Native American Indians
Page
Yah'ah'tey Visitor
and Welcome to my Page.
LOVING
SUN
"JUST AS THE SUN WARMS THE EARCH,
LOVE WARMS OUR LIVES."
~ RED BEAR ~
First
a little something to say before I continue to take you on a
journey of these magical People of the Americas. I am not an American Indian , but I have been fascinated
by their History, Culture, Crafts and devotion. That is why I
have created this little site... It is in honour of all the indigenous people who have been put on trial for speaking their
minds and also for the old and wise generations and also the NEW...
Please enjoy your stay If you have any suggestions on how to make
this page better please email me!
applet on this page
and others throughout this site may take a while to download!
LIST
Legends
Dream
Catcher Legend
DREAMS
HAVE ALWAYS HAD MANY MEANINGS TO THE INDIANS. ONE OF THE OLD
OJIBWA TRADITIONS WAS TO HANG A DREAM CATCHER IN THEIR HOME.
THEY BELIEVE THAT THE NIGHT AIR IS FILLED WITH DREAMS, BOTH BAD
AND GOOD. THE DREAM CATCHER, WHEN HUNG, MOVES FREELY IN THE
AIR AND CATCHES THE DREAMS AS THEY FLOAT BY.
WITH THE GUIDANCE OF THE SPIRIT BEAD, THE GOOD DREAMS ARE ALLOWED
PASSAGE THROUGH THE CENTER OPENING, THEN SLIDE DOWN OFF THE SOFT
FEATHER SO GENTLY THAT MANY TIMES THE SLEEPER BELOW DOESN'T KNOW
HE IS DREAMING.
THE BAD DREAMS, WITHOUT GUIDANCE FROM THE SPIRIT BEAD, BECOME
TANGLED IN THE WEBBING AND PERISH WITH THE FIRST LIGHT OF DAY.
SMALL DREAM CATCHERS WERE HUNG ON CRADLE BOARDS SO INFANTS
WOULD HAVE GOOD DREAMS. LARGER SIZES WERE HUNG IN
LODGES FOR ALL TO HAVE GOOD DREAMS
Medicine
Wheels
A NATIVE
AMERICAN MEDICINE WHEEL IS LIKE CARRYING THE WORLD IN YOUR POCKET.
EVERYTHING ON A MEDICINE WHEEL SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT THE WORLD AND
HOW HUMANS LIVE IN IT.
A MEDICINE WHEEL IS SHAPED LIKE A DREAM CATCHER WITH A HANDLE.
IT STARTS WITH A PIECE OF TWIG FORMED INTO A CIRCLE. THE
CIRCLE REPRESENTS LIFE, WHICH NEVER ENDS. NATIVE AMERICANS
ARE BORN, GROW UP, REACH ADULTHOOD, BECOME OLD, AND THEN ARE
"BORN" INTO THE SPIRIT WORLD WHEN THEY DIE ON EARTH.
INSIDE THE CIRCLE ARE TWO STRAIGHT STICKS TIED TOGETHER IN A
CROSS. THESE STRAIGHT STICKS CUT THE MEDICINE WHEEL CIRCLE
INTO FOUR QUARTERS, LIKE A PIZZA WITH FOUR SLICES. THE
STICK PIECES REPRESENT THE FOUR DIRECTIONS: NORTH, SOUTH, EAST,
AND WEST. THEY ALSO REPRESENT THE FOUR SEASONS: WINTER,
SUMMER, SPRING, AND FALL. PLUS, EACH STICK PIECE HAS A
COLORED BEAD ATTACHED TO IT. THESE COLORS MEAN DIFFERENT
THINGS, AS WELL.
THE PIECE OF TWIG POINTING UP STANDS FOR "NORTH."
IT REPRESENTS WINTER. THE BEAD ON THIS TWIG IS WHITE, FOR
SNOW.
THE PIECE OF TWIG POINTING DOWN STANDS FOR "SOUTH."
IT REPRESENTS SUMMER. THE BEAD ON THIS TWIG IS GREEN, THE
COLOR OR GROWING THINGS.
THE PIECE OF TWIG ON THE LEFT STANDS FOR "EAST."
