12/17/2021
With permission, I share this sacred Navajo dance on Table Rock at Garden of the gods in The Shawnee National Forest.
What an honor to have captured this moment. Under normal circumstances I wouldn’t have photographed or recorded a sacred moment like this, however this was a moment created for us to capture.
Truly a special moment and a gift for all.
“The dance is called a sneak up and is a northern traditional dance usually done by northern plains tribes. It is a dance that warriors used to tell the story of a hunt or war party. In the first part of the song, they are down tracking the enemy. In the second part of the song they stand and confront their enemy. The song is by the drum group Eyabay from Red Lake, Minnesota.” -Marcus and Maridy
Continued from the past few posts…
It was a stormy day when my friend said, “want to meet me at Garden of the gods to photograph my brother in law in his regalia?” I immediately squealed “yes” with a grateful heart and jetted out the door and prayed the whole way that the rain would stop and the sun would come out in time for golden hour.
You see, it had always been a dream of mine to photograph a Native American in regalia.
The sun peeked out of the clouds into full golden hour glory and a gorgeous layer of haze filled the rocks and the tops of the trees. That is when I got the stunning silhouette of “My Navajo Dreams“.
I want to wrap up this series with a testament of this experience. It has been my dream to photograph a moment like this. I do not take this opportunity lightly or for granted. I know what an honor it was to first be invited and then to be in such a sacred space. What made it an even greater blessing was being with my friend Becca, her brother in law, Marcus, his wife and daughters. There was so much love, unity, honor and joy in our midst. We truly had a pure and beautiful time of fellowship. The way we prayed through the rain for the sun to come out and then it did, creating the most magnificent backdrop, God was there with us.
We sang worship songs as we walked through the forest, my favorite being “Shalom Alechem”. I’ll never forget this day.
Marcus, designed and created his regalia, so much intricate detailing in every part of his design. You can see on his chest, the central piece that he holds close to his heart, The Cross. A man of faith, a man of God.
This is why I love photographing Sacred Soul Sessions. Who is ready for theirs? Inquire for info on booking a Sacred Soul Session with me.
