Ancient Voices A Museum to honor the least known people in North America, the Original Tribal Women

Woodlands Beadwork

Woodlands style beadwork is different to the plains style because the woodlands designs usually incorporate leaves and flowers, as opposed to the plains tribes who usually used geometric designs.

According to the Iroquois world-view, plants are always used in design as vital symbols of all the gifts of the Creator. Thus, most beadwork, both historic and contemporary, repeats motifs essential to the Iroquois cosmology: the Sky World from which a woman fell; the turtle's back upon which she landed; the twins she eventually bore; the plants, animals, birds, trees, water, and wind that inhabit and surround the earth—Turtle Island

Above and right: Woodlands beaded vests the white one is from the Santee Dakota tribe