KUMEYAAY CLOTHING

The Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian "Our Lives" exhibition Kumeyaay Nation displays a traditional Kumeyaay dress, ribbon blouse shirt and KUMEYAAY GOURD RATTLES, modern traditional Native American cultural clothing.

PHOTO SHOOT and digital production contributed by Hank and Shirley Murphy.

Kumeyaay Bird Dancing Exhibition 2005:

Young Kumeyaay woman female bird dancer Mariana Gomez (Kumeyaay tribe) dances at a 2005 cultural gathering on the Sycuan Indian Reservation wearing the traditional skirt and ribbon shirt of her Kumeyaay people. Sycuan is about 30 miles west of Campo.

Mariana hand-made her Kumeyaay dress and ribbon blouse. I am not sure if Mariana makes juncus pendant necklaces, coiled juncus earrings or maybe her friend, Marta, weaved the juncus jewelry.

Mariana Gomez made a matching Kumeyaay cultural outfit for her young daughter, Sholuk.

"Sholuk" is a Kumeyaay word that translates to "Lightning" in English.

Sholuk and two Native American tribal girls are pictured performing cultural dances for pow-wow judges, families and reservation visitors during a Sycuan gathering, September 10, 2005.

The young Kumeyaay Native American Indian mother and daughter took great pictures in their matching handmade Kumeyaay dresses, ribbon shirts, juncus earrings and pendants.

Mariana and Sholuk are culturally active on the United States Kumeyaay reservations, and the Kumiai Indio ejidos in Baja California. Pictured at a local Kumiai fiesta in remote mountain ejido San Jose de la Zorra, Mexico at the family ranch in support of their good friend Marta Rodriguez (Kumiai). Marta is wearing traditional clothing and speaking into a microphone. San Jose de la Zorra is about 35 miles south of the Campo Indian Reservation.

NATIVE AMERICAN INDIAN GOURD RATTLES audio and video recordings of tribal singers.

OVER 100 PROFESSIONAL NATIVE AMERICAN INDIAN EXHIBITION PHOTOS pictured at a 2005 Southern California Indian traditional Kumeyaay gathering featuring Kumeyaay bird dancers dancing in KUMEYAAY DRESSES and Kumeyaay bird singers in ribbon shirts singing and playing KUMEYAAY GOURD RATTLES, including Yuman Indians from across Southern California and northern Baja California, Mexico. Natives pictured may include the Diegueño Kumeyaay Kumiai, Mohave, Quechan, Cocopah Cucapa, Cahuilla, Pai Pai Paipai, Ipai Tipai, Hualapai, Kiliwa, Havasupai, Maricopa, and Yavapai aboriginal Yuman Indians of North America.

Photos, Pictures, website, design and commentary by Gary Ballard, San Diego.