Memorial Day :: Clifton Heritage Park

Sacred Space Sculpture Garden

One of the most interesting places we visited while in the Bahamas was Clifton Heritage Park on the Western tip of the island of New Providence where slaves were brought ashore. A place where European ships dock after a grueling Middle Passage sail across the Atlantic with human cargo in their hulls. It is the Bahamas first national park that protects and preserves a deep history of slavery. Not to celebrate it, but to learn and remember those that lived their entire lives on this plantation. While exact counts vary, it is estimated that 11 to 15 million Africans were kidnapped from their homes and forced into slavery during the 16th - 19th centuries.

Slave home ruins

There is a sculpture garden by Antonius Roberts that he calls Sacred Space with African figures carved from driftwood. It is a tribute to the first wave of those who came ashore here. The figures face to the East, in the direction of Africa. The area is remote, but not far outside of Nassau. No public transportation extends this far, but it is easy to hire a car for a short 15 minute drive out to the park. 

The plantation at one point was owned by William Wylly, the Attorney General of the Bahamas. He is said to be one of the more benevolent slave owners, if that is a term you'd use to talk about slavery? He would encourage his slaves to marry and when they did he'd build them their own home. You can see the remains of these homes in the slave village ruins. He also employed a plantation overseer that was of African origin, who also happened to be the local pastor of the church that served the African community.

Coral reef underwater sculpture garden overlook

The beauty of the beaches around the point has made it a popular place to visit. But it also attracted developers who wanted to exclude the public and build a gated community. Bahamians protested to preserve the area as a park with historical significance and what they call a 'cultural treasure' to the local people.

We spent the day hiking around the plantation and snorkeling in the cove where there are sunken statues. Since I have no idea how to do underwater photography I'll give you a link so you can see what is under the surface. The fish were amazing and everywhere. It is a stunning location with panoramic views of the ocean along the cliffs.

Cotton growing wild

The Bahamas is associated with 'Loyalists' who fled the US following the Revolutionary War. They moved to the Bahamas to continue the production of cotton which was in decline due to boll weevil infestations, and a series of devastating hurricanes. Within 20 years, the economy collapsed and many of the landowners abandoned their plantations and returned to England. The slaves were left to fend for themselves.

The British emancipated slavery in 1834 throughout the Empire. At this point the Bahamians were "free to establish their lives according to their own beliefs and in pursuit of their individual happiness." The British establish an apprenticeship program through August of 1838 where they were required by law to teach their former slaves the needed skills to work and provide for themselves. One thing I found fascinating is that the US abolishment of slavery came some 31 years later. What took so long? Too bad the American's didn't take a page out of Bahamian history and not only abolish it earlier, but help to usher them in to a life of freedom.

The Fallen Sky Stone

The Navajo believed that turquoise was a piece of the sky that had fallen to the earth and called it Fallen Sky Stone. It was believed to be a great healing stone. I could use some healing powers this weekend.

The memorial for our friend was on Friday, and there were many tears shed by the people who loved him. From the friends, family and his children who he leaves behind. I wish he could have been there to see how much he was loved.

The weather at the moment looks as I feel. Cold, rainy and grey. Usually I enjoy the rain. It is that Pacific Northwest in me that needs the rain to refresh. It makes me want to sit by the fire and go deep into my own thoughts. I believe that is where I am this weekend. 

The Native American legend celebrates the relief felt when the rains came. Water was the symbol of life.  When the rain began the people would dance and rejoice with tears streaming down their faces. The rain and their tears would mix and seep into Mother Earth to become Sky Stone. A beautiful way to symbolize the cycle of life. There are just moments along the journey that are more difficult than others. And so I may walk in the rain today just to feel it on my face.

Lanie's Heart

Nothing I like better than to make jewelry for a friend. Especially someone who appreciates handmade. 

This piece was made for a friend that enjoys hearts. But as she's grown up her style has changed a bit. She's wearing more leather, and more sophisticated things. So I decided that I'd have to up my game a bit if I was going to design a piece for her birthday this year.

I saw a vintage Czech glass button that I really liked and decided that if I cut the back off I could turn it into a cabochon focal necklace. The Bead Girl says she thinks this has a bit of a steampunk look to it. Perhaps. I just like its old world feel to it. I'm hoping that it looks great with her leather jacket and that she enjoys wearing it.

A Permanent Solution to a Temporary Problem.

Posted on Instagram by another friend from work

This is not my normal type of post, but I feel compelled to write about suicide. A horrible event to all involved. There is no doubt that a person who decides to end their life is at a point where this seems like the only way out of the pain. But the people left behind in that wake of pain is deep. 

I have known several people in my life who have attempted suicide, and luckily they were unsuccessful. And today they live very happy lives. Suicide would have been a permanent solution to a temporary problem in their lives. One of these people is one of my closest friends. She is married to a wonderful man and has two teenage boys who would not be with us today if she had been successful all those years ago.

This winter there were several teen suicides locally where I live. Two were related to competitive grades at school. These two jumped in front of trains. A third was in the school where my oldest daughter attends and was due to bullying. It is so tragic to see young lives ended because they don't have the experience to know that today's pain is a moment in time and that if anything is for certain; life will continue to change. If only they had lived another day understand that.

