Contents
What is Native American Jewlery?
Native American jewelry is a traditional and culturally significant form of artistic expression among various indigenous tribes in North America. The jewelry reflects the rich heritage, spirituality, and craftsmanship of Native American communities. Here are some key aspects to understand:
Materials examples:
- Turquoise: One of the most iconic materials used in Native American jewelry, symbolizing protection, power, and good fortune.
- Silver: Often sterling silver, which is intricately crafted into various designs. Silverwork is a prominent feature in Navajo and Hopi jewelry.
Designs and Symbolism:
- Nature-inspired: Many designs are inspired by nature, such as animals, feathers, and plants, reflecting a deep connection to the environment.
- Spiritual significance: Some pieces incorporate symbols from tribal spirituality, like the sun, moon, and various geometric shapes.
Community Variations:
- Navajo: Known for their intricate silverwork, often featuring bold designs and large stones.
- Zuni: Renowned for intricate stone inlay work, creating mosaic-like patterns.
- Hopi: Known for their overlay technique, where two layers of silver are used to create contrasting designs.
Techniques:
- Beadwork: Some tribes, like the Plains Indians, are known for intricate beadwork, creating colorful and detailed patterns.
- Silversmithing: A prominent skill, involving the shaping and engraving of silver to create intricate designs.
- Stone inlay: Involves setting stones in a mosaic pattern, a technique often associated with Zuni jewelry.
Personal Use:
- Personal expression: Beyond its cultural significance, Native American jewelry serves as a form of personal expression and identity.
Market and Authenticity:
- Beware of imitations: Due to the popularity of Native American jewelry, there are imitations in the market. Authentic pieces are often signed by the artist and may include community hallmarks.
- Supporting artisans: Purchasing directly from Native American artisans or reputable sources ensures the authenticity of the jewelry and supports the artists and their communities.
Explanation
Native Amreican Jewlery is often advertised at powwows where it can range from shell earrings, necklaces and rings all made authentically by indigenous artists. You may even find other type of jewlery that is specifically made by beadwork and other signature art that other communities have to sell.
But some may even ask for all who are non-indigenous. Is it okay to wear and buy indigenous jewlery? It is often a biased discussion when it comes to many indigenous cultures around to world and learn what is okay to represent and embrace such as indigenous jewlery and clothing.
And for this discussion, yes! It is okay to buy and wear Native American jewelry that you find at indigenous gatherings and businesses. it is often not a regular conversation but it is okay and well supported in buying indigenous jewelry as it also supports Native American entrepreneurs. This also helps there advertisement for the future as your purchase can influence other non-indigenous or other indigenous communities to come and buy there products.
Where can I find Native American Jewellery?
Jewellery created by indigenous entrepreneurs is often found at large indigenous gatherings such as powwows ceremonies. There are usually placed outside the arbour as well as food vendors for other Native American businesses sell and express indigenous cuisines.
You will also realize that there is a diverse range of people selling different things, although most products are similar there is a huge variety of Native American art that is expressed in a unique artistic way. This can also be a learning experience because questioned are always welcomed on how indigenous artist spent there time working on their craft.
If you’re unaware of finding powwows and wanting to experience one, there is always lots in the central Canada and popular powwows you can find just by simply searching for one online! But if you’re wanting to experience some of the most wonderful and popular powwows click here!
Why Is this Important to Indigenous Artists?
Just like any other business, It is vital to be supported and continue to stay in business and sell your product. Indigenous businesses are no different, with buying indigenous jewellery you are supporting their artwork and helping them out to continue to make and do what they love.
You also become a small advocate for supporting indigenous culture when this is the time where it is most needed. There is so much more to understand when buying indigenous product and by supporting them, it gives so much more into the beautiful communities we have in North America.
So to repeat. Buying Indigenous made Jewellery is okay! If you’re not of Indigenous status, you only become a supporter of indigenous art even if it just buying a small pair of shell earrings. You wont have to worry about biased answers or comments because it is important that we recommend you that you just even attend indigenous events just to learn.
The Learning Experience!
To be able to buy authentic Jewellery from Indigenous Artists, you are going to have to intend Indigenous gatherings such as powwow. The outcome is inevitable, but this is a good thing to keep in mind as well. When attending events such as powwow, you can also experience indigenous foods, culture and dance! powwow offers so much more than just the vendors itself and I can guarantee that you find at least one powwow category interesting.
There is a lot of benefits to this process, and this may even only be the beginning for you to attend indigenous events and explore the significance of indigenous communities! And if you want to learn the significance of powwow ceremonies and what they have to offer, and to give an insight of what to expect click here!
To Conclude!
This blog was to give a small understanding and reassurance to be okay of buying indigenous products without feeling any biased towards it. It is amazing to support indigenous communities as well as their businesses when they are selling their artwork at gatherings such as powwows.
And with the links that I supported, I highly recommend that you have spare time to read those as well since they also share some significant amount of knowledge and information about powwow as well. With this said, I hope that you can share this with some of your peers as well, sharing this post can really influence others in buying indigenous products and help support indigenous communities everywhere.
Be sure to keep in tune, and view other blog post that powwowtimes shares, for it will be available on our website and Facebook. Each blog post explore many different information on indigenous culture and teaches many important things to keep in mind when exploring indigenous communities and knowledge.
After all of this, I only have one question for you. What is your Favourite type of Indigenous Jewelry?
