Google has created a weaving game in honor of for We:wa, a member of the Zuni tribe, weaver, and ambassador on behalf of Native Americans.
In celebration of the beginning of Native American Heritage Month in the United States, Google has replaced their homepage logo with an interactive Doodle for We:wa, a member of the Zuni tribe, weaver, and ambassador to the United States on behalf of Native Americans in general. We:wa — sometimes stylized “We’wha” — was born within the state of New Mexico in 1849, as a part of the Zuni people. That same year, the Zuni people began openly engaging with the American people. Unfortunately, this led to tragedy as the American colonists brought smallpox with them, which ultimately killed both of We:wa’s parents. Part of Zuni culture is the role of Łamana — sometimes stylized “lhamana” — a person assigned male at birth who instead takes on the societal and domestic duties traditionally reserved for females, including cooking, cornmeal grinding, pottery. While typically Łamana are recognized very early on in childhood, We:wa was treated as a Zuni boy, not being recognized as Łamana until their teenage years. As a distinguishing trait, the Łamana will often wear a mixture of masculine and feminine clothing. In 1864, We:wa’s adoptive family moved, along with other families, to other Zuni lands to become farmers. In contrast to their more feminine role to that point, by farming, We:wa was at the time taking on a more masculine role.