Recently, a friend from work committed suicide. I was shocked. She was so full of curiosity for life; constantly pushing herself to explore and understand. But a car accident brought pain into her life, and ultimately she took her life. With a gun that should never had been sold to her. This is Kate pictured here a few months before she died.

Yesterday we found out that one of my husband's best friends has taken his life. In the last few years he had been through a rough divorce, but he made it through and it seemed as though he'd found peace with his ex-wife. He has three teenage sons he leaves behind who now have to figure out how to live life without their father. Somehow suicide later in life seems even more difficult to comprehend. My husband has known him since college. We've been with him before he met his wife, after he met his wife, during the births of his sons, after his marriage ended. He knew both how amazing life is and how painful it can be. And that if anything is for certain that tomorrow brings another day. Why he would choose a permanent solution to a temporary problem is hard to understand. The wake of pain he leaves to all that cared about him is deep. I always wonder if the person who commits suicide could just see how much they were loved if it would change their mind. And if that would encourage them to live another day.

Spring Thaw

Spring is in full swing at this point. My hubby's favorite flowers (iris) are just starting to bloom, and my favorite flowers (peonies) are up and will bloom shortly. 

I've been working on a pattern called Spring Thaw created by Christine of OneKissCreations that I seem to be slightly obsessed with at the moment. I've made three of these back to back for some reason. I sit down and bead it start to finish in an evening. 

They really do feel lovely around the wrist, and so I'm trying to decide if I will 'love it, or list it' (for those of you who enjoy the HGTV show!). While I decide, I think I'll put it on and head out to the garden and snap pictures of the flowers. If you follow me on instagram you'll find them over there.

Hathor :: Goddess of Motherhood

After my post yesterday you all are likely wondering how I could possibly have more to say on the topic of turquoise? There is more, lots more. But I'll try to keep it short today and show you a turquoise cuff edged in leather. I think it has a sort of old world basket weave feel.

Since yesterday was Mother's Day, I decided to highlight Hathor the Egyptian goddess of motherhood including feminine love and the principles of joy. She seems to have covered a lot of topics (like most moms) as she was also the goddess of music, dance and foreign lands. I don't know about you, but my daughter's room seems to classify as a foreign land most days with an abundance of ancient artifacts under the bed, severe 'off roading' to get to her closet and a look of 'lost in translation' when I ask her to pick up. Just call me Hathor, goddess of teenage girls.

So what's Hathor got to do with Turquoise? Well, funny you should ask. She also appears to be the patron goddess of miners. Yep, that's right. She really had a full plate this one. And so she also picked up names like "Lady of Turquoise" and "Mistriss of Turquoise." This goddess was a real multi-tasker, but then I suppose motherhood includes a lot of juggling, some feminine love and occasionally principles of joy ... most days.  

Ancient Stones :: Turquoise

One of my favorite stones of all time has to be turquoise. The veining in it is like a heartbeat frozen in time. I love the idea that this stone has been held in the hands of so many people and cultures through the ages. Mined, carved and adorned. It is a rock of rugged beauty.

It is rare to find stones naturally colored blue, and likely even more rare in ancient times without 'man-made,' synthetic stones. From across the globe people have treasured its blue color thought to represent the heavens to the ancient Persian, fertility, good luck and protection against evil to the Egyptians. 

In the Americas it had great healing powers and brought prosperity. Which is why the Aztecs offered it to the Gods and the Anasazi (known as the "Ancient Ones" and the ancestors of the modern Pueblo) used the stone to treat the sick. They believed it could prevent accidental injury, prevent blindness or ease stomach pains. The shaman would grind the stone and have the person ingest it to heal the stomach. Truly, turquoise has such a storied history.  

Persia (Iran) is known for the purity of its turquoise. Some describe a bright blue turquoise as "Persian blue" based on the prized high quality of stone. 

I actually prefer the American version of this stone. Full of inclusions, deposits and other minerals like iron which can infuse a green hue to the stone, or copper which gives it a blue color. Deposits from its host stone show up like a spiderweb of brown or black that stone cutters refer to as its matrix. Green turquoise and heavy matrix are less valuable, but I love to see the patterns in the stone. Today, the American Southwest produces some of the world's best turquoise, with Arizona and Nevada supporting more than 120 active mines. People who know turquoise can often tell which specific mine the stone came from, such as the Sleeping Beauty Mine which is known for its light blue turquoise without matrix. It is some of the most sought after (and most expensive) turquoise in the world.

My design is influence by the Mayan calendar which is comprised of two interlocking calendars working simultaneously: the Haab (civil) and the Tzolkin (sacred). The calendars work like a continuous churn of gears in a machine, and represent life as one eternal cycle. While the Mayans did predict centuries into the future, they did not see an end. That's the funny thing with the western interpretation that the Mayan calendar predicted the end of the world. That would have been a foreign concept to them. The turquoise in my design is actually a flaw as the Mayan did not allow anyone to wear it and reserved it as an offering to the gods. I just liked how the copper focal brought out the veining in the turquoise. C'est la vie. Sometimes the flaws in life are more interesting.