Olga Navarro Sainz

Olga Navarro Sainz, is a Cucapah woman. Her mother was a Cucapah and Pai Pai woman. In her own words:

Since the 80's I have overseen different projects for the preservation and revitalization of the Cucapah culture and language, having studied and received a bachelor’s degree in education sciences at the Autonomous University of Baja California.

For the past year, I have been making these bracelets, embroidered with thread and Chaquira, which I have glued on a gold-plated metal base.

My objective of exhibiting my handicrafts is to make known the beautiful works that our Cucapah Indigenous Community makes, and with it to spread and promote our culture.

This technique of embroidery of thread and chaquira, I learned from my relatives who are artisans of the Community itself. By creating these handcrafted pieces, I keep alive my identity as a Cucapah and the tradition that my relatives passed on to me from generation to generation.

IVDM is excited to have 3 jewelry works by Sainz on display as part of Native Voices | Native Truths: A Contemporary Experience.

Embroidered bracelets with thread and chaquira (small plastic beads) on a wooden frame, and glued on a gold plated metal base. The three pieces have designs of arrowheads and diamonds, which were used by our indigenous ancestors as an ethno-territorial process of "marking their territory" for Indians of other reservations in the northwest to see. These marks were painted or engraved on rocky surfaces, called petroglyphs.

Jma’lj, 2023

embroidered bracelets with thread and chaquira (small plastic beads) on a wooden frame, and glued on a gold-plated brass base

20 cm x 2 cm

Word in Cucapah Language, that means white color, its measures of width

in tip 1 cm, center 1.2 cm and length 20.5 cm.

Nñijl, 2023

embroidered bracelets with thread and chaquira (small plastic beads) on a wooden frame, and glued on a gold-plated brass base

21 cm x 2 cm

Word in Cucapah language, which means black color

Psiu, 2023

embroidered bracelets with thread and chaquira (small plastic beads) on a wooden frame, and glued on a gold-plated metal base

21 cm x 2 cm

Word in Cucapah Language, that means Blue color