I would like to welcome you to Rez work Art. A website that will educate you and hopefully inspire you to see the value in what native peoples, all across the globe, share a deep connection with the world we’ve been entrusted.
Wilbert Seciwa , Zuni Pueblo Artist
The use of bone in Native American ornamentation has long been a source of strength, prosperity, and honor for all who wear them. Allow me to bring bone into your world…
Why bone?
Recognizing that the world of the animals have spirits that help their human brothers to protect and care for the world we share, indigenous people from all over the world have used bone from animals to derive honor, strength and prosperity.
The bone choker
The bone choker in days of old and was worn by a person to bring forth the spirit of “truth and confidence in speaking” made from the bones of birds because the birds had such great singing voices. The choker was strung together with sinew from large game animals like buffalo or deer, because the tendon was long and sturdy. The white long bone bead is made from bird’s leg bones that were boiled and the marrow removed to hollow out the center and create the bead. Life is divided into six stages; birth, childhood, puberty, adulthood, the elderly and finally death. So the choker has six sections. The chokers were originally only one or two rows.
Bone Hair-pipe
Hair-pipe is the long bone stem used on the corncob pipe in the mid 1770’s. The stem was removed from the pipe and the ends rounded to create the bead. The plains and Northern tribes found it to be a good way to protect body parts during hand-to-hand conflict. Rows were added to the choker to protect the warrior’s neck and the breastplate the torso. The bracelet or bolo guard is to protect the wrist or forearm. The Natives believed in the spiritual powers that the item carries would protct them from harm because it was made from an animal.
Shell Centerpiece
Usually shaped from abalone, or any seashell, the centerpiece is molded in the shape of a circle that symbolizes the oneness that we have with our planet, also to everything in life. There is no real beginning and end, what goes around must come around. The sea is vast, made of water, which falls from the sky as a single raindrop. The drop forms rivers, the river flows into lakes and oceans. In turn the sun evaporates the water, returning the water to the sky where the cycle begins again.
The two holes in the center signify our earthly mother and father. The first hole is our mother, who brought us into this world and the second hole is our father, which ties us in family, friendship and honor to the world around us. Fitting tributes as these two holes bind the centerpiece to the choker or to the breastplate. The center embraces a symbol that signifies the spirit of the wearer, a single turkey feather may be a speaker, two eagle feathers may be a warrior and a combination of several beads may be a great hunter or even a person of honor.
Meaning of the rows
Though the meaning of each row differs from tribe to tribe these are most common on a choker:
1) One God/Creator
2) Affirmation/confidence
3) Completeness/wholeness
4) Earthly Situations/Seasons/The Four Directions
5) Spiritual Perfection/enlightenment
The wearer
You do not have to be a Native to own or wear one of these bone creations, as long as you understand that each bone, leather spacer, and bead is hand strung together with a prayer for your strength and prosperity. Often times Native Americans wear bone to maintain the spiritual power which they believe the item carries. The unique nature of the art has made bone work wearable by both men or women. Chokers are still worn to symbolize a speaker is speaking with honor and truth.
Meaning of the colors
The white long bone bead – called hair-pipe – is traditionally made of bison bone, which symbolizes strength and prosperity. The long bone can also come in coffee stain color. Like the difference in meaning of the rows on a choker, Native cultures have given meaning to each color of glass bead.
Blue or turquoise – wisdom/confidence/understanding.
Purple – The mystic or spiritual powers
Yellow – healing/life longevity/growth.
Green – nature/harmony/restoration.
Orange or brass – Intellect/determination.
Red – faith/beauty/happiness/birth.
Black – dignity/stability/the unconscious.
Chokers are made with 2, 3, 4, and 5 rows. They are 10, 12 or 15 inches long; with 6-inch braided sinew ties on each end.
Centerpieces are made to order. in today’s modern world the symbol in the center may be a bone painted feather for the spirit of Native America, or a cross for the Christian, or even a Star of David for the Jew, and oftentimes there is no centerpiece.
Materials
I only use real bone, French brass beads or glass pony beads. I also use genuine leather with the highest quality clips, links and lock links. For the sinew an imitation is used that is stronger and lasts longer but with the same feel and look of traditional sinew. Substitutions can be made with a glass pony bead to change the color—turquoise, dark blue, purple, red, yellow, orange, upon your request.