symbol

Sterling silver post earrings

Photo by Yazzgrl Art 2018

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

This posting concerns the Hopi Pueblo design of the sun (symbol). I acquired these new post-style earrings directly from the artist. These are made with sterling silver metal including: turquoise, jet and mother-of-pearl shell. The Hopi Pueblo consider this motif as that of hope and blessing.

Planting season

"Ha'dile'"

Photo by Venaya Yazzie 2018

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED - Yazzgrl Art

Even in the chaos of modernity in North America, the ways of the southwest Indigenous person is still being perpetuated from season to season.

In this month of June which for the Navajo person concerns the beginning of the planting season, but also to describe the earth season/ weather. For the Navajo person, the act of planting or farming concern the state of living or existing in  'beauty.'  Once nomadic, the 21st century Navajo people have adapted to the sedentary lifestyle and have become farmers. Many only plant the following: corn varieties (Blue corn, Yellow corn, White corn), melons and squash. All of which have specific cultural meaning and use in traditional family culture. In many cases the Indigenous person/ farmer in the southwest use only heirloom seeds, such seeds are only available in the family. I have been able to replant the seeds from my great-grandparents, and also have planted heirloom blue corn seeds from my Hopi relatives.

Although the Dine' - Navajo language has no definitions for the Euro -American calendar days or months, we do have a expression that describes this beginning of June, beginning of Summer season. Many contemporary Navajo people, express "June" as "ya’iishjááshchilí" - which concerns  the corn plant and its "little corn tassles."

I share this capture above as a narrative about the farming tradition of my own family in eastern Dine', Navajoland, USA. My great-grandparents were ardent farmers: my cheii planted corn and my masani' planted the squash and the melon varieties. This family tradition is in my blood, I have planted these vegetables as means of continuing the narrative of my family's existence in this area of northwest New Mexico and in the area of Navajoland called eastern Dine'tah.

Speaking from a personal perspective, the act and process of farming is medicinal for me. I know the many blessings that are bestowed from farming the land, which comes from a sacred way of living and in much respect.

(Posted by Venaya Yazzie 2018
06-11-18
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED)