Today we’d like to introduce you to Kimey Begaye.
Hi Kimey, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Kimimila’s beadwork – A Butterfly’s Journey Through Beads and Tradition
Pronounced (KEE-MEE-MEE-LAH)
“Kimimila” is the Lakota word for Butterfly.
Kimimila is my Native name, and in English, my business can be known as Butterflies Beadwork. My government name is Kimey Begaye. I am a full Native American Woman, my mother is Lakota, and my father is Dine (Navajo). I was born in Winslow, Arizona and raised in the Navajo Nation surrounded by the deep traditions of my people. Raised in a tight-knit multigenerational household, I was immersed in a traditional lifestyle. That powerful upbringing gave me a strong sense of identity, and an artistic lens shaped by the passion of those I loved. (horseback riding, hiking, fishing, camping, pinon picking, stargazing, baking, drawing, painting, sewing, and gardening.) My great grandmother is one of my influences, she is always sending me photos of hummingbirds and flowers for beadwork inspiration. It reminds me of how deeply connected we are to Mother Earth and Father Sky.
I began my connection with beadwork at a very young age alongside my mother, who made dreamcatchers. We sold them together on the Navajo Reservation in laundry mats and motel lobbies- just like many other Native artists do to support their families. In many multigenerational households, you’ll find a deep sense of spirituality, Ké (Kinship), and an unbreakable connection to the land. My culture is beautifully rich in tradition, love, and community; but like many others, it also carries the weight of generational trauma, poverty, divorce, and grief that spans lifetimes. Like many Native people, this wasn’t just something I observed, it was the reality I was born into. These hardships shaped my world from an early age, and for a time, threatened to consume me. Our homes carry deep wisdom and strength. Beadwork became my strength. Threading each needle, choosing each color carefully, it was medicine. In beading I found quiet, rhythm, and purpose. It became a way to honor my ancestors, to reclaim my identity, and to express stories that words couldn’t hold. Through my beadwork, I began to heal, bead by bead. Trauma may be passed down but so can beauty, resilience, and the power to transform pain into something beautifully sacred. Just as a true butterfly would.
In 2016, I moved away from home to seek new opportunities in Pauma, California with my aunt and uncle. This is where I found my way back to beadwork. When I began beading I felt like my ancestors were on my side, cheering me on. I felt at home and a sense of peace. My papa bought me beads before I left to California and reminded me of the talent and value I held inside. After graduating High School, I attended Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. I began selling my beadwork to family and friends to make a little cash to get me through college. They were the ones to encourage me to take the next step starting a business page on Instagram and Facebook and eventually launching a website. (Kimimilasbeadwork.com)
In 2020 I began to seriously create my own business, slowly selling at farmers markets, creating my business name, logo, color scheme, getting canopies and tables. It was a lot of trial and error- learning on my own where to get beads at, the different types, sizes, price points, artificial vs. authentic, and how to master the technical elements of beading. I had to learn who my customers were and what they liked the most from the art I sold. Over time, I explored different styles and discovered what worked best for me. My jewelry incorporates a diverse range of traditional elements like hide, fur, shell, juniper berries, and sinew.
While in college I decided I wanted to share my passion and all the knowledge I knew to others to spark the creativity in them to create beadwork. I began teaching beadwork classes at the Native American Center, becoming the first to do so as part of a paid internship. Through these classes, I helped students reconnect and learn about Native culture and art- teaching them how to create earrings, keychains and even helping graduating seniors bead their own graduation caps. These experiences were very sentimental to me because that was me once, having a hard time putting a thread through a needle.
In my final semester, I entered and won a business competition. The recognition and funds helped me officially register Kimimila’s Beadwork as an LLC.
I graduated in 2023 with a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Human Services as a first-generation college student. Since then, I have continued to teach beadwork classes online and in person, traveling to various vendor events across California, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado. My beloved beadwork has reached homes in over 20 states. My designs are a unique blend of traditional elements with a modern flair to engage younger generations to wear beadwork or even create their own. It is vital to pass on Indigenous culture and arts to the youth, as they are our future!
In 2024, I accomplished several milestones with my beadwork. I was able to bead medallions for 17 Native high school graduates, being a first-time fashion designer while representing Missing Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW – now formally known as MMIP Missing Murdered Indigenous Peoples) at the “Walking Through Borders, United Through Culture” fashion show in Denver, Colorado. I was 1 of 3 Indigenous artists nationwide that won the Young Tribal Leaders Art Contest hosted by the Bureau of Indian affairs (BIA). My piece was focused on environmental issues affecting the Navajo Reservation, which earned me a trip to Anchorage, Alaska to showcase at the National Indigenous Tribal Climate Conference (NITCC).
In 2025, I have been interviewed by local newspapers and recognized by my supporters at Powwows, Traditional Gatherings, and various vendor events. From August 2025 to March 2026, My beadwork will be exhibited at the Museum Of Beadwork in Portland, Maine. These pieces highlight vital Indigenous issues like MMIP, Environmental Injustice and All Children matter.
Over the years, I’ve had the honor of creating countless pieces of beadwork- each one meaningful not only to me, but to the person it was made for. Beadwork is for all of life’s moments. I am incredibly proud of what I’ve made and I want to continue to share my work for others to cherish. Beadwork is not only art, it is healing and medicine.
Pricing:
- Beaded keychains $45
- Beaded lanyards $100
- Earrings 25$ up to 400$
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kimimilasbeadwork.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimimilasbeadwork
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kimimilasbeadwork
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@kimimilasbeadwork