IT REPRESENTS SPRING, THE BEGINNING OF THINGS. THE BEAD ON
THIS TWIG IS RED. RED IS THE COLOR OF THE SUN WHEN IT RISES
FROM THE EAST EVERY MORNING AND BEGINS THE DAY.
THE PIECE OF TWIG ON THE RIGHT STANDS FOR "WEST."
IT REPRESENTS FALL. FALL IS THE HARVEST SEASON, WHEN
GROWING THINGS ARE CUT DOWN AND STORED FOR THE WINTER. THE BEAD
ON THIS TWIG IS BLACK. THAT IS THE COLOR OF NIGHTFALL
AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHEN WORK IS OVER.
WHEN THE BASIC MEDICINE WHEEL HAS BEEN MADE, EACH OWNER PUTS
SMALL THINGS ON THE WHEEL THAT ARE IMPORTANT. IF HE OR SHE
IS FROM A CERTAIN CLAN ~ SAY, THE BEAR CLAN
~ THAT PERSON MIGHT WANT A BIT OF BEAR FUR ATTACHED
TO THEIR WHEEL. IF A PERSON HAS HAD A DREAM OF BEING GUIDED
BY THE SPIRIT OF THE EAGLE, THEN AN EAGLE FEATHER MIGHT DANGLE
FROM THEIR MEDICINE WHEEL. IN THIS WAY, MEDICINE WHEELS
BECOME AS DIFFERENT AS THE PEOPLE WHO OWN THEM
Bead
Work
MOST
NATIVE AMERICAN NATIONS HAVE MADE JEWELRY AND ALSO DECORATED
EVERYDAY OBJECTS WITH BEADS. MANY NATIONS STILL DO.
BEADS ARE MADE INTO BEAUTIFUL NECKLACES, EARRINGS, AND OTHER
ORNAMENTS. THEY ARE ALSO SEWN ONTO MOCCASINS, CLOTHING,
CARRYING BAGS, QUIVERS, AND EVEN SOME BASKETS!
IN ANCIENT TIMES, NATIVE AMERICANS MADE BEADS FROM SHELLS, STONES,
BONES, AND EVEN POTTERY. BUT MOST BEADS WERE MADE FROM
DIFFERENT- COLORED SHELLS.
HOW WERE SHELL BEADS MADE? FIRST A SHELL WAS BROKEN DOWN
INTO SMALL PIECES. THEN THE BEAD MAKER PUT A HANDHELD DRILL
ON EACH PIECE. THE BEAD MAKER RUBBED THE DRILL RAPIDLY
BETWEEN HIS OR HER PALMS. THIS WAS HOW A HOLE WAS DRILLED
INTO EACH SMALL SHELL PIECE.
WHEN SEVERAL SHELL PIECES HAD BEEN DRILLED, THEY WOULD BE PUT ON
A STRING. THEN THE BEAD MAKER WOULD GRIND THE OUTSIDES OF
THESE SHELL PIECES INTO ROUND SHAPES.
BEADS USED TO BE STRUNG ON TWINE MADE FROM PLANTS, OR ON STRING
MADE FROM ANIMAL SINEWS. NOW BEADS ARE STRUNG ON COMMERCIAL
THREAD.
BEADS AND BEAD SHELLS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN TRADED AMONG DIFFERENT
NATIVE AMERICAN NATIONS. NATIONS THAT LIVED ON THE EAST OR
WEST COASTS WOULD TRADE WITH INLAND TRIBES.
WHEN EARLY DUTCH SETTLERS FOUND THIS OUT, THEY LEARNED TO MAKE
BEADS. THEY TRADED THOSE BEADS, AND ALSO GLASS BEADS FROM
EUROPE, FOR THINGS THAT THEY NEEDED FROM NATIVE AMERICANS!
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Visit
SilverHawks Site for beautiful graphics, like the ones used on
this page. http://www.redrival.com/samsilverhawk
and
also for fabulous Background sets.
Please also check out "Zena's Dreams"
Webpage
created on: November 13, 1999
Last Updated:
Sunday, September 24, 2000 11:29 PM
Helki's
Palace of Dreams
Copyright © 1999-2000, Helki Soraya Weber
All rights reserved