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Pat Pruitt’s DragonFly Earrings Take Flight on Election Night
Groundbreaking New Mexico Governor-elect Deb Haaland wore the earrings, our Piece of the Week, when she declared victory on Tuesday.
On election night, New Mexico Governor-elect Deb Haaland wore a pair of titanium dragonfly earrings by metalsmith Pat Pruitt that are similar to the pair pictured here.
The 2026 midterm elections brought a wave of historic firsts.
On Tuesday night, former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland won the 2026 New Mexico gubernatorial election, making her the first Native American woman governor in the United States.
On election night, Haaland, a member of Laguna Pueblo, wore a pair of “DragonFly” earrings by Pat Pruitt, a metalsmith of Laguna Pueblo, Chiricahua Apache, and Anglo descent.
On Tuesday night, former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland won the 2026 New Mexico gubernatorial election, making her the first Native American woman governor in the United States.
On election night, Haaland, a member of Laguna Pueblo, wore a pair of “DragonFly” earrings by Pat Pruitt, a metalsmith of Laguna Pueblo, Chiricahua Apache, and Anglo descent.
Embed from Getty Images
The earrings were crafted from anodized titanium in blue, green, and purple, while a laser was used for the detail work.
Pruitt debuted his DragonFly earrings in 2015 using exclusively zirconium, chosen for its rich black color, he explained in an email to National Jeweler.
This design was inspired by the black dragonfly imagery that fashion designer Pilar Agoyo of the Ohkay Owingeh, Cochiti, and Kewa Pueblos was using in her work at the time and featured the traditional double-cross motif that Pruitt’s mentor, master silversmith Greg Lewis of Laguna Pueblo, taught him.
Since 2015, Pruitt has transitioned from using zirconium to anodized titanium because it allows him to produce the DragonFly earrings in a variety of colors.
Pruitt said in the email, that having Haaland wear his work is an extraordinary honor.
“Her support and advocacy for Native artists mean a great deal to our creative community. Knowing that she specifically chose my earrings makes the recognition even more meaningful,” Pruitt wrote.
“As a fellow Laguna Pueblo person, there is also a personal connection that makes the moment particularly humbling. I’m genuinely grateful.”
Tuesday wasn’t the first time Haaland has worn Pruitt’s DragonFly earrings when making history.
In 2021, she donned a pair for her swearing-in ceremony as then-President Joe Biden’s secretary of the interior, making her the first Native American to lead a U.S. cabinet agency.
Pruitt’s other designs, including the star earrings Haaland wore in Vogue’s Summer 2026 issue, are available on the Pat Pruitt website.
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