vendredi 11 septembre 2015

Purchase Native American Merchandise Online

By Daphne Bowen


Before the New World was colonized by Europeans, it was occupied by a plethora of mighty nations which consisted of multiple tribes. Each of these groups of people had their own beliefs, culture and unique artistic style. Many of the descendants of these great people still carry carry on the crafting traditions of their ancestors, making it possible to purchase authentic Native American merchandise online.

On designated lands known as reservations, several of the tribes still live and operate as completely independent nations, following their own laws, religions and ways. Modern day artisans residing in and around those borders have dedicated their lives to keeping the practices of their ancestral craftsmen active. They utilize trade secrets and skills that have been passed down through the generations.

Tribal art typically represents the things the people felt most spiritually connected with such as animals, nature, the sun, moon, stars and religion. Traditionally, natural products are used to create the items, lending a very special ambiance to each and every artfully crafted piece. Some of the materials commonly utilized include wood, beads, feathers, leather, sand, bone, wool, stone, shell, gems, hides, clay, silver and quills, as well as other things.

Some companies who focus mainly on reproduction pieces will mass produce items that are based on tribal styles but in a more commercialized fashion. As they are created in bulk by machinery or on assembly lines, the products are made mostly with synthetic materials like acrylic, nylon and plastic. Hand crafting with genuine articles by traditional means is a benchmark of authenticity.

Souvenir focused websites tend to feature such popular items as beaded purses, dream catchers, seed bead bracelets, jewelry made of silver and turquoise, drums, moccasins and totem poles. These are the type of things that the general population associates with the tribal communities most easily. They also sell novelty products like books, paintings, posters, key chains and trinkets.

Sites specializing in authentic artisan productions are likely to offer a more elite line of crafts. This may include items like the whale bone and soapstone carvings by the Innuit and Yupik tribes of Alaska, or perhaps the mesmerizing kachina dolls fashioned by the talented Hopi people. The fine loom woven wool rugs of the Navajo are in high demand because no two of those beautiful creations are exactly the same they are of such amazing quality.

With hundreds of tribes across the country, there are many artistic styles of woven baskets, clay pottery, masks, beaded goods, dolls and musical instruments. Every piece is a hand crafted treasure. One might even be able to locate creations made in the highly specialized art of using porcupine quills as decoration, which was the standard practice in the time before beads were discovered.

Specialized crafts are generally found on websites that prioritize authenticity. The traditional chieftain and warrior style headdresses of each nation are truly amazing works of art. Baleen baskets, intricate sand paintings, hoop masks, medicine wheels and fetish carvings are products desired by many who appreciate fine skills.




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