Native Jewelry

Bracelets aren’t only used for fashion. In Latin America, traditional Azabache bracelets are worn to protect against the Mal de Ojo, or evil eye. The people of that culture believe the evil eye is the result of excessive admiration or envious looks, and often gold bracelets are used to deflect the bad mojo. Parents of newborn infants often clasp an infant-sized azabache, which is a gold bracelet or necklace with a black or red coral charm in the form of a fist, around their newborn to protect them from the evil eye. In Bulgaria there is a tradition called Martenitsa. This ancient tradition involves wrapping or tying a red and white string around the wrist. By wearing the traditional Martenitsa bracelet in this manner, the wearer hopes to please Baba Marta to make spring come sooner. Bracelets are not always used for a superstitious act. In various parts of India, the type and number of bangles worn by a woman denotes her marital status. Around the world, bracelets are used for medical and identification purposes, such as a hospital patient-identification tag or allergy bracelet.

Typically, contemporary bracelets are found in three or four styles. The status symbol of the tennis bracelet signifies wealth and affluence more clearly than any Egyptian bracelet ever could. The in-line thin diamond bracelet that features a symmetrical pattern of diamonds is the traditional form of a tennis bracelet. This particular bracelet came into recent fashion, when Chris Evert, the former Number One World Woman tennis player and the winner of 18 Grand Slam singles titles, was playing in the 1976 U.S. Open. Chris wore an elegant, light in-line diamond bracelet. During the match, the bracelet broke and the match was interrupted to allow Chris to recover her expensive diamonds. The ‘tennis bracelet’ incident sparked a new name for the item and grew to encompass a massive jewelry trend and status symbol.

The cowboy was born in 1866 with the first herd of Texas longhorns. They trailed across hundreds of miles of wild and dangerous country, filled with predators and hostile Indians, to the wide open town of Abilene, which was created by the Kansas Pacific Railroad as the western frontier railhead for shipping cattle East.

 From then on the big Texas cattle drives fed the market for a beef-hungry America. Six hundred thousand cattle came up the Texas trail in 1871 in herds of about 2,000, each led by a wild, reckless and tough bunch of young men with great courage and fortitude. Huge numbers of longhorn cattle had multiplied in Texas after the Civil War as the result of few predators, few fences and plenty of grass and water. They ran wild while Texas men went off to fight for the Confederacy.

Cow-gathering was a challenge, but getting a herd all the way to the Kansas railroad paid big. Early cowboys had very little food (mostly corn meal and salted bacon), used homemade saddles and chaps, no tents or tarps, braided their own rope from horsehair, and bragged they could go any place a cow could and stand anything a horse could. A saddle blanket and a coat made up the Texas trail bed. The twelve-inch-barrel Colt was necessary equipment. Another necessary piece of equipment was a belt buckle for holding up their pants or jeans worn so well in their occupation.  Strong, lightweight and wiry men who persevered and were loyal defined a new American spirit of freedom and independence. Mothers shared great pride in seeing their sons grow up to be cowboys. 

Mothers still show pride when their cowboys come home sporting a Native American Belt Buckle fashioned by very loving hands

I’ve learned from experience that while the Canadian and American economies may be struggling a bit, it’s still possible to land a promising job. While I took plenty of time scrutinizing and editing my resume and contacting my references, the interview is really the process that makes or breaks a job candidate. For my part, I like to practice answering potential interview questions with a friend.

As we all know, first impressions are incredibly important when you’re seeking employment. In order to set myself apart from the rest of the field, I like to dress up in a professional yet stylish manner. Sometimes I’ll wear a traditional pantsuit with a turquoise belt buckle, other times I’ll opt for a dazzling dress. Either way, I want to make sure that I stand out in the minds of my future employers.

At first blush, a traveler to the American Southwest might have trouble identifying even a few of the plentiful natural resources in the region. After all, water, the building block of life, is at a premium in the desert. The climate and barren landscape of certain parts of the West can be foreboding if not downright dangerous, but the beauty is there for those who take the time to look.

Rich in minerals, ore and semiprecious stones, the Southwest is a veritable cornucopia of valuable raw materials. This fact was not lost on such tribes as the Hopi, Zuni and Navajo, all of which evolved into flourishing societies with a booming jewelry trade. They found that pairing turquoise with silver created a pleasing aesthetic combination, and that basic formula would serve as the foundation for Native American jewelry sets.

