A
child that grew up in the arms of
Corn
Mountain,
She
woke to its majesty each morning …
Her name was Margaret
Lewis Edaakie, she was Tsitda (Mother), Hotda (Grandmother), Kya-wu
(Sister) and Kuywa (friend). Her
Indian name was Laughing Eyes and it was a fitting name for such a
beautiful woman who lived her life with purpose and with faith that
could move mountains. She was my husbands beloved Grandmother and the
memories of her amazing life continue to live inside of him as with
the rest of his family.
She was born in Zuni
Pueblo, a small village that sits at the foot of Dowa Yallanne (Corn
Mountain) in New Mexico. The very essence of this prehistoric place
called Zuni can be felt as you climb its mesa’s and breathe the
juniper filled air. Laughing Eyes woke to the majesty of Dowa
Yallanne each morning; she grew up in the arms of this revered
mountain.
The top of this grand
mesa, according to the Zuni creation story, is the place where the
people took refuge during the great flood. Ancient petroglyphs tell
stories from days of long ago when the ancestors made their home
there.
Laughing Eye’s was
respected and loved for her unselfish acts of kindness and generosity
not only to her immediate family but also extended family and those
she called friend. Reservation life had its challenges but there
was no task too big or small that she wouldn’t give of her time.
She opened her home to anyone in need and generously took care of the
poor and disadvantaged. She was a pillar of strength and devotion to
all those who knew her.
My sister Antoinette tells
a heartfelt story of when she was eleven years old. It was 1957 and
there was going to be a square dance at St.Anthony’s school where
she attended. Antoinette became sad as the day drew near because she
knew she would have to attend the event without a special dress. She
couldn’t bring herself to ask for a dress knowing the family didn’t
have much money so she remained silent about it. The day of the
dance came and that evening Antoinette went to her closet and began
to look for something to wear. At that very moment, Grandmother
Margaret came in with a fine-looking white dress she had sewn,
trimmed with silver ric rack and a stunning white petticoat to go
with it. Every stitch was sewn with all the love she could hold in
her heart for a sweet grand daughter. Antoinette said she went to
the dance that night feeling like a princess.
Grandmother spent
countless hours sewing traditional outfits and applying beadwork to
them for her children and grandchildren.
A Grandmother’s love
and care can make precious memories to last a life time.
Grandmother Margaret,
Laughing Eyes, was a composer of songs and when she sang, the sound
of her voice was that of an angel. She sang traditional songs she
had learned from early childhood. Songs for the harvest, songs for
the thunder beings and songs for grinding corn. She sang like a song
bird that is born to sing a thousand songs. Laughing Eyes is the
author of the famous “Zuni Lullaby” song which tells of a young
Indian Mother soothing her little one, which has become an Indian
standard.
My husband Fabian spent
many nights singing our daughter to sleep with Grandma Song’s.
After she’d already been tucked in I would hear her call out
“Daddy, come and sing me Grandma Song’s.” The first time I
heard the voice of Laughing Eyes was when the Library of Congress
sent us some of her early recordings from 1946. None of the family
had heard her sing since 1972 and when the CD arrived we all gathered
around to listen and there were many tears.
Laughing Eyes was the
first woman allowed to sing at the ceremonial opening of the 1933
Chicago Worlds Fair. After the fair, she was summoned to Atlantic
City, New Jersey to perform for Queen Elizabeth’s parents. In 1937
Laughing Eyes along with her family dance group from Zuni performed
some traditional Zuni dances for the opening of the Golden Gate
Bridge in San Francisco.
During World War II, she
sang in the Hollywood Bowl to sell war bonds and she sang in New York
at the dedication of the Santa Fe railroad’s El Capitan.
Grandmother was a seasoned
entertainer and performed every summer at the Stand Rock Indian
Ceremonials in the Wisconsin Dells along with her family from 1933
until 1972. She was skilled at making exquisite silver and turquoise
jewelry and her beadwork was sought after.
It is my sincere desire
that the song I wrote
for Grandmother Margaret
called
“Song for Laughing Eyes”
will help to nurture the memory of her in the hearts and minds of her
Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren.
As you can see, her
accomplishments were many and stretched far beyond the boundaries of
the reservation. She was a woman of status and well respected in her
community and among her piers. If ever there was an ambassador for
the village of Zuni it was Margaret Lewis Edaakie. She showed us all
that holding onto traditional family values and the power of love is
the glue that holds a family together.
Grandma Margaret
Grandma Margaret
Song
for Laughing Eyes
From the Album “Out of the Ashes”
A child that grew up in
the arms of Corn Mountain
She woke to its majesty
each morning,
In the sleepy Zuni morning
Her hair was as black as a
moonless night sky
Pulled back by tradition
to show her face,
The face of innocence
They called her Laughing
Eyes
She could melt the coldest
heart
They called her Laughing
Eyes
Laughing Eyes …..
She grew old and wise in
the arms of Corn Mountain
She sang songs of love to
her children
She taught them to her
children.
They called her Laughing
Eye’s
She could sing an angel’s
song,
They call her Laughing
Eye’s
Laughing Eye’s ….
We still sing your songs …
They called her Laughing
Eye’s
She could sing an angel’s
song,
They call her Laughing
Eye’s
Laughing Eye’s ….
Grandma, sing your
beautiful songs …
When all was said and all
was done,
And the road of life had
been well traveled,
The Great Mystery gave her
rest
In the arms of Corn
Mountain
Dowa Yallanne
Shelley Morningsong ©
