A Joyful Beginning...

One of the joyful new beginnings so far in January was the baby shower today for Moriyah. "Mori" is due on January 21st! Cassie and Michael, a Jewish couple who are Reiki teachers, as well as friends and comrades in many areas are expecting their son in two weeks. When my daughter Ariele and I asked what they might like for the shower they expressed that they would like to find some baby moccasins for Moriyah.

I had a pair of tan or brownish leather moccasins in mind when I was looking for some this week, but there were none to be found "in all the land," except by internet order. It has been a few years since I searched for baby items, but I thought it wouldn't be difficult to find baby moccasins, especially since we live in Oklahoma which was once Indian Territory! With no time for ordering online, I continued the search until high-noon this morning, just in time for the shower. I even thought of making a pair, but with time running out, I continued the search. Going by suggestions from previous shops I visited, one specialty shop owner suggested a place in downtown Edmond called, "Simply Southwest" (at 1 North Broadway, Edmond, OK) only about one mile/minute from my home.

My week-long search had led me to this store (trading post) which I have passed many times, but I hadn't been inside before. The previous shop where I stopped suggested I check with them and the owner even called ahead to check for me and see if they had any baby moccasins. They said they did have one pair of baby moccasins in their store so I went in, surprised to see that the moccasins were in the display case along with all the other southwestern-style jewelry... I say other jewelry because the moccasins were just as much jewelry with bead work and were truly a work of art - a national treasure, not only for the Osage Nation but our own.

The owner explained that the moccasins were authentic Osage Indian moccasins, hand-stitched by a local Osage artist from tender deer skin hide and traditional Osage bead work. If I had to choose a gift "fit" for the newborn baby of a tribal chief, or for the baby Jesus even, these are the moccasins I would choose, the moccasins of a true shaman, ready to be a wind-walker or to dance among the stars.

The shop was full of beautiful art from various tribes, Hopi Kachina Dolls, intricate Navajo pottery, woven blankets and silversmith jewelry with turquoise, as well as many other southwestern works of jewelry and art. After talking with the shop owner, I learned that she also is an Osage. We parted with the moccasins and a gift she gave us of a book written by another local Osage author, a science-fiction writer, who had just been in the shop. She gave us the book and seemed satisfied that the moccasins would be appreciated and become a treasure to their new owners for generations to come.