Self Portrait Naawakamigookwe | Center of the Earth Woman ( (Ojibwe name )

My self-portrait is about the cocktail of both despair and hope that I feel as a mother and wife in this family and about my purpose in this world. I’m in the dark and naked. I often feel I have nothing to offer my children or my husband. I am of Scandinavian decent, but I don’t even know what that means to me. I don’t have ways of being handed down and taught with purpose, I don’t have things that are known by my people and through my people from ancient times. I don’t have spiritual gifts, birthrights to bestow...etc. No toolbox. I’m just out here winging it loaded up on American culture...gas stations, shopping malls, McDonalds. I didn’t realize how little I had until I realized my husband had so much. I didn’t know how lost I felt until I became aware of how sure footed my husband and my children are. But I have hope. The antlers are on top of my head as if to say, there is something incredible about me too. I also possess a spectacular gift. I can’t see it but I can feel it as though it’s within my very bones, past down from past down from my ancient tribe too. And someday I’ll know how to use it and be empowered by it.

Blair Treuer