Disruption, Spring 1997

An Albuquerque school board has refused to allow an Indian girl
 to graduate in a traditional shawl handmade by her grandmother, citing
 "disruption" of the ceremonies. . .S

 The speakers droned on in English
 and her mind wandered.

She caressed the bundle absentmindedly
 as if to stroke one last time
 the cloth she had labored over for so many nights
 after cleaning the rooms at the motel.

 She smiled at her cleverness.
 She had taken the silver concho belt
 that had belonged to her man and his father before.
 Having no male children or grandchildren
 she let the trader
 cut it to fit a womanUs waist,
 leaving some room
 for the fullness to come in the years beyond eighteen.

 Her man had been large,
 from a clan of large men,
 and the excess silver from his belt
 bought the fine cloth and bright threads
 and her fingers did the rest.

It was not her tribal custom
 to speak the names of the dead
 but she saw in her mind's eye
 his smiling face
 shining with pride in his granddaughter
 and pride in his wife.

 Jolted to attention
 by the calling of her granddaughter's English name,
 she moved like a dark shadow
 through the white throng
 clutching the contraband to her chest with both hands
 and as the dark-eyed Indian girl stepped from the stage
 the grandmother, greatly daring,
 opened the shawl with the bright colors
 and the thousands of tiny stitches
 and the perfect fringe
 and threw it over the shoulders of the girl who stood,
 first in her family,
 clutching her diploma.