Grandma's Shade

by Star Liana York

Size: 21H x 22W x 22D
Medium: Bronze

LAST IN THE EDITION

Even today Navajo people not living on the reservation will sometimes send their children back to their grandparents for a period of time. This allows the cultural traditions to be passed on. In the isolated and remote hogans in Indian country, the grandparents compete with fewer distractions when instructing children about their connections to nature, the spiritual world and their identities as Navajo.
This scene depicts a grandmother at Indian Market, displaying her pots. She has brought along her protege, a granddaughter who has expressed interest in the making and selling of pots, like her grandma. She even chooses to dress traditionally, like her mentor. But being on the reservation has made her shy in crowds, and her grandmother shields her, lovingly and proudly, from unfamiliar faces as well as the intense sun.
Photo Credit: Wendy McEahern