This series is a continuation of my series Dahodiyinii (Sacred Places). The start of that project was to allow my community and our elders to tell their stories, stories that were a lifeline to our culture, land, and the histories that are part of our identity. For the Diné, our stories live on within the land itself and the designs featured within our textiles, pottery, and silver jewelry.
Within the Diné culture, everything is central to the concept of four; four sacred mountains, four sacred colors, four sacred directions, and so on. This concept is still practiced today and can be seen in the art we create. It is believed that to understand the Diné, you must place yourself into the world of Diné tradition. Art is essential to our beliefs and is a lifeline to our culture, land, and the histories that are a part of our identity. With each connection, tradition remains central to the fundamental understanding of the Diné, a line between one generation to the next. We connect to our ancestors and the memories embedded within the land through our abstract designs. These designs have been passed down from one generation to the next in my family through silversmithing. Béésh Łigaii (Silver) focuses on the stories of silversmithing, the importance of design, and the influence of the land. The designs featured come from our ancestors before us. Within the Diné culture, our identity and kinship are passed down from them.
