Monday, August 31, 2015

Search Native American Merchandise Online

By Daphne Bowen


Many Mighty nations consisting of hundreds of separate tribes occupied the New World in the time before European colonization. Each set was its own entity with unique beliefs, traditions, culture and style of art. The trade of the craftsmen of old are still carried on today by their descendants, who provide Native American Merchandise online for sale to the general masses.

Many of these great tribes are still in existence today, centered primarily around reservations, a place where they continue their traditional style of living as an independent nation. Both inside and outside those borders are the devoted who have keep the old ways alive, particularly those of their craftsman, and continue to practice their trade. Their secrets and skills are passed down from one generation to another.

The sun, moon, stars, animals, nature and religion are some of things with which the tribesmen have long felt a spiritual connection and as such, they are commonly represented in their art. The traditional use of only organic materials in their creations seems to give each hand crafted piece a special ambiance. Beads, feathers, quills, wood, sand, stone, shells, gems, clay, silver, bone, leather and wool are just a sampling of the natural supplies often utilized.

Companies that sell reproduction items that look like the tribal pieces, produce them in bulk. Made on assembly lines or by machines, the products are fabricated using mostly synthetics like plastic, acrylic and nylon. Anything that claims to be authentic will be crafted by hand in the traditional styles, most likely using natural materials.

Websites selling souvenir type items may feature crafts such as dream catchers, bead work purses and bracelets, turquoise and silver jewelry, moccasins, drums and totem poles. That is largely because products like these are easily recognizable to the mass population. Posters, key rings, paintings, books and trinkets are often sold simply as commemorative pieces.

A more elite line of products are typically offered on websites that feature authentically crafted pieces. These could be such items as carvings in soapstone or whale bone done by the Alaskan Innuit and Yupik tribes, or enchanting kachina dolls that are a Hopi specialty. Navajo rugs are frequently sought out because each one is an original piece, hand woven on a loom using high quality wool with the greatest of skill.

Woven baskets, clay pottery, beaded works, musical instruments, dolls and masks are all available in the individual styles of over a hundred different tribes. Crafted by hand, they are each a true artistic treasure. Avid collectors may even be able to locate hard to find pieces that have been decorated with porcupine quills, a material that through an intricate preparation procedure, was used for decorating clothing before the discovery of beads. And which has since become an obscure skill.

Many other specialized pieces might be found on sites that focus on authentic tribal works. These may include headdresses fashioned in the manner of such that were worn by the chieftains or warriors of each nation. Intricate sand paintings, fetish carvings, baleen baskets, hoop masks and medicine wheels are all frequently sought out by those who appreciate fine art of this nature.




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