Activity: Beading with Sophia
$10.00
April 19, 2025, 10 AM – 12 PM
Join us for the ancient art of Cherokee beading. Taught by our talented Sophia, learn how to bead necklaces, earrings, bracelets and rings. No experience necessary! Supplies and beads provided. Take home what you make to enjoy for years to come. This is a fun and wholesome family activity.
$10 per person. If you have a big group, we can do a group rate. There is a 20 person limit for this event.
In stock
Description
Cherokee beading, a vibrant art form, emerged from trade with Europeans in the mid-1700s, evolving into a unique and exquisite tradition that reached its peak between 1800 and 1840, before being disrupted by the forced removal of the Cherokees.
In the mid-1700s, the Cherokee began trading with European traders for items like glass seed beads, steel needles, silk thread, and fabrics, which they used to create beadwork. Along with other southeastern tribes, the Cherokee developed a unique and exquisite beadwork style, which matured by the end of the 1700s. The period between 1800 and 1840 is often considered the “Golden Age” of Cherokee beadwork, but beading continues to this day in both the Eastern Band of the Cherokee and The Cherokee Nation.
Cherokee beadwork, like other Native American beadwork, carries symbolic meaning, with colors and designs often representing natural phenomena, religious cosmology, and aesthetic expressions. Traditionally, Cherokee beadworkers used natural materials like dried berries, gray Indian corn, and the teeth, bones, and claws of wild animals, along with materials from trade with Europeans. And beadworkers used various techniques, including two-needle appliqué, loom beadwork, and net beadwork (also known as “gourd” or “peyote” stitch).
During the period of the Trail of Tears forced removal and the hardships faced by the Cherokees led to the decline of their beadwork traditions, as they had to focus on rebuilding their lives. But in recent years, there has been a revival of Cherokee beadwork, with artists like Martha Berry playing a key role in preserving and promoting this traditional art form.
Beadwork remains an important part of Cherokee culture, serving as a way to express identity, preserve history, and connect with their heritage. Contemporary Cherokee beadworkers create a wide range of beaded items, including clothing, accessories, jewelry, and artwork. Beadwork continues to be a powerful way for Cherokee people to express their identity and connect with their cultural heritage.
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