Creation Date

1937 – 1942

Description

"This silver necklace is part of a complete set of jewelry, made for me by Kenneth Begay, a full-blood Navajo who was married to Mrs. Bryan's daughter. Mrs. Bryan taught weaving at the Fort Wingate Indian School, Fort Wingate, New Mexico. The particular design of this necklace is that of a moon surrounded by small round stars. A large moon-star pendant hangs from the center of this necklace, and four smaller moon-star lobes hang on either side of this. The necklace was made exactly to fit my neck, and I have worn it for many years while I was in the Indian service."

I recieved an e-mail from Kenneth Begay's daughter Kay Begay Rogers in May 2016:

My guess about the complete jewelry set is he made the set while teaching silversmithing at Tuba City and Ms. Helbing happened to see him while my parents visited my grandmother in Fort Wingate. Or she made the connection by my grandmother and meet him at Tuba City Boarding School. He taught there 1936-1938 school years. My mother spoke of their early years of marriage when they both made buttons because at that time many traditional Navajos adorned their blouses with buttons and collar pins. My parents married in 1937 and my grandmother died in 1942 so the circa of the set is within those years. I hope this helps you.

My grandmother was Nonabah Gorman Bryan and my mother was Eleanor Bryan Begay, both of them were weavers and my grandmother was very instrumental in reviving the use of native plants for dying of wool and taught many young women at Fort Wingate her knowledge of native dyes.