What is Native American Jewelry? - An "art for survival" born out of p

What is Indian jewelry?

Native American jewelry refers to silver jewelry traditionally made by Native Americans of the American Southwest, particularly the Navajo, Zuni, and Hopi tribes.

Its distinctive features lie in its "meaningful design" that goes beyond mere decoration, and in the background of honing its skills in order to survive.

Examples of typical techniques used in Native American jewelry

Stamp work (stamping pattern)
→ A technique in which patterns are stamped one by one with an iron punch.
Inlay technique (stone inlay)
→ A design in which natural stones such as turquoise are precisely set into a silver frame.
Casting technique (casting)
→ A heavy-duty sculpture created by pouring molten silver into an iron or sand mold.

These techniques vary slightly depending on the tribe and artist, and are so unique that they can be called "crafts that tell the story of the tribe."

The power of "culture" seen in examples of works

Navajo: Many of their designs boldly use large turquoise, and their works are characterized by a strong sense of connection with nature.
Zuni: Predominantly intricate inlay work, with gemstones arranged in a mosaic pattern to represent animal and mythological motifs.
Hopi: Abstract symbols emerge using a unique overlay technique (layered engraving on silver plates).

It is no exaggeration to say that these are not just fashion items, but "symbols of their respective cultures."

Art created to survive persecution

In fact, Indian jewelry did not start as a traditional craft.

These were "life skills" developed by indigenous people who had been forced to leave their land through forced relocation and reservation policies, using limited resources to survive in the "new land."

In other words, it is a culture that was born after the Spanish and current Americans (formerly British) settled here.

The irony of "beauty born from invasion"

Native American jewelry is loved around the world for its beauty and craftsmanship, but its origins lie in persecution and transformation for survival.

The historical background is as follows:

Gradual invasions by Spain, Mexico, and the United States
Forced land seizures under the Indian Removal Act of 1830
The "Trail of Tears": A migratory route that killed thousands
Enforced self-sufficiency and resource restrictions on the reservation
The ornaments that began to be made using silver and stones during persecution are what became known as Indian jewelry.

In other words, Native American jewelry is a fusion of the material (silver) brought by the conquerors and the survival strategies devised in oppressive living conditions.

I once read somewhere that "beauty does not always come from peaceful environments," and Native American jewelry, which was born out of persecution, is a prime example of this.

Forced into reservations, their language, education, and culture were destroyed and lost, but Native Americans managed to sublimate their identity into unique art forms that incorporated the invading cultures. Native American jewelry is a prime example of this.

Before the Spanish and American settlement: Native American decorative culture

Materials: feathers, animal teeth and bones, bear claws, shells (especially shell beads), stones, tree roots and plant fibers
Technique: Braiding, piercing, and wearing body decorations (earrings, necklaces, head ornaments)
Symbolism: Tribal identity, spiritual meaning, warrior symbolism, etc.

In other words, the fact is that there was originally a very rich "culture of wearing things = decorative culture," but "metal" was not used as a material.

To avoid any misunderstanding, it is not that Native Americans did not have a culture of using metals; they certainly used copper for arrowheads and fish hooks, so it seems that they did have a culture of processing and using metals.

It is said that this may have been due to the spread of metalworking in Mexico, where it was popular.

However, since each tribe lived in different regions, the extent to which technology was passed down varied depending on the area of residence.

In short, the fact that there was a culture of processing this metal and using it as tools, but no culture of using it as decoration, proves that Indian jewelry is not ancient.

After the Spanish colonization: Introduction of silver and metals

From the 16th century onwards: The Spanish brought gold and silver culture via Latin America and distributed silver products and tools as part of their Christian missionary work.
Contact between the Navajo and Mexican silversmiths: The Navajo began learning silverwork after the 1860s

Atsidi Sani, a Navajo man who is said to have been the first to start working with silver, is said to have mastered Spanish and Mexican blacksmithing techniques.

The expansion of silversmithing: a means of livelihood under persecution

1860s-1880s: The Navajo were conquered by the US military and forced into reservations. During this period, jewelry production began in earnest as a means of making a living (selling to tourists and soldiers).
The technique spread to the Zuni and Hopi tribes: the Zuni developed inlay (embedding stones) and the Hopi developed overlay (overlay carving of silver).

I won't go into detail about the persecution of Indians here, as it's not the main topic of this article, but if you're interested, please look it up.

This is a terrible form of persecution in which the ethnic group's language is suppressed, education and culture are destroyed, they are forced into places that are completely uninhabitable, and even movement is subject to permission.

These persecutions are partly portrayed in the game Red Dead Redemption 2.

