Tsosie, Boyd Sterling Silver Inlaid Womens Bolo

Back in the 1990s, Boyd told one of the best stories—one that stayed with you. It began with White Shell Woman, the water, the origin—the beginning of creation. From a single cell, the world started to form. And from that water, a girl made of turquoise emerged. Boyd said that the moment she took her first breath, she became more than just matter—she became spirit, a sacred being. That breath made her alive, and in that moment, the holy became human. To mark this transformation, a small piece of turquoise was placed on each side of her neck. Those turquoise stones weren’t just decoration—they meant something deeper. They symbolized the breath of life, the moment the spirit enters the body. Boyd would say, “That first breath you take— it fills you up… and it carries you through life.” The turquoise at the neck connects you to the rainbow, and the rainbow brings the emotions, the colors of being human. He’d motion around the head, explaining the seven directions—seven rainbow stones surrounding the crown. Each one tied to emotion, to energy, to identity. It’s all a cycle. Those stones at the neck? They’re a reflection of the old story—how we were made. How we came together, piece by piece. And Boyd would always end with this truth: “First… was a woman.” Boyd Tsosie