Tonight I am writing to you from Winnipeg in Manitoba, Canada. Tomorrow our group flies up to Churchill to see the polar bears. However I wanted to share with you the inspirations of New Mexico, from my visit to Albuquerque for the Color Marketing Group conference.
If you’ve been to New Mexico, you know that you are steeped in color as soon as you arrive. The rich history of the area, saturated with the colors of the Native American and Mexican influences, surrounds and entices you…along with the sounds and smells of the local culture.
Because of our history of helping indigenous people through our charity program, I had an amazing unique experience during my free afternoon. I was invited onto the reservation for a Dance Festival and Feast Day. As you drive onto the tribal lands, signs are posted saying that you cannot take photos or videos, and you cannot even sketch. Your phone or camera can be confiscated, and you can be fined for breaking tribal law. So I carefully stashed my camera in the trunk of my rental car. So I will have to describe what I saw, and make a painting with words.
It took about a half hour to creep in traffic, along the road into the Pueblo (village), and my friends let me park in front of one of the elders’ houses. We walked about a mile into the center of the Pueblo, to the central plaza which was not paved. There I saw about 600 dancers, young and old alike, in their ceremonial best clothing, in a giant circular double circle that stretched over 3 blocks. The women and girls’ robes were heavily embroidered, with hand-loomed tapestry belts and trims. Their long dark hair hung down straight (no braids) with an ornate headdress, with symbols expressing their family roots. The men and boys had bells and garlands of shells on their ankles and across their torsos, so as they danced, it made a loud jangling sound. The women’s skirts were black with red, turquoise, and cream embroidery. As they danced to the drumbeat, the dust from the unpaved plaza filled the air. The crowd watched silently, with respect.
100 more men stood in a square formation, chanting and singing, and some playing drums to keep the beat. We sat looking into the middle of the long plaza, and the circular dance lines stretched as far as we could see to the left and right. About 2000 people had set up lawn chairs all around the plaza, who had come from pueblos far and wide, to watch. There were mothers in the dance line with their very small children. There were fathers and brothers, sisters and grandmothers. I only saw only 2 other white faces in the crowd of spectators. I felt very privileged to be invited to witness this dance ceremony. Many said they had never seen so many dancers show up from the surrounding pueblos, and that it was because they were dancing and praying for the world, which is in such chaos.
After watching for a couple hours, we walked back up the hill and across the land, to the elders’ house. I met a 94 year old grandpa named Geronimo. We were invited to go in to eat, because it was feast day. We declined, but asked to talk to the grandmas. I had brought cash to give to the grandmas. I asked to speak to someone who could help determine who could get the cash to those most in need. They brought forth a woman who works with children who are struggling in school, who live in the deepest poverty, often with grandparents because they lost their parents. The grandma started to cry, and said that my arrival, and my offering to their community, was like an answer to a prayer. She said “Today Spirit heard our prayers.” I told her the money for the children was from my business, and from all the people who support our business, because we all care about those children. I promised her that I would come back…for the children.
So thank you for supporting our business, so I can share these experiences with you, but also so together we can help these communities who have so little.
My photo collage above is not from the reservation, but it is a collage of some of the colors, arts and crafts that I saw while in New Mexico.
sharing your Passion for Fabric…
Luana
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2016 Travel Calendar:
Nov 11-13 – Color Marketing Group – Albuquerque
Nov 15-20 – Luana’s Polar Bear Tour – Churchill Canada
Dec 5-7 – Bernina Ambassador Reunion
