Wampum belts were used as a memory aid in oral tradition, and were sometimes used as badges of office or as ceremonial devices in Indigenous cultures, such as the Iroquois.

Nov 20, 2024 · As Hiawatha walked along a lake, feeling great grief for the loss of his family, he saw birds (ducks or geese) fly away, revealing pure white shells that had been left behind, which were …

When a string of wampum that is held in a person’s hand, they are said to be speaking truthfully. During ceremonies, the wampum strings are used to convey that the speaker’s words are true.

Wampum is the descriptor for the material used in ancient beaded necklaces. These were used as trade goods among the Native groups in North America and even found their place as a currency in the …

wampum, tubular shell beads that have been assembled into strings or woven into belts or embroidered ornaments, formerly used as a medium of exchange by some North American Indians.

The word "Wampum" comes from the Narragansett word for 'white shell beads'. Wampum beads are made in two colors: white ("Wòmpi") beads ("Wompam") from the Whelk shell ("Meteaûhock"), and …

Oct 5, 2017 · Wampum was white or purple beads and discs fashioned from two shells: the white beads from the whelk, a sea snail with a spiral shape, and the quahog, a clam with purple and white coloring.

WAMPUM is made from one of the hardest and most beautiful shells in the world: the Northern Quahog, a clam found along the New England coast. The white and purple layers of the shell create most …

Not only an important food to Wampanoag people, but also the principal material for making shell wampum. The Wampanoag are known historically for the manufacture and use of wampum as a …

An artist, writer, curator, and professor, Richard W. Hill, Sr. (Tuscarora), speaks on placing Native American art history, history, and culture in its proper context.