Our Story
My name is Singer Horse Capture, I am a member of the A'aniiih (ah-ah-nee) tribe of Northern Montana. I grew up in Minnesota in a family that deeply values the arts, and have largely connected to the Indigenous part of my identity through art.
Like many of us, I began spending more time puzzling during the Covid-19 pandemic. One day while working on one, I started imagining what it would be like to do a puzzle that I related to— and pictured how awesome it would be to see my favorite Native artists’ work on a puzzle on the kitchen table. Largely inspired by the Black woman-owned company Apostrophe Puzzles, I began reaching out to existing small puzzle companies to learn more about the business.
Brian and Paige of Very Good Puzzle were instrumental in the creation of this company. We discovered we shared a lot of values and throughout the first half of 2021 they provided guidance and support, and generously made the manufacturing of the first Wahani Puzzle round possible. Their encouragement and belief in my vision for Wahani Puzzles helped me believe my idea could become reality.
Once I began to see the path forward, I reached out to Dyani White Hawk, Kevin Pourier, and Cara Romero to ask if they would be interested in being a part of the debut collection. Those conversations with each artist energized me as they shared their unique reasons for wanting to be part of Wahani. They also placed in me great trust, especially as I figured out (and continue to) how to run a small puzzle company.
The creation of this business was also possible due to the profound support I received through my fundraising campaign, which included the generosity of friends, family, and strangers.
Thank you to the community of folks who have supported this entire process, and continue to do so as I learn how to run a small business.
For each puzzle sold, a portion goes to the artist whose piece is featured. In addition, a percentage of each sale is donated to organizations that support the arts in Native communities.
Wahani Puzzles is currently committed to donating to the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation.
Wahani is a word in the language of the A’aniiih people that is best translated to together in English.
Listen to the video to learn its pronunciation.
About the Wahani Puzzles logo
Jessica Rosemary Harjo of Weomepe Designs and her sister Erica Pretty Eagle Moore of Pretty Eagle Designs collaborated on the Wahani Puzzles logo, drawing from images of historic A’aniiih beadwork.
A’aniiih beadwork is unique within Northern Plains aesthetic. Using spot-stitch technique, the work often has a bold color palette that combines colors rarely seen together on works from other tribes. The primary color choice on these works captures the eye while the secondary colors not only highlight the main color but also stand on their own.
Spend some time looking at the images below, and observe which aspects inspired Jessica and Erica’s work.
Blanket Strip, private collection
Moccasins, collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Moccasins, unknown museum collection
Moccasins, collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Women's Leggings, collection of the Field Museum of Natural History