The figure in front of you depicts a Hopi bride dressed in her traditional wedding attire. Hopi weddings take place over six to ten days and include a series of elaborate gift exchanges between the bride and groom’s families. One of the gifts is the traditional wedding outfit worn by the bride. Each part of her outfit is woven by the groom and the men of his family and given to her as a gift. Hopi ceremonial garments are symbolic pathways that connect the living and spiritual realms. They prepare the bride for life on earth, and also for the afterlife. The bride wears a white robe over her shoulders. She carries a reed case inside of which is a larger robe and a long fringed white belt. The robes are covered with liquid white clay and symbolize the white clouds that precede rain. You can see elaborate tassels attached to the four corners of the robe. These symbolize her power to bear children. Inside each tassel is a tube of white and black yarn symbolizing the uterus – the home of the unborn child. The orange yarn symbolizes the placenta, the blood and veins of life that nourish the child. The braided patterns on the tassels represent kernels on an ear of corn, which is the staple of their traditionally agricultural way of life.