We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Chenoa Hill a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Chenoa, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you tell us about a time that your work has been misunderstood? Why do you think it happened and did any interesting insights emerge from the experience?

My recent project is one that a few have come to disagree with, while others absolutely dig it!

I do realize that this project may be risky, for some, even disrespectful and dishonorable.

My affinity for fashion and the Hindu gods and goddesses inspired this project.

The inspiration for my latest creative project was manifested through a random
night out look.

I recall the precise look, where I decided to rock a tiger printed durag with a red crochet full body dress and cheetah print sandal heels.

Call it odd, but I recognized the resonance between the word “Durag” and the demon-slaying Goddess, Durga.

The genesis of my love for durags actually started a couple of years back when I decided to cut my hair, spontaneously, and I would throw on durags from time to time to keep my waves on swim.
Aesthetically, I just loved how I looked wearing them.

Needless to say, this project creatively just flowed effortlessly, in what I would call “divine timing”.

While sharing some of my own durag designs that I’ve created in good fun, I have received a small portion of backlash for the name I chose for this project, which I will share in this with you in this read.

Fast forward, the wisdom I’ve integrated into my heart in this experience, was the meaning of standing in and the honoring of your truth, your experiences and inspirations.

Embracing the fact that spirituality and fashion are both multidimensional and infinite.

Just as one can’t tell someone how to dress, nor say what fashion is & is NOT to another.
We can’t dictate how someone honors their spirituality.
Spirituality, in essence, is a personal and unique experience.

I have spent many years of my life limiting myself and hiding who I am in exchange for playing it safe and make others comfortable.

Numerology says that 2022 is the year of the six.
The number six symbolizes humanity, harmony, balance and love.

Therefore, I choose to be in harmony with thyself, God and those who love me unconditionally.
This is self-love !

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Greetings! I am Chenoa
A 33-year-old, Arizona native

Originally, I chose the path of walking for my purpose as a healer and an Oracle.
The path chose me rather, but fashion has always been one of my dearest loves.

Styling is one of those things that comes au natural to me.

Fashion endlessly inspires me, period !

I love video editing and adding my own chenoaesque LOL to my videos. Hype Williams was THE visual artist teacher for me growing up.
Hindu traditions and 90s- early 2000s fashion inspires a lot of my looks.

As of late, I work full time offering services of spiritual counseling all around the world via my YouTube platform and personal 101 healing services, that includes sound healing and intuitive readings under the name, The Walu Child.

I am also a jewelry designer, where I sell my products on my online store and vending events around the valley.
I also create and sell my own oracle cards and custom durag designs.

What sets me apart from others, honestly?

When I have absolutely nothing, no labels and no pricey items.
I can still create something dope & eclectic with the minimal that I do have.

As they say, “It’s not on me, it’s within me!”

The Walu Child and anything that I create essentially is an extension of me and is far greater than a business and a brand in the making, but a vibe.

An inspiration. I AM a Trailblazer

A woman and a brand that cannot be placed in a box or under just a few categories.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

With being a creative and an online content creator, you face many advertises such as, bullying and the tendency to keep up with the numbers.

Online bullying was one of my toughest challenges on my creative journey, which as creatives, what we all seem to face inevitably, is a naysayer/the hater.

People can be beyond cruel, but the experiences of condemnation and setback have taught me to be my own number one supporter, no matter who is and who isn’t cheering me on.
And to instead, instill a steadfast confidence in whatever I birth out of myself.

The vain conquest of chasing large numbers of likes, views, followers and subscribers can destroy your confidence and cause defeat, only if you’re dependent upon the high of validation from others and the numbers.

I had to be stripped clean of that complex of seeing myself as the ordinary girl, the girl who tends to get overlooked, and uninvited to “the table”, so that I could appreciate being the “peculiar and strange” one.

God made me to be ME.

It has been such an honor to have been divinely used to reach others of all demographics, who share similar experiences of feeling overlooked and strange with my personal testimony.

Through my gifts, I have had the pleasure of hearing and witnessing how my story has inspired those whom I have reached..

My faith in God, the help of my divine team and my soul tribe, has truly strengthened me and helped me restore my broken confidence.

Therefore, I can’t take all the credit for this transition.

With that being said, I would like to leave this piece of wisdom that was given to me from the source of God about feeling small and overlooked.

When facing closed doors, or not receiving the same opportunities or victories as everyone else seems to effortlessly achieve..

Please realize that some doors aren’t meant for you to walk through, simply because there’s a door tailored just for you to walk into.

Otherwise, you can’t discover your door by following the footsteps of the wide path everyone else decides to take.

When you don’t fit the mold, be encouraged.
You’re meant to be set apart and to create new lanes.

You’re called to be the change and the shift the world needs!

There’s a new wave of influencers hitting the earth, of all shades, ages, classes.

They will bring new ways of speaking, healing, singing, dancing, writing, inventing etc.
They are the keys with inconceivable vision.

The new wave of influencers will be nothing like what we’ve witnessed ever before.

Their time is coming, your time is coming… OUR time is coming !

When it’s your season to shine, you WILL.
And when it’s your season to be hidden, in order to grow, cultivate your gifts, rest etc be at peace in that hidden season.

Within each season, it holds a significant flow of life.

Don’t force yourself out before your season.
Spring flowers cannot fully blossom in the winter.

Regardless of the level of influence you have, you could be the divine inspiration one viewer or one follower needs, and as a result, that one person can inspire ten other people and those ten people can inspire thousands more…so on and so forth.

Speak, write, sing, dance, hit send, go live etc. anyway!

Despite how many viewers are watching or who’s listening, following or streaming, buying.. out of those small, few could be that one person that carries your name into a room you have yet to walk into!

: Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

As of now, my durag designs stir up in me the most zeal for creating. Allow me to introduce you to Durag Maa.

“I pay homage to one of my beloved goddesses.

Durga, the invincible one with immense strength, has

come to represent her essence in my own unique way of resonance with her.

My mission is to unleash your inner flyness and be limitless in your spiritual connectedness within the outward experience with what we globally call the “Durag.”

I am shifting the perspective that the durag is just an everyday urban hair essential and a form of street wear into Spiritual Chic wear.

The Durag is much more than just an urban cultural fashion phenomenon.

We’re covering and honoring our crowns.

I invite you to join the spiritual movement, Durag Maa. ”

Thank you.

Contact Info:

• Website: WaluchildReadings.Ninja/Shop
• Instagram: Instagram.com/DuragMaa
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/c/WaluChildReadings
• Other: Instagram: @TheWaluChild

Image Credits
Maarcus Hall Chenoa Hill