First Nations Beadwork

I'd like to take you on a brief tour of beautiful beadwork by Northeastern American and Canadian Indians. While not exactly jewelry-related, it certainly is all about beads!

Beaded Bags, Wabanaki type, vase or inverted keyhole shape. Glass beads, black velvet fabric, various materials used for the edge binding. The bag in the center is 6.2 inches high by 5.2 inches wide. From Historic Iroquois and Wabanaki Beadwork, by Gerry Biron.

Prior to European settlers arriving to this continent, decorative work was primarily created with porcupine quills, feathers, birchbark, shells, stones, paint, hide, and sinew, to name a few materials. Later, Europeans introduced glass beads, which came to be a highly valued and integral part in subsequent decoration in the Americas. In the Northeast, we find a large variety of floral and woodland-inspired patterns, and a common motif, the "Double Curve".

I will start with a few examples of quill work from the 18th and 19th centuries. Due to the nature of the material, though still highly detailed and intricate, the style of the work tended to be rather geometric, even in the depiction of floral motifs.

Huron Birchbark Cigar Case with Quilled and Porcupine Embroidery featuring Indians in a 

canoe while others walk in a forest filled with realistic wildlife. From Bidsquare.

Woodlands Native American Micmac Porcupine Quillworked Birch Bark Box 

(1800 to 1900 Native American), from CINOA.

Anishinaabe outfit, c. 1790, Fort Michilimackinac, Michigan: Birchbark, cotton, linen, wool,
feathers, silk, silver brooches, porcupine quills, horsehair, hide, sinew. From Infinity of Nations,
at the National Museum of the American Indian.

And now on to beadwork. Here we see the explosion of color and free-flowing expression of decorative elements.

Beaded Gloves, found on Pinterest.

A James Bay Cree beaded octopus bag. Beaded

on velvet, with cloth lining and trim, similar

patterns of floral sprays on either side, the tabs

displaying distinct vine and blossom motifs,

with bead and wool tassel fringe.

From Bonhams. 

Detail of a Gauntlet, found on Pinterest. the double-curve motif is
evident in the arrangement of the leaves and branches.

A great example of the double-curve motif...
Beaded Bags, with the traditional double-curve motif, front and back views, 

Mi’kmaq type. Glass beads sewn onto red wool serge of the type seen on 

Canadian military uniforms. Circa 1840s. The beads on both bags are strung 

on horsehair. From Historic Iroquois and Wabanaki Beadwork, by 

Gerry Biron. 

Contemporary beaded dress: “This photo was taken at the FSIN Pow Wow in Saskatoon Saskatchewan.
These ladies in their Ladies Traditional Dance regalia found a some time to catch up and share a moment
witheach other among the huge crowd of dancers.” - CindyLou Photos, from This Beautiful World.

Contemporary artist Rhonda Besaw's peaked cap, a Mi'kmaq style headdress.
This pattern shows a play on the double-curve motif 

Mohawk style accessories, by contemporary bead artist Niio Perkins. 

Beatufiul little traditional-style purse, by contemporary bead artist Niio Perkins.
The fiddle-head, which hear echoes the double-curve, was a popular motif.

Another little purse by contemporary bead artist Niio Perkins. 

I hope you have enjoyed this brief survey of First Nations bead work. It barely scratches the surface, there is much more to explore. For more information, here is a wonderful blog to help you get started: 

Historic Iroquois and Wabanaki Beadwork

Finally, here is a brief video featuring a few contemporary First Nations people who bead....