I have found that pricing beadwork is one of the most difficult tasks. I was recently reading through the comment thread of another Indigenous beadworker’s Instagram post. She was asking for perspectives on pricing, and someone had mentioned that they purposely priced their beadwork low because they did not depend on beadwork sales to earn a living and because they had empathy for all the aunties on a budget who normally wouldn’t be able to afford some nice beadwork.

I realized that to understand Navajo beadworking, its helpful to compare it to another North American tribe. Being that I am a Navajo woman living in Dakota territory, I found this comparison appropriate.

The naja pendant, an inverted crescent-shaped symbol, commonly seen in Diné silverwork, is most recognizable as the centerpiece of the squash blossom necklace. The exact origin of the symbol is still up for debate.

If you are like me, you have used the words “traditional” and “contemporary” to describe Native American art. But what do I actually mean when I use these terms? This is not a topic that I have ever explored in depth, at least not until I read an article about it in First American Art Magazine titled “Why Categorizing Native Art as ‘Traditional’ and ‘Contemporary’ is Toxic,” which inspired me to sit down and really think about it.