Natachee Momaday Gray is a Santa Fe native and narradora indígena. Her work focuses on the melding of art and myth, ancestry and nostalgia, food and prayer, glamour, frivolity and the passage of time. She comes from a long lineage of storytellers and honors this tradition by bringing a charm and seduction to stories overlooked and undertold. Moving between English, Spanish, and the blood memory of the Plains people, she addresses her boundless identity, often using the alias Tatja Lucia. Find her first collection of poetry, Silver Box, at her fave bookstore Collected Works or online.

What is success to you?

• Being strong and courageous enough to follow my heart and bring my dreams to fruition despite all obstacles.  Success to me is sticking to my guns and following through no matter what. Since I was a little girl, I am grateful I was told to reach for the stars, and that made me feel like anything was possible if I really wanted it. Hard work, dedication to my craft, and my trust in self and god has carried me to where I am proud to be right now. 

What is magic for you?

• our earth, the ocean & sky. Ancestral stories. Hominal belonging. Friendship. Being in love. 

What is love for you?

• Everything currently in my life. Family. A sweet little existence. A series of firsts. Embarking on the lustrous journey of motherhood. 

What is your beauty /health practice?

• Nourishment, hydration, time in nature, a cognizance of blessing, turning inward, honoring my elders, prayer, sex, movement, closeness with creator, quiet time, sleep, authenticity to self. These are all integral to a true and honest regiment of beauty and personal upkeep. Visual evidence of one living a full unapologetic life is so beautiful and alluring. Wearing your survival on your sleeve. Ruts, scars, wrinkles, skin burnished by the sun. 

What makes your spirit glow?

• Spontaneity. Heat. Spice. Passion. Adventure. 

How do you stay centered in the middle of chaos?

• I pray. And I always trust my angels to have my back. There’s sometimes only so much we can do to stay in control, and at a certain point you just have to lean into that trust and surrender. The way one’s system processes and navigates hardship and blooms upwards with resilience is what makes them beautiful and unique. 

What causes /organizations are you passionate about?

• Recognition and honoring of indigenous communities, helping to provide a voice to people who have been silenced, nurturing the land and giving back what we’ve taken…. 

If you could say one thing to the world what would you say?

• “Ah-keah-de: They were camping.”

Kiowa. A quote from one of my grandfather’s books, The Ancient Child. It’s taken on a lot of meanings for me. Holds a ton of weight. 

What has been the greatest lesson as a mother you’ve learned? 

• So far, the greatest lessons have been in selflessness, humility, soul-binding, patience, ferocity, devotion and adoration. 

What advice you would give to a new mother? 

Be gentle with yourself.  Feed your soul and trust your primal instincts. The rest will follow naturally.