LeAnn
I was born and raised on the Navajo Nation in a small town called Tuba City, Arizona. I was taught at a young age to introduce myself to everyone and more than likely, I am related to someone by our clan system we use.
I am Zuni Edgewater born for Start of the Red Streak People Clan. My maternal grandfathers are Tangle Clan and my paternal grandfathers are Tobacco People Clan. I am beyond blessed and humbled that I was taught at a young age about my cultural heritage. I am a mother of five daughters, so the moment I became a mother for the first time is when I really thought about who is going to teach them about our culture, traditions and history? I am my daughters teacher when it comes to teaching them things about who we are as Dine people. From singing to dancing to sewing our Navajo clothing and knowing our Diné history, its me teaching them based on the knowledge I was taught while living on the Navajo reservation. I have family who help me out when I have questions about certain meanings of songs, dances, baskets, cradleboards, etc. I also use youtube to watch Navajo learning videos with my girls and find songs to sing together. Learning the basics of Navajo language is what I'm working on with my daughters. They seem to catch on better through singing. My niece who does the Navajo basket dance in Tuba City taught my oldest daughter through a recorded video of herself. I'm so blessed to have family that I can count on if I ever need their help in anyway. My mom is a seamstress and sends us Navajo attire for events we attend or are apart of when the Chicago Native community have functions going on.
Our community has a lot of events that go on throughout the year. From pow wows, to teaching how to make moccasins, how to make a drum, learn about herbal medicine plants, and so much more.
Even today I'm still learning about my culture.
We may live off the reservation but we are doing our best to not forget where we come from. This picture was taken in August of 2018. We are 4 generations Zuni Edgewater strong!
Its so easy to lose or give up and submit to just living the "city life" but for me, that's not my option. I'm an urban indigenous woman that will continue passing down cultural knowledge to my daughters and hope they will continue it as well.
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