We are so excited to share our first Artist of the Indigneous Collective, Mer Young!

Mer is "Tongva (Long Beach), Descendant of Chichimeca & Mescalero-Chiricahua Ndé Apache Tribe. Mer Young is an Indigenous published artist who has created a body of artwork manifested in collages, drawings, paintings, and founder of Mausi Murals public artworks. Young's artworks aim to inspire, celebrate and elevate repressed indigenous, first nations and native cultures and women of color. Her works also focus on matters of immigration and the uprising to justice, equality and complete freedom of Black Lives."

What we love about Mer's work is the inclusion of black and brown people's portraits, the incorporation of what feels like multimedia, and mostly the earthy femininity of the colors she uses.

In an interview with the VoyagerLA Mer said, "I have been creating art for some time. I am a multidisciplinary artist who has created a body of artwork manifested in collages, drawings, paintings, and public artworks. I began exhibiting my drawing and paintings in galleries for about ten years. I grew tired of my work being inaccessible then I sought out to do murals. Social media has been helpful as far as gaining recognition for the analogue and digital collage works that I do, it has allowed me to expand and work on commissions."

We are so thankful of Mer for allowing us to be inspired by her amazing work. Mer has her work available in prints!! Make sure to check out her shop here.

When going through Mer's art I was really attracted to her pieces that have that iridescent and almost effervescent feel to them. Dreamy and moody, with deep feelings of being connected to the earth and a resilient strength in every portrait. The Dahteste piece wasn't one I was immediately attracted to for dying inspiration but something about her made me do a double take. Once I started reading about Dahteste, I knew I wanted to represent that and Mer's interpretation of her on our yarns.

From what I can gather (these are only internet searches so please forgive me if I have something wrong here) Dahteste was an Apache warrior who was born into the Chokonen band of the Chiricahua around 1860. Dahteste rode with her husband and children in Cochise's band pushing back against settlers and soldiers who were flooding into the region. Eventually they joined Goyaałé’s (more widely known as Geronimo) band and became a close companion and partner to the famous female warrior Lozen (Lozen’s brother was Geronimo's right hand man). While you can't find an abundant amount of information of Lozen and Dahteste being Two-Spirited partners, it seems back then it was widely known but not emphasized in the history books. Something that makes sense because Two Spirited was looked at naturally and not controversially by many Indigenous tribes but of course the colonial history books would never want to acknowledge that.

Below I have listed a few websites and resources where you can learn more about Dahteste and Lozen. We are very excited to share and celebrate these amazing women during Pride Month!

Lozen and Dahteste

What Everyone Can Learn About Women’s History From This Two-Spirit Love Story

5 Two-Spirit Heroes Who Paved the Way for Today's Native LGBTQ+ Community

The Woman Who Watches Over the World: A Native Memoir (this isn't about Lozen or Dahteste but thought it was worth mentioning!)

Written by the Body: Gender Expansiveness and Indigenous Non-Cis Masculinities (again not specific to Dahtesete but more resources for you)

Reclaiming Two-Spirits: Sexuality, Spiritual Renewal and Sovereignty in Native America

The yarn we have chosen this month is our Foxy Lady base, a combo of Silk and Merino fingering weight yarn. The balance of the silk and wool seemed very fitting for this month's inspiration, plus we love this base for the warmer months.

Our dying inspiration was focused on the water in Dahteste's portrait. We loved the inky grey blues of the water, the creams of the grass, and added pops of teal you see in the water and at the top of the picture as well. The color should knit up more as a tonal and less as a variegated, so if you would like to choose a yarn with texture you can do it without losing detail.

I think you will find the yarn much better than the photos, the light blue in the yarn with the combo of the silk was really challenging to photograph. :)

We have created a Ravelry Bundle full of patterns we love with this color and base, you can find that here.

And here are other colors we love with our Mer Young/Dahtesete inspired yarn!

'Dahtesete shown with Amos Moses, Evergreen, and Teton on Foxy Lady' (York would also be a beautiful combo, we were just out of stock when I was taking photos)

'Dahtesete shown in a fade with Crow Camp and Are You Sure Hand Done It That Way on Foxy Lady'

'Dahtesete shown with Mighty Mo (these on Oh Dang would look great too), from left to right 'I've Got Dreams to Remember, Evergreen, Eagle Eye, Medicine Grizzly, York)

With every month in the Indigenous Collective you can order more of the colorway in the listing below. Please know that additional yarn will be a preorder, the listing will be up until the end of the month and will ship mid July. These preorders have been marked down a few dollars as a thank you for being apart of the collective!