How, why, and the where: The September of 2014, Jubal took me to New Mexico for the first time. He had been before and knew I would love it. He was right. We had two blissful weeks of exploring and I loved every minute of it.
What I noticed immediately was the air and colors where the opposite of Maine’s cool humidity, dark greens and blues. New Mexico was cool and dry and sunny. Rich earthy yellows and reds where everywhere. Because the air felt so different and the sky so huge and open, it made space to feel more than “I’m just on vacation.”
I quickly realized I wanted to learn as much as I could about the original people who lived here. Everywhere we we went their was design influences I had never seen. I wanted to understand the origins as much as possible.
I stumbled upon this book in a local book shop there. It is one of, if not the only book researched and written by a Diné person. I was not interested in hearing about native people from white people. We are not native. There is a lot to unpack here in this telling of the Diné people and what took place. In fact, I aim too read it again.
I HIGHLY recommend it. A true gift. Anything and anytime we, as white people, can do to educate ourselves in who we and our ancestors stole land from, the better.