Mining and Classifying Turquoise
Although many stones are used in Native American Indian jewelry, one of the most used and recognized is turquoise. The gem, which is “a hydrous phosphate of aluminum, containing copper, iron and other minerals,” ranges in color from bright green to blue-tinted, the... Read moreNative American Heritage Month
November is Native American Heritage Month. As one of the Southwest’s premier traders of Native American Indian art, we think it’s important to look at why we should and how we can honor and preserve the cultures and traditions of our country’s Native peoples. A Month... Read moreHalloween Masks and Kachinas
Halloween has its roots in Celtic culture, where November 1 marked the New Year. On the day before the New Year, October 31, ancient Celts believed that portals opened enabling the dead to take humans to the spirit world. Over time, Romans and Christians influenced... Read more
The Story of Storytellers
The oral tradition is the time-honored way Native American cultures pass traditional values and beliefs from one generation to the next. The first storyteller figurine was created in 1963 by Helen Cordero of Cochiti Pueblo. Representing her grandfather’s way of... Read more