The blood in our veins is what gives us life. Its importance is celebrated in various tribes as a fact. Unfortunately, it is this same substance that is at risk for a sickness that is taking a portion of our people. HIV infection rates in native people have consistently ranked third in the nation behind Hispanic and black communities, although precise figures are nearly impossible to determine because of problems of misidentification as native and miscommunications between tribal health clinics and national research. Under representation and misleading figures veil the fact that new HIV infections in the native population are steadily rising and have been for the past fifteen years. The lack of frank and open communication based around safe sex plays its role in this increase. The taboos of speaking openly about unsafe sex and high-risk behaviors such as intravenous drug use have only served to add to new infection rates due to ignorance.

Materials: Size 13 seed beads, Swarovski crystal, Chinese crystal, lapis, Czech glass

Technique: Two needle appliqué, rolled edging, hand sewn

Size: 16x7