On World Doll Day, Max traveled to New Mexico to visit her good friends, Squash Blossom, who is one of the Diné (also known as Navajo), and Elder Hitty, who is a member of Zuni Pueblo. The Zuni people call themselves the A:shiwi (the People). Elder Hitty is carrying a leather pouch. What could be inside? It’s a beautiful Zuni Fetish beaded necklace. A Fetish is a small carving of an animal used for ceremonial purposes. These guardian animals give the owner special powers. Elder Hitty asks Max if she would like to have the necklace, and of course she says yes! Then Max asks Elder Hitty to tell her…
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Native Pueblo Manta Dress
The Pueblo peoples are Native Americans living in the Southwest, mostly in New Mexico. Pueblo is a Spanish word meaning “village,” and there are 19 pueblos in New Mexico, each with its own unique culture and traditions. You can learn more about them on the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center website. This off-the-shoulder dress, called a “Manta,” is a typical style for women of the Hopi and Zuni Pueblos. Traditionally, it was made of dark colored wool or cotton blankets. Some of the blankets had fancy red woven borders. Here is one example in the National Museum of the American Indian: Other blankets were white with elaborate multi-colored borders. Here is…
