Beadwork: Storytelling Through Art

Above: Beaded Strike-A-Light on commercially tanned leather with glass and brass beads, tin cones, and metal tacks.
Apache. Circa 1880-1900

Before Europeans arrived on Turtle Island (North America) Native peoples lacked a written language. Instead, they passed down their stories and legends orally and through their art. Porcupine quills, paints, and eventually beads were used to tell the stories. Pictographs, geometric and floral symbols read like books, identifying the owner/wearer as belonging to a certain family or clan, and by region.

Beadwork patterns are based on older quillwork patterns, and were often passed down through generations. Sometimes a descendant would add or subtly change certain elements of the design, but the basic pattern is visible underneath.

Many styles and patterns are specific to a family/clan, tribe, and geographic areas. Sometimes a pattern came to the artist in dreams sent from the Spirit World or perhaps a ‘spirit helper’. And sometimes, friendly Nations would borrow designs from each other, as evidenced below.

The examples shown are all from the DMCHS collection. Only a small fraction of the collection is featured.

Above: Woodlands style beadwork on a men’s vest from the Great Lakes Region. Glass beads on a silk-lined cotton vest with metal buttons.
Possibly Dakota or Ojibwe.
Circa 1830-1900

Around 1850, Native artists began to incorporate symbols borrowed from white culture, including American flags, and stylized crosses among others. They also began to use cloth rather than leather, as is the case with the above beaded cloth vest. Note the floral beaded pattern, and the differences in techniques. This example uses a continuous lane stitch vs the more common lazy stitch.

The floral and scroll designs are typical for the Woodlands Nations, which include the Nations east of the Mississippi River.

Moccasin with a fully beaded sole. Lakota circa 1850-1900

Left: Moccasin with a fully beaded sole.

Glass beads, brain-tanned leather, sinew.

Lakota.
Circa 1850-1900

Beaded moccasins could be used one of three ways:

The first is for burial purposes. The women of the deceased’s family would spend days beading moccasins (including the soles) and other items as a sign of respect for the dearly departed.

The second would be to show that the owner had so many horses so they didn’t need to walk. It was an extreme show of wealth on behalf of the owner. When not mounted on a horse, the owner would be sure to sit with their legs straight, showing off the soles to passersby.

And finally, they could have been made as part of a Women’s Society (analogous to a women’s sewing circle, where the women would gather to work on projects and socialize.) There were friendly competitions to see who could produce the most beautiful designs, or use the brightest colors in their work. The winners had bragging rights over the others.

From around 1890 onward, white tourists could purchase beaded items directly from the artists, or from trading posts, where the beadworkers would trade their items for needed supplies such as food or clothing.

The triangular shapes are thought to represent mountains, or hills. They can also represent the Oceti Šakowiŋ, or Seven Camps of the Sioux Nation. The geometric pattern on the soles is thought to represent a path walked by the owner, possibly the Spirit Path, or the path that the dead walk to get to the Spirit World.

Above: Beaded knife sheath, with knife.
Glass beads on brain-tanned leather over rawhide, with tin cones. Knife is antler with a hand made metal knife blade, and metal pins.
Lakota. Circa 1850-1880

This beaded knife sheath features brain-tanned hide that is mounted on rawhide, and is decorated with greasy yellow, greasy green, Sioux blue, and red white-heart beads. The tin cones were rolled by hand. It is paired with the original knife. The knife is mounted on a mule deer or whitetail deer antler with metal pins.

The beadwork pattern depicts the Seven Campfires (Oceti Šakowiŋ: The Seven Council Fires (tipis) of the Sioux Nation: Teton (Titunwan), Yankton (Ihanktunwan), Sisseton (Sisitunwan), Mdewantunwan (Bdewanktunwan), Yanktonai (Ihankinwanna), Wahpkute, and Wahpeton (Waheotunwan). The two geometric shapes at the mouth of the sheath represent the owner’s own tipi, or home.

The artifact is currently on display in the Grand Gallery at the Heritage Museum, as of 12/2020

Beaded and painted brain-tanned elk skin “possibles” bag.
Glass beads, brass beads, brain-tanned leather, sinew and mineral pigments.
Lakota.
Circa pre 1850.

Above: Detail of the beaded bag, showing some remnants of the mineral pigment paints.

Quite possibly the oldest piece of beadwork in the collection, this Possibles Bag is constructed of brain-tanned elk leather and is decorated with sky blue, periwinkle blue, greasy green, pumpkin orange, Sioux green, greasy yellow, and red white-hearts. The brass beads are French in origin and were a popular trade item among the Plains tribes.

At one time, the front flap, back of the bag, and fringe were painted, but the paint has mostly faded and worn off. Traces of the paint can still be seen on the fringe. The bag dates to before 1850 and is sewn using animal sinew, as is the beadwork.

The two cross designs represent either the Four Directions or the Morning Star. Note the odd colored beads that were used. It is likely that the artist ran out of the original color, and had to substitute another. The large lozenge shape in the center could possibly represent the sun. The simple geometric pattern around the flap of the bag are typical of early Lakota beadwork.

The artifact is currently on display in the Grand Gallery at the Heritage Museum, as of 12/2020

Above: Hair on beaded Strike-A-Light bag.
Glass beads, brain-tanned, hair on leather, sinew, brass beads, and tin cones.
Lakota.
Circa 1840-1890

This bag would have originally been part of a belt set that was worn on a woman’s belt. The set would have included a knife sheath, the above strike-a-light and an awl case, all with similar designs. Originally, the pouch held fire-starting materials such as a flint and steel, and perhaps something like cattail fuzz that would have been used for tinder.

