Navajo Naja Squash Blossom Necklaces
While the origins of the squash blossom design remain unclear, some say it harkens back to floral silverwork motifs – not squash, but pomegranate blossoms – used in brooches worn by Spanish colonists. These necklaces are but one of many examples of the Navajo reinterpreting incoming culture.
The meaning of the NAJA, or crescent-shaped motif, remains contested. Some say it evokes the horseshoes of Spanish conquistadors, while others suggest it represents the womb. Which reminds me. Nearby the Four Corners, and not far from the Navajo Nation, there’s a place called Horseshoe Canyon. As the name suggests, the canyon, like the NAJA, is bent into a horseshoe. Traditionally desert dwellers, the Navajo lived in a finite world. Living close to the land, they translated its most prominent features into art. This kind of creation, where complex worlds are born from limited resources.
Notice anything about the NAJA? It’s asymmetrical. Fittingly, the beads strung on the rawhide cord are also handmade and unevenly sized. This organic styling is not a sign of imperfection. This the point. In the plant and animal kingdoms, there is no such thing as perfect symmetry. What makes this jewelry misshapen makes it natural, and thereby makes it familiar. This attitude toward craftsmanship is why Navajo jewelry so relatable and appealing.
印第安Navajo月牙與石榴花項鍊
Squash Blossom是18-19世紀美國印地安人最標誌性的款式－花狀珠/石榴花，又有人稱為南瓜花，最早用於19世紀從西班牙殖民者，身上所穿的胸針看到石榴花的形狀製作而來，對 NAVAJO 人來說就是象徵希望和豐收。
NAJA倒月牙的標誌一開始是由中世紀的摩爾人掛在馬頭上，用來避邪並祈求旅途平安、成功歸來，傳至西班牙人再帶到印地安，對NAVAJO 人是象徵幸運的意思。NAJA因新月圖案而被人稱為月牙，亦有人說它是馬蹄鐵，而另一些人則認為它代表了子宮。 在NAVAJO國家不遠有一個叫做馬蹄峽谷(Horseshoe Canyon)的地方。 即是像NAJA一樣的峽谷彎成了馬蹄形。 傳統上是沙漠居民，NAVAJO人生活在一個有限的世界裡，居住在土地附近，他們將其最突出的特徵轉化為藝術，讓人感受到複雜的世界源於有限的資源的道理，富創造性。
細心留意NAJA, 它是不對稱的。 恰好，生牛皮繩上的珠子也是手工製作的，尺寸不均勻。在動植物的世界中，沒有完美的對稱。是什麼讓這件珠寶變形讓它變得自然，從而使它變得熟悉。 這種印地安銀飾工藝的態度正正就是NAJAVO如此吸引人的地方，獨特而具魅力文化。
Welcome to Share our Article and subscribe our Updates .