Hello my friends, family, and people. I am called Lauren. I am of the Zuni Clan (mother's clan), born for the Salt people (father's first clan). My maternal grandfather's clan is the Folded Arms People and my Paternal grandfather's clan is Red Running Into the Water Clan. This is how I identify myself as a woman. I am Dine' or Navajo. As Navajos we introduce ourselves to tell others where we come from.
I promise this post will make sense. Be patient. This bracelet means the world to me. It was a complete surprise by my Dad and I have adored it ever since. I don't wear it very often because I don't want to ruin it and also the value of the bracelet. I've had so many individuals tell me they love how crazy my bracelet looks. I have to laugh because it's more than it's colors, shapes, and pictures. Every thing on this bracelet means something symbolic of this world and it's creation. Our elders tell us the Navajo creation story involves three underworlds where important events happened to shape the Fourth World where we now live or known as the white or glittering world.
Having this type of background helps us develop an insight to the bracelet below. The inside is a abalone shell and it seems to symbolize the universe and its beauty and its importance to native people. Our prayers begin with mother earth and acknowledges the universe and the path to the spirit world. We have father sky to help us along in our journey along with Mother Earth. We have the universe which is apart of the creation world and how everything came from black.
The colors signify everything that we have gone through to be apart of this world.
With this bracelet I am reminded to 'walk in beauty'. I was also told to look forward to Hózhó which means to look towards beauty, harmony, an peace. As a Navajo it is my duty to remember who I am and where I came from traditionally. Luckily I've had some awesome parents that told me the only thing I need to know in this that i'm a daughter of God. So grateful for my heritage and who I am as a person.
Until next time,
Lozza
