Why are Native American Ornaments so popular?

Native American Jewelry (Especially, Native American turquoise necklaces) became popular with colonization and the influx of tourists. Their unique design and cultural significance made them popular among buyers. The jewelry has a long-standing history that dates back to 10,000 BC. The first inhabitants of the Americas used feathers, porcupine quills, bones, antlers, stones, and shells to create wearable art pieces. Soon all of the tribes in the Americas followed suit. Most of the jewelry was ornately carved out from animal and fish bones, shells, and semi-precious stones. The stones were chipped to create beads that were lavishly adorned in wearable pieces and also clothes. Later, when the demand increased with more people wanting to enjoy wearing it, the production became complex. The Native American jewelry can be seen made from abalone, pearls, animal claws, silver, carved wood, semi-precious stones, copper, turquoise, and animal teeth.

Importance of Native American Jewelry

For Native Americans, wealth had to be portable. Hence, wearing jewelry wasn’t just a way to keep your wealth with you at all times, but also depicted social class and ranked among tribes. Traditionally the jewelry showed the individuality, history, and family background of the wearer as the Native Americans believed in keeping their history through materialistic legacy, making and wearing jewelry carried on traditions through generations. It also played an important role in identifying different tribes and improving trade relationships, as each tribe had a distinct style and design. The trading of jewelry also passed on creative ideas and technology. During the 1870s the Zuni were the first to incorporate silver in their jewelry after learning silver smelting from the Spanish. This was soon implemented by other areas in the Americas like the Apache, the Navajo, and the Hopi.

The different types of jewelry

Nowadays the designs available are catered to modern times. Most of them have a minimalistic and light design to be worn every day. But the authentic jewelry worn by the natives is complicated and interwoven strands. Sometimes simple ornaments consist of beads or a carved pendant woven around the leather string. To signify status and family name men and women both wore jewelry like chokers, bracelets, rings, and earrings. For special ceremonies and festivities, people used to wear breastplates and intricate headdresses. Some of the unique pieces from the native jewelry consist of a special kind of shell bead known as wampum. It was used for necklaces and belts and became extremely popular among Europeans. One of the most common ways jewelry was incorporated in daily life by the natives is integration in clothing. Beads and jewelry were sewed in clothes like dresses, boots, and gauntlets. Stone ear spools were essential for gravesite offerings. Just like pocket watches, neckties and expensive garments signify status in today’s generation, the same goes with wampum. It showed how well off a person is in the native tribes. Jewelry also differed as per the regions-

• Midwestern Jewelry

Most of the tribes from the Midwest like the Chippewa, the Blackfeet, and the Sioux utilized skilled beadworks out of traded seashells and bones. Even porcupine quills were used for clothing ornamentation, earrings, hair clips, and bracelets. The Mexican and Spanish traders introduced the use of metal filigree that drastically changed the design’s versatility in armbands and combs. The Midwestern native jewelry was proof of accomplished metalwork and symbolic designs. The inspiration was mostly from natural and cultural surroundings.

• Eastern Woodlands Jewelry

Due to the proximity of the Atlantic coast shell was popularly used in the jewelry from the eastern woodland tribes. The discs of the ear spools and the necklaces have beads carved from stone, pearls, bones, and clay. Some northern natives like the Iroquois made European glass beads into necklaces and created combs out of antlers. Gorgets or carved pendants were created from regionally available slate. However, in the far south tribes made gorgets out of shells and eventually used metals like brass and silver. The Calusa tribe or nicknamed the “the shell Indians” made use of seashells to make jewelry and work tools and spears. The emphasis on design and manufacturing was pushed forward when trade began to flourish. At the time of competition in the market, the designs and raw materials became more and more exquisite.

• Western and Southwestern Jewelry

The specialty of this region is called the Heishe necklace. It was made by the Kewa Pueblo people ad composed of tubular or thin disc-shaped beads arranged in attractively colorful patterns. The production needs a delicate artwork and knack for design as these beautiful pieces were of significant value. They were often traded as monetary assets, and a single mistake can degrade its market price. Even today the Heishe necklaces are of the same value as a couple of European safes full of money. They retail for thousands of dollars and a very costly collectible. Regionally they were made with regional stones like jet and turquoise. However, after the introduction of metalworking in the 1800s to the Navajo, silver was also used heavily. Tribes like the Zuni and the Hopi created intrinsic designs with belts, necklaces, and bracelets. Silver and Native American turquoise necklaces became extremely popular with their quality and designed differing with respect to tribes and regions.

What is Chile Ristra?

The Chile ristra is a trademark decorative design common to the states of New Mexico and southern Arizona. The dry Chile pepper pods, garlic bulbs, and sometimes many other dried vegetables and fruits are arranged in a hanging fashion for consumption. It has both practical and aesthetic value. Although one might use any kind of Chile, Anaheim peppers and New Mexico chilies are specifically used. These ristras are believed to bring good luck and health to houses in which they are hung.

If you come across Native American jewelry for sale, then always look out for authenticity. Most jewelry available nowadays is just cheap imitations with no value for tradition and its unique workmanship. If you are in a hunt for vintage Native American turquoise necklaces, then always opt for a legitimate trader. These jewelry and ornaments offer a piece of history and cultural heritage. Many natives also make their livelihood on sales. Hence it’s important you pay your money worth and only adorn yourself with the original products.