From my childhood days, I’ll always remember the summer road trips I spent with my family, travelling through the American Southwest. From Southern California we’d all hop into the family sedan, a 1960s Dodge Dart, and just start driving – through Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. Towns like Barstow, Needles, Flagstaff and Gallup were regular stops during these trips. Besides the regular attractions like the Grand Canyon, we would also stop to visit a few Native American gift shops found along the way. One item that is predominantly featured is turquoise jewelry. Turquoise jewelry has a special meaning to the Hopi Indian tribe. Turquoise stands for water and for sky, for bountiful harvests, health and protection. Blue-green symbolizes creation and the hope for security and beauty.