dream

i started curried myrrh from the heart of my tribe, for the soul of the others.

it’s not enough to just create; i want to connect & give. i want to put hands to work, hearts at ease, and spirit to rest.

this work is truly out of my heart, and is drawn from the depths of my history—but it is also a beacon that compels me to think and dream about how my product could be useful and could embody something more than what it actually is.

each style i make has a name—i mean, it actually has a name. it's not something that i ‘give’ it; i feel like i was given the design, and thus, by this sheer fact alone, it comes with its own name. i go through some thought, research, and consideration, and then it emerges and carries with it the meaning behind the piece that launches it out. and that is what i am envisioning: a carrying forward of all of these names, and the attributes they represent.

imazighen is the name of the native people of north africa, and it means “free people.” my first collection was inspired by and named after this tribe. (ironically, my first client was also called “free people.”) all my collections have in their heart the timeless and global captivation with the created ‘headdress,’ and it is my dream to unite the inspiration with some tangible collaboration and assistance.

it would be quite amazing to commission and purchase beadwork, embroidery, scarves, tassels, and the like—to use for my headpieces. this would not only make them exceptional, it would provide income for a tribal craftsman and connect our world with their world. i want to put a face with the product, and a livelihood to the life. not only do i want to see our culture encounter and support these tribal people to preserve their native craft—but i envision tribes helping out each other. one handcrafted item made, featured, and sold specifically to support the need of another. i want to modernize the collaboration with them, curating relevant and refreshed versions of age-old craftsmanship to produce exceptionally tasteful and exquisitely unique designs.

tribe to tribe, tribe for tribe.

and oh—tribes are not just on distant far-off shores, they are indeed in our own backyard as well. i aspire to connect with our native american artists as well as with the ‘lost tribes’... marginalized and struggling groups in our modern culture that have become—like it or not—a tribe in and of themselves. homeless students, people with limited mobility here at home are as much in need of opportunity and elevation as those in far-flung places.

if you have any ideas or want to connect about this dream, please throw me a line. would love to chat.

truly, we are all united in our sufferings, so what a gift to be able to bear one another's burdens and celebrate the power to overcome.

i look forward to seeing where we can take each other in the spirit of ‘living free.’

perhaps we are closer to the kingdom than we think.