String and Belt Wampum c.1890 (1)
Native American Bead Work
As I read through the website entitled, "a life in Beads: The Stories a Plains Dress Can Tell", I realized that beads were considered as precious as jewelry and money. Native Women have always preserved cultural traditions and values. Their tribal identity and family values are shown on the elaborately beaded dresses and other clothing items. The Plains women expressed their creativity on the empty canvas of cloth that was then sewn into an item to use or wear. Many items marked significant events and displayed family pride. People of the Plains used porcupine quills, animal teeth, bone, bird or animal claws and shells to adorn clothing.(3) Native American beads were carved from natural materials like shells, coral, turquoise and other stones, copper and silver, wood, amber, ivory, and animal bones, horns, and teeth. Glass beads were not used until the colonists brought them from Europe 500 years ago.(4)
The Video entitled,"American Indian Bead Work",(5) was interesting to watch, but I found an instructional video by Kristen, and the beading starts at 3:33.(6)
I researched whether the colors of the beads meant anything, but I did not find anything specific, except that the colors represented what the Native Americans saw in their world. The flower designs were from the Plains flowers and also the Oriental rugs that the Europeans brought with them. The Native American designs were also designed in geometric patterns. In fact, some tribes have “story bead” necklaces where symbols and figures were carved into flat pieces of turquoise or some other type of stone and strung with other beads. Mothers then used the necklaces to illustrate stories handed down from generation to generation.(7)
I have a story bracelet made out of beads in different shapes.It is the Bible story of Genesis ,each bead represents one day and what happened that day, for the seven days of creation.I love this bracelet for its meaning. I can understand how important the beading that the Native Americans worked on, was for them.
The Frontier Plunder Trading Post has many unique and antique Native American Bead Work items for sale.(9)
$
235.00
Beautiful Smaller Iroquois Bag, Possibly A Child's
- Matching patterns, both front and back
- The bag is gayly beaded in a floral pattern utilizing early trade beads
- These Venetian glass trade beads were brought into the American colonies by English, French and Dutch fur traders
- Some of these gorgeous early colors are no longer made today
- This bag includes Old Rose, red white-hearts, Bodmer Blue, and opalescent, translucent and yellow translucent beads
- Longer milk glass color beads are incorporated into the pattern and all edging is done in two sizes of the old variegated white seed beads
-The purse is all hand sewn on heavy velvet still in good condition
- The edge of the bag was a red cotton binding, most of which is now gone
- The bag is lined in a heavy black, course fabric
- The handle is brain tanned deer hide
- Condition of the bead work is excellent
- Only three beads of the Bodmer Blue appear to be missing
- The bag without the handle is 5" long x 4 7/8" wide
- Native American Bead Work
- Matching patterns, both front and back
- The bag is gayly beaded in a floral pattern utilizing early trade beads
- These Venetian glass trade beads were brought into the American colonies by English, French and Dutch fur traders
- Some of these gorgeous early colors are no longer made today
- This bag includes Old Rose, red white-hearts, Bodmer Blue, and opalescent, translucent and yellow translucent beads
- Longer milk glass color beads are incorporated into the pattern and all edging is done in two sizes of the old variegated white seed beads
-The purse is all hand sewn on heavy velvet still in good condition
- The edge of the bag was a red cotton binding, most of which is now gone
- The bag is lined in a heavy black, course fabric
- The handle is brain tanned deer hide
- Condition of the bead work is excellent
- Only three beads of the Bodmer Blue appear to be missing
- The bag without the handle is 5" long x 4 7/8" wide
- Native American Bead Work
1. http://www.archives.gov/research/native-americans/pictures/select-list-016.html
2. http://www.gettyimages.com
3. http://nmai.si.edu/sites/1/files/pdf/education/NMAI_lifeinbeads.
4. http://www.native-languages.org/beadwork.htm
5. http://youtu.be/YEYGXlloz80
6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K47mB4CFaGY
7. http://www.indians.org/articles/beads.html
8. keeperministries.com
9. http://frontierplunder.com/native-american-beadwork.html
Hi Debra!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your post! Thank you for included specific references to all of your sources. I've always thought that Native American beading was so intricate and beautiful! I actually own an antique Native American small beaded purse and between two of the layers you can see that real leaves were placed inside to use as a guide while sewing the pattern. I also used to go to archery rendezvous with my dad during the warmer months where I sold Native styled jewelry utilizing glass and bone beads.
For anyone who is interested- the different colored beads used did represent different things around the Natives but specific colors were attached to different things. (The meanings below strictly apply to beading. Some of them have different meanings when used for something like face paint.)
Green- Plant life, Earth
White- Snow, Death, Winter
Red - Thunder, Day, Sunset
Blue - Sky, Water, Lightning, Moon, Sadness
Yellow - Sunshine, Day, Dawn
Black - Night, Cold, Disease
This list was found on an online beading website in a lesson on how to infuse Native American symbolism into your work.
http://www.beadingdaily.com/blogs/daily/archive/2013/05/22/Infuse-Your-Beadwork-with-Native-American-Symbolism.aspx
Rachel
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting the color list.
Indian beadwork is a native tradition dating back to prehistoric times. In fact, before the Europeans arrived, the native populations of North America actually created their own beads with handmade tools formed from wood and stone. Since metal tools were not available, making the beads was a long and arduous process. Using the stone or wooden tools, and sand as an abrasive, prehistoric Indians would create beads from native materials that were available to them. Most of the beads, at that time, were relatively large and it was not until the European trade beads became available that the Indians could get a sufficient amount of smaller beads to make the beaded designs that are similar to those we see today (Kansas Historical Society).
ReplyDeleteKansas Historical Society. (1993, January 1). Native American Beadwork. - Kansapedia. Retrieved July 1, 2014, from http://www.kshs.org/kansapedia/native-american-beadwork/17880
I was a the library and came across another book titled, "Beads and Beadwork of the American Indians" by William C Orchard. This book was written in 1975 and many of the color pictures are of spectacular beadwork done by many different Native American peoples. The items are in the Museum of the American Indian in New York. According to Orchard, "Beads owe their origin to the desire by primitive man for personal adornment; but so ancient are they that attempts to trace their earliest sources have thus far been futile." It's amazing to think that "adornment" existed and was so very important in the past. Could creating beads been as important as creating tools?
DeleteOrchard, William C. Beads and Beadwork of the American Indians.
New York :New York. La Salle Litho Corp. 1975
Nice pictures and discussion. I wouldn't say beadwork was as valuable as money - it was money i.e. Wampum. I know plenty of women who do beadwork - myself included when I was younger - and while it's value has changed, its meaning is still very important to my people.
ReplyDeleteI just recently picked up doing beadwork again. I am in the process of working on my husbands "outfit" for longhouse. I have been taught that if I am stressed or have negative feelings that I shouldn't be beading. I"m currently in the process of working on my husbands outfit for longhouse. There have several times when the work itself has gotten me frustrated lol but I can tell that in my work when I need to take a break. I do however enjoy when I can sit down and finish a project and it can be very relaxing as well.
ReplyDelete