Acoma
In the following shot, we observe an Acoma man looking serenely into the camera lens. The Acoma people are indigenous to the southwestern United States, specifically the state of New Mexico. The Acoma village, which is thought to have been founded in the 12th century, is a World Heritage Site that still retains the majority of its original structure. The Acoma erected the settlement on sheer cliff faces to protect against marauding and attacks from adjacent neighbors. The cliff faces provide natural defense, and the only entry into the settlement was by a narrow ladder cut out of the rock bed.
Acoma
Haschebaad
The Navajo people worship a broad set of gods and goddesses. This photograph depicts a Navajo man wearing a religious mask that represents the deity Haschebaad. The mask is used during medical rites because the goddess’s power is said to benefit the sick. Only Navajo men are allowed to wear this mask. Unlike masks symbolizing masculine deities, the Haschebaad mask allows men to show more of their hair, emphasizing the goddess’s more feminine qualities. The mask is not extremely ornate, but it always includes a piece of abalone shell and either turkey, woodpecker, or eagle feathers.
Haschebaad