The bag is worked with a deceptively simple chevron design done in clear crystal beads and blue white-hearts. Note that the hair was deliberately left on the flap of the pouch. It is made from either a brain-tanned deer or pronghorn antelope hide.

The chevron design is typical of early-to middle Reservation period beadwork.

The artifact is currently on display in the Grand Gallery at the Heritage Museum, as of 12/2020

Above: Child’s dress with painted and beaded insert.
Glass beads, sinew, brain-tanned leather and mineral pigment.

Unknown. Circa 1840-1860

Above: Detail of painted and beaded insert on child’s dress. Notice the mending that was done where a wound would have been in life.

This dress is likely of Northern Plains in origin, although it is “generic” enough that assigning it to a specific Nation is almost impossible.
The dress is fringed and has an insert at the neck that has been painted with green mineral pigment, and lined with a simple beaded design.
The garment appears to be modeled on a man’s shirt design, although women’s clothing has a similar “dip” in it, which is thought to represent the tail of the animal that originally wore the skin. The artifact could have originally been a man’s shirt that was cut down to fit a child, but it was likely deliberately designed this way.

The beadwork design is fairly common, and could have originated from any of the Northern Plains Nations.

Above: One of a pair of beaded brain tan leather over metal stirrups.
Glass beads on leather, and cloth over metal.
Crow. Circa 1840-1900

The Crow Nation are great horse people, and are thought to have first acquired horses around 1700. The stirrups are Spanish Vaquero style metal stirrups, that have been re-covered with leather and cloth.

The proud tradition of lavishly decorating their horses continues to this day. These beautiful stirrups feature red trade cloth as well as the lavish beadwork on leather.

The colors and geometric designs are both known to have been used by the Crow Nation.

Above: a pair of beaded brain-tanned women’s leggings..
Brain-tanned leather, glass beads, cotton thread.
Circa 1845-1865

These leggings are interesting because they are somewhat enigmatic. They could be Cheyenne, but are likely Lakota. They show elements of both Nations in the beadwork, and are an excellent example of how Nations borrow designs from each other.

The two triangular forms are tipis. which are a common Lakota theme. However, the long form with the bars across it, and the border of the flaps are more typical of the Cheyenne Nation, while the overall design is more consistent with the work of the Lakota people. The beadwork is an excellent example of the so called “lazy stitch”.

The colors used are Cheyenne blue, chalk white, Sioux green, greasy yellow, brick red, red white hearts (so named for the red exterior and white interior), and transparent gold. There is a flap that runs up the outside of the leggings that is beaded, as are the bottom edges of the leggings. However, the border is heavily damaged, and many beads are missing.

The people of the Northern Plains often wore leggings to protect themselves from prickly brush and brambles, as well as for added warmth. Men’s leggings tend to be longer than women’s, and are worn higher on the thigh.

The triangular shapes are representative of Lakota tipis, while the long forms with the bars are representative of the Cheyenne Tree of Life symbol.

Above: Beaded wallet, done in the Northern Woodlands style. Glass beads on black velvet.
Circa 1870-1880
Iroquois.

This particular beaded wallet was done by the Iroquois people, beaded on black velvet. It is similar in style to our beaded Glengarry hat, colloquially known as “Black Hawk’s Hat” in our collection. They were almost certainly acquired at the same time, and from the same artisan.

Note the use of the flora motifs in the beadwork. This is typical of the Eastern Woodlands people.

Above: Iroquois Glengarry Style Beaded Hat.
Beadwork on black velvet, with silk ribbons and cotton thread.
Circa 1870-1880
Iroquois.

Colloquially known as “Black Hawk’s Hat’ at the Heritage Museum, the artifact was mistakenly attributed to the great Meskwaki warrior, Black Hawk. The story goes that it was a gift to the family of Elizabeth Evans by the veteran of the Black Hawk Wars. The problem is that Black Hawk died in 1838, well before the Glengarry Style hat was first introduced.

We know that Elizabeth Evans was a child in Burlington, when Black Hawk was still alive, and it is entirely possible that he visited her home. However, he could not have gifted the hat to the family. So, how the hat got to Burlington is a mystery, but the likely explanation was that someone in the family went back East for a visit, and purchased the collection (there are several other pieces that are not mentioned here). The story of Black Hawk’s visits were somehow mixed into the story of the hat and other artifacts, and was passed down through the generations, until the collection came into the care of DMCHS.

Note the use of the feather design, along with the florals. Both are commonly used by Native peoples on the Eastern Seaboard, and in the Eastern Woodlands.

Above: Southern Plains beaded legging, one of a pair.
Glass beads on brain-tanned leather, mineral pigments, and silver conchos
Circa 1840-1880

Beadwork is not a forgotten art, though. Powwow dancers often wear traditional beadwork patterns as part of their regalia, while others like Lakota artist Rhonda Holy Bear create beaded pieces for museums. Beadworker Shauna Zeck creates one-of-a kind beaded jewelry. Other artists also continue to tell their stories, through the medium of beads.

The art of beadwork is alive and well in the 21st Century, and is still telling the stories of Native peoples.

For more information about Ms. Holy Bear, please visit her web page at http://www.rhondaholybear.com/

And for more information about Shauna Zeck please visit https://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/home/BeadSpiritDesigns