Native American Crafts
Over the past year, we have received an overwhelming amount of requests for Native American crafts. I believe the uptick in popularity is due to the fact that we celebrate and honor our native heritage every November in the United States. While everyone does want to be respectful and avoid feather headdresses and tipis they are a part of certain tribes in North America. But it is important to remember there is more to the native culture than those stereotypes.
I have been lucky enough to travel all over North America and spend time with some of these amazing tribes. Learning their art, crafts, cooking, and ways of life. I have spent time with the Athabaskan, Yuit, Cherokee, Navajo, and Apache. Traveling in the Dakotas learning from some of the tribes that make up the Sioux. Even visiting burial mounds of the South Appalachian Mississippians of North Carolina. Lucky enough to spend a lot of time with the tribes that make up the Haudenosaunee mostly learning about the dances and the history of Hiawatha. I also made my way to the Mashantucket Pequot Museum in Connecticut where I made my own wampum.
Throughout all my travels everyone was more than happy to share their culture and stories. People went above and beyond to include and teach me. I am explaining this to you to help you understand that I do not have these crafts on my site casually. This is something I have spent a lot of time researching to teach your little artist in the most respectful way possible.
I believe that Mark Twain had the right idea. “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.”
Today we are sharing just a few of the over 30 crafts we have in our Native American category.
Northeast Native American Crafts
Our first craft is based on the story of Hiawatha creating peace between the five warring tribes. The tribes of Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, and Mohawk, buried their weapons of war and began to live in peace. This flag is painted in purple to represent the same color of the wampum the belt is made out of. (Wampum is a purple bead made from the inside of a seashell.) Click the image below to make your own flag.
Hiawatha’s Belt Haudenosaunee Flag
Upper Midwest Native American Crafts
Our next project traditionally, was made of two spider webs hung on the hoop, and it was said that they protected the child from harmful dreams and other dangers passing through the air. In other words, a dream catcher would trap the bad dreams that blew freely in the night and keep them away from the mind. It is important when making this craft to use all natural materials. No plastics.
Dream Catcher Craft Project
Pacific Northwest Native American Crafts
In our next craft, we are making and learning about totem art from our tribes located in the Pacific Northwest. So what is a totem? A totem is a spirit being, sacred object, or symbol of a tribe, clan, family, or individual. Some Native American tribes’ tradition believes that each person is connected with one of the nine different animals. This animal will accompany him or her through life, acting as guides. We choose the eagle because the eagle is a symbol of great strength, leadership, and vision.
Totem Headband Craft Project
Southwest Native American Crafts
In our next craft, we teach our little artists how to be architects. The southwest tribes built homes into the sides of cliffs. This was extremely practical as it helped the dwellings to stay cool. The Adobe, or pueblo villages consisted of multi-story houses that were often built on high tablelands that were inaccessible except by steep trails. The best way to describe this to children is it is like a modern day apartment building. One giant building where multiple families live. We are using sand to decorate this project as these homes were made out of mud/dirt.
Adobe House / Pueblos Craft Project
We will take a brief moment to explain the feather headdress. The headdress is part of the plane tribal culture. Not all tribes wear these. This item is a symbol of high respect and a visible display of a warrior’s bravery and honor. Mostly worn by men and each feather was earned. Every feather in a bonnet headdress was a symbolic reflection of the brave deeds and battles that the warrior had been engaged in. This practice leads to the expression “a feather in his cap”. Teach this craft with respect and that it is an earned item. As a class maybe children earn feathers by good deeds and following the rules. When the bonnet is complete the class earns a party or fun day.
This will help teach your little artist about respect for this headdress. When they see images of Native Americans wearing huge headdresses they understand how hard they worked for it.
Native American Headdress
We hope you had fun learning different ways to teach your little artist about the many tribal cultures. Maybe you even learned something new. It is important to reach out to your local tribes and see if they have an outreach, clan mother, or person that might be willing to work with your students. It is crucial that children learn that this culture is not in the past but is alive now.