The horrific persecution was also depicted in the 1970 American film "Soldier Blue" and "Little Giants" starring Dustin Hoffman.

It is easy to see the kind of persecution that has been perpetrated by those who call Japanese people racist.

The reason why we want people to know about the history of persecution of Native Americans is that by learning about the horrific conditions, we can gain a deeper understanding of how amazing it is that Native American jewelry was born.

Why silver was chosen: Practicality and workability were crucial

Easy to process

Silver is one of the softest metals, and is easy to shape even through cold processing (hammering without fire).

The melting temperature was relatively low, so it was possible to melt it down and reprocess it using the furnace technology of the time, which meant that it was very compatible with the technical level of the indigenous people.

It was easy to circulate

Silver coins and silver tableware were in relatively large quantities through the military and trade, so there was no image of silver being particularly expensive. (This is just an image.)

In particular, Spanish coins (pieces of eight) that came via Mexico were widely circulated in the southwestern United States, and melting them down and reusing them was the starting point for early silversmithing.

There was demand (value as a trade item)

It can be said that the fact that white settlers, soldiers, and tourists sought ``exotic and tribal ornaments'' and that demand for ``a metal that is cheaper than gold but looks good'' increased greatly matched the indigenous people's goal of economic independence.

It became especially popular when combined with turquoise, as the color contrast was striking, creating the foundation for a culture that continues to this day.

Silver was not used because it was an expensive metal.

Gold was more valuable and softer, but its distribution was limited and it was very difficult to process. On the other hand, iron and copper were used for practical items and were not used because they lacked impact as works of art.

What is very interesting is that silver was the natural choice for crafts because it offered a good balance of availability, workability, and visual impact.

Another important point is that, amidst persecution, some indigenous people began to learn metalworking, and stampwork and other techniques were suitable for pictorially expressing indigenous culture.

Cultural meaning "developed later"

Silver itself did not have any spiritual meaning; rather, the meaning was imbued in the "patterns" and "tribal memories" embodied in the form of jewelry, and silver was the "canvas" for this.

There was a magazine in the past that said, "Indigenous people considered silver a sacred metal," but looking at the history we have presented so far, it is clear that such an expression is a way of thinking and value that was clearly added on later.

In short, it's part of the promotion.

To begin with, there was no silver, so there was nothing sacred about it.

Even if it was forced, the fact that they were able to assimilate with something that came later and create a single culture can be said to be a great achievement that gives a sense of the strong identity of the ethnic group.

The art of searching for and continuing to survive, and the business acumen that can be called vitality

Personally, I think it's amazing that they have established such a strong marketing presence today.

Silver accessories started to become popular when I was in my second year of high school.

Among these categories, Indian jewelry is perceived as a more niche category compared to street and biker fashion such as Chrome Hearts, and is also a little more expensive.

In Japan, it was not introduced as a standard fashion style such as biker fashion, but rather as one of the items of the Ura-Hara (Harajuku underground) style, and was recognized as an item that was highly compatible with visual kei bands.

I think one of the reasons for this was that it was easy to brand, such as its connection to spirits and the introduction of a wide variety of patterns as indigenous culture, so although it was initially popular among enthusiasts, I remember that after a while it suddenly became popular due to the subculture boom.

At that time, more and more people were decorating their rooms in an American casual style, decorating them with indigenous items like dreamcatchers, and smoking American Spirit cigarettes.

After all that time, it is no exaggeration to say that feathers and eagles are now common motifs used in fashion today.

The reason why these Indian jewelry pieces have become so popular is entirely due to the insight and business acumen of the Native Americans who created them.

At that time, Native American jewelry was little more than a souvenir sold to local tourists, and the Spanish and Americans, who looked down on the natives, did not pay a decent amount for the metal. It was not even considered a legitimate business transaction, and each piece was bought for 5 to 20 cents.

Despite these circumstances, the branding has continued, and although its status and value are threatened by counterfeits, an organization has now been created to firmly establish copyright, making its existence as a work of art a solid one.

Some people dislike talking about business because they think it's vulgar, but I really hate the idea of separating art and business.

I believe this is one of the clear factors that is causing the decline of culture.

This is because it is impossible to separate economic activity from art, culture, and customs, and without the connection between the two, it would be impossible to weave a long history that could be called a "traditional craft."

Indian jewelry, which has been elevated to the level of art while maintaining its ethnic identity and striving to survive as a business, can be said to be the crystallization of the pride of indigenous peoples.

It is precisely because the design expresses an identity with such a background that it still fascinates us today.

What is Native American Jewelry? - An "art for survival" born out of persecution