FORTITUDE
Deep into Arizona on the side of a small highway is a dirt road lined with a few vendors that sell their wares to tourist.
Marie and her daughter had set up two small tables where they exhibit authentic Indian jewelry which they made themselves. In fact Marie had been making jewelry and selling it on the side of roads and impromptu markets since the late 1970s.
Marie stands less than five feet tall. Frail in stature and unassuming, she stood slightly stooped and kept looking at the ground, never giving me eye contact. At first glance she seemed as she suffered from a bit of low self-esteem rather than a physical condition. However, when she talked about how proud she was taking care of her daughter over the years, she perked up a little. She did not make a lot of money but it was enough.
Part of the Navajo nation, she’s immensely proud of her heritage. As she explained it, Navaho is like its own nation within the US.
“Both Navajo and American blood flows through my veins.” She said as her eyes widened and she stood up straight as she said it.
I asked if I could make her portrait. She shook her head from side to side as she looked at the ground, indicating she did not want her picture taken.
“I understand”, I said.
As I started to walk away, she said, “OK just one picture”.
I got up close, very close. She stood up straight again and this time looked right into my eyes. I raised the camera with my wide angle lens so all that was between us was a small camera less than eleven inches from her nose. She didn’t even blink.
We didn’t take just one shot, we took at least fifteen and enjoyed the entire few minutes we spent doing it. I let the camera dangle around my neck and smiled indicating we were done, she immediately went back to her pre-photo shoot posture.
She is humble but has the kind of strength my mother had. Inside that petite body was a lion’s spirit who would fight to the last breath for what she believed. Even the frailest among us just might be the strongest.
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