I don’t put much stock in discussions about signs of the zodiac or other superstitious topics. Still, I’ve always believed in the idea that the appropriate birthstone can take a woman’s jewelry to the next level. In my case, the month is December and the stone is turquoise. Coincidentally or not, turquoise is my favorite color, and my boyfriend knows that a necklace or bracelet bearing those blue-green stones is a can’t-miss gift.

Over the years, I’ve collected turquoise rings in various states of luster and quality. The finest specimens I’ve seen were mined in Iran, but the stones from the American Southwest come in at a close second. Indians once believed that turquoise held mystical protective powers that would serve them well in battle; for me, the stone holds the promise of a fun, flashy night on the town.

Historical accounts tell us that Indians have been crafting and trading jewelry in the Western Hemisphere for centuries. Those indigenous to the American Southwest gained an especially lofty reputation for designing jewelry, but what made them stand a cut above the rest? For one thing, the Navajo, Hopi, Zuni and other local tribes were not nomads; they lived in fully functional villages and had domesticated animals and abundant water sources. These conveniences allowed them time to perfect their jewelry-making techniques.

Raw materials were also prevalent in the Southwest, including the turquoise that would be gathered and fashioned into cosmetic adornments. American Indian turquoise jewelry is still widely touted today as being the pinnacle of that art form. Each individual piece carries with it the proud tradition of the craftsmen who came before.

Since I was young, I’ve enjoyed reading and hearing about the myths of the Old West. To me, the clash of Indian and American civilizations is not just a tale of violence and tragedy. It also represents a blending of two cultures into a separate, unique entity. This idea is embodied perfectly in Native American belt buckles. These accessories were worn by Indians and Cowboys alike, and they have come to identify a specific time and place.

These belt buckles are conspicuous in their simplistic beauty. The Indians of the Southwest realized centuries ago that silver pairs well with turquoise stones, which can be used as aesthetic accents. The sturdiness and durability of the silver provide a note of functionality as well. When blended together, these two distinct elements create a fashion statement all their own.

If you’re looking for an understated way to wear Native American jewelry, look for a ring that suits your personality and personal style. You can find handcrafted rings featuring amethyst, white opal, onyx, malachite, lapis, azurite, turquoise and other stones set in sterling silver or gold, giving you endless options for a unique look. Turquoise is perhaps the most distinctive gem that’s associated with Native American jewelry, and its blue-green hue looks great with sterling silver. In the fifteenth century, the Pueblo Indian tribes of the American southwest began making turquoise and silver rings with the arrival of the Spanish to the New World. The Spanish taught Natives how to work with silver and they became proficient silversmiths.

If you choose a turquoise ring from the wide selection of Native American rings available, make sure to take special care of it. Turquoise is very sensitive to solvents, so perfume, jewelry cleaners, cosmetics and skin oils can attack the finish and alter the color of the gem. Direct sunlight can also discolor turquoise, so don’t wear your turquoise ring to the beach or another place where you’ll be in the sun. To clean your ring, wipe the turquoise gently with a soft cloth and store it in its own container to avoid it being scratched by harder gems.

In the hot summertime, nothing is cooler than wearing white clothes. The darker your clothes are, the hotter you will be because your dark clothes will absorb heat. White clothes, on the other had, reflect sunlight, and also just look cute in the summer. Turquoise jewelry looks especially striking and summery when worn with white clothing, so invest in some handmade Native American turquoise jewelry for the summer.

To really allow your jewelry to stand out, dress simply and let your turquoise jewelry make a statement. Try a white v-neck T-shirt and a denim skirt with a beautiful turquoise necklace, bracelet or ring. This look especially works with extra large pieces of jewelry, since the outfit is simple enough that the jewelry doesn’t overwhelm it. If you have blue eyes, a large turquoise necklace will make them look brighter and more vibrant, surely drawing compliments from all your friends. And no matter what, your turquoise jewelry will always be unique – no two turquoise stones are exactly the same and the natural streaks, lines and markings that you see on any given stone will set it apart from any other.

The Kokopelli was a flute playing trickster of Southwest legend. The famous hunchbacked flute player, is a symbol of joy and fertility  It is said that he was so charming that he could charm an eagle or the wind itself. He is one of the most intriguing and widespread images surviving from ancient Anasazi Indian mythology, and is a prominent figure in Hopi legends. The figure represents a mischievous trickster or the Minstrel, spirit of music. Kokopelli is considered a symbol of fertility who brought well-being to the people, assuring success in hunting, planting and growing crops, and human conception. This mythological creature is thousands of years old but oh so much in the present also.  Wearing a piece of Native American Jewelry with a Kokopelli featured surely could be called a good luck charm