Express Yourself With Beadwork

Beadwork is the art or craft of attaching beadsbeadwork is one of the finest expressions of
to one another or to cloth using a needle andNative American traditional cultural arts.
thread. Beadwork is the most traditional form ofJewelry
Indian art. Beadwork is often found only onEach piece of jewellery, in its shape, patterns, and
prestige items due to its costly labor intensivecolors, speaks of the wearer's culture. Those
demands. Beadwork is the form a woman willusing beading as a hobby can derive satisfaction
often choose when a most special gift is calledfrom being able to make simple beaded jewellery
for; the beaded object is love made visible.for grandchildren or friends. Beading activities in
Today's modern beaders are using traditionaltherapy have been associated mostly with
beads and material to create their own jewelry,children, but with the surge in popularity of beaded
including necklaces, bracelets, and ear rings.jewellery over the last several years, beadwork
Beadshas become an acceptable adult craft intervention.
Beads were carved and shaped of animal horn,Beadwork is also used in purses, jewellery, picture
turtle shell, and deer hooves, and even modernframes and other whimsies. Most of the finest
plastics. Beads have also been used for religiousbeadwork is still done only for relatives and gift
purposes, as good luck talismans, and as curativegiveaways. With a host of different styles, colors,
agents. Beads range in size from under amaterials and crafting techniques, Native American
millimeter to over a centimeter. Beads are trulyBeadwork is known for its beauty, its
universal, and are among the oldest itemscraftsmanship, however it plays a crucial role in
manufactured by humans.the ceremonies and traditions of the Native
NativeAmerican people as well as helps preserve the
Native women were inspired to invent beadworkculture and traditions of the numerous tribes
techniques unknown to Europeans, as well aswithin North America. It is sometimes difficult to
beautiful and sometimes spiritually ordecide whether beadwork is a craft, an art, a
historically-inspired culturally unique designs. Nativecommunicational system similar in principle to a
American beadwork can be carved from shells,written language or part of a symbolic code used
coral, stones, animal bones and other materials,for their own purposes by specialists in traditional
reflecting the Native Americans deep relationshipmagic. We here in America should acknowledge a
with the earth and mother nature. Nativedebt of gratitude to Native Americans (as the
American beadwork examples have been foundclosest people to us, with unique and outstanding
for centuries, dating back to their arrival in Northbeadwork traditions), while respecting the facts
America long before the first of what would bethat the new beadwork is not of itself "Indian",
many settlers arrived in the late 1400's fromnor necessarily "Indian-based", and that beadwork
Europe and elsewhere. Native American Indianeverywhere is admirable.