Did you know…?
About the Huichol tribe of Mexico?
Come see our new collection of Huichol beadwork!
Along the borders of the states of Jalisco and Nayarit, Mexico, in the mountains of the Sierra Madre Occidental, live an indigenous tribe of unique and magical people: the Huichols. Because of the extreme remoteness of the territory, the Huichols were not conquered by Spanish invaders nor greatly changed by Mexican culture. Therefore, they live today very much as they did centuries ago and are considered by many anthropologists to be an invaluable “window” into the ancient past of the Americas. Often the Huichol are referred to as “magical”, in part because of the mystical quality of their healing powers. The Huichol today number about 10,000.
A deeply religious people whose beliefs encompass every aspect of life, they worship multiple deities, most of which represent life forces: earth, water, fire, wind, sun and moon, among others. Religion and the arts are inextricably intertwined in Huichol life; therefore, often their deities and ceremonies are incorporated into their art. The growing familiarity with Huichol art and culture has been beneficial. It has created a demand among collectors for the art, providing the Huichols more work at home, thereby helping to maintain strong family and community ties.
The most recognized forms of artwork coming from the Huichol people are yarn paintings and beaded objects. In both cases, a wooden form is covered with a mixture of beeswax and pine pitch. With yarn paintings, the wax covers a flat “canvas” and strands of colorful yarns are laid into the wax forming intricate “paintings” and designs. The beadwork is similar: a figure is carved out of wood and covered in the wax mixture. Then individual seed beads are set into the wax until colorful patterns and imagery emerge.
Through their art, the Huichols share with us segments of their tradition and mythology. Some of the deities most often portrayed are the Deer (god of fertility and brother to the Peyote); the Peyote (god of knowledge and the center of their religion); the Eagle (god of life); the Snake (used in prayers for rain); flower motifs (appearing in many forms, often depicting the sacred Peyote or corn flower); and Scorpions (considered to be small messengers from the gods). If stung by a scorpion, it is believed that the gods are saying there is something the victim has been neglecting. If allowed to survive the sting, servitude in the holy house must be done to make amends.
The Huichol beliefs are complex and elaborate, involving myth, shamanism, ritual, peyote, prayer and ceremony. Much of their current art depicts these religious themes and retells mystical stories. Therefore, each piece of Huichol art, in addition to being a beautiful work of art, carries its own historical and spiritual significance.
Ask Us!
Q. What does “stabilized turquoise” mean?
A. As we all know, turquoise is a beautiful gemstone that has been prized for centuries in all corners of the world. One of the oldest pieces of jewelry was a turquoise bracelet found on a 7000-year-old mummified Egyptian queen, and its popularity hasn’t waned even to this day. With every fashionable gemstone come the gemstone imitations, and it is often hard to discern what is natural, enhanced, or imitated – especially with today’s advanced lapidary and mining technologies. There are four categories for turquoise as described by law (not including flat-out imitations such as plastics).
Natural turquoise: Turquoise has a hardness of 5-6 (10 is the hardest) and it is very porous, sometimes even chalky. Natural turquoise tends to be harder, exhibiting bright natural color. It is not treated in any way except cutting and polishing. Less than 3% of turquoise on the market is natural.
Stabilized turquoise: Softer, chalkier turquoise can be too fragile for practical uses and things like light, heat, perspiration and chemicals can cause negative color changes in all forms of the stone. When soft turquoise is soaked in artificial resin it permanently hardens the stone and deepens the color. The color and hardness are thus “stabilized”. Most turquoise on the market is stabilized and is less expensive than the natural stone.
Treated turquoise: This is stabilized turquoise that has dye included in the resin. The colors will look more artificial, bright, consistent, etc. and the prices are lower than stabilized turquoise. Also called “dyed turquoise”.
Reconstituted turquoise: Soft turquoise that has been ground to a powder, combined with acrylic or epoxy resin, dyed and formed into a block for cutting. This has a look and feel of acrylic and is the least expensive form.
The more you know about the and its various forms, the less you will fall prey to imitations. Most of the time, turquoise will be labeled accurately and the price will reflect the material. If you like a stone and come to find that it is dyed or treated, ask yourself if that really matters. For some people purity of the stone is paramount; for others, the attractiveness of a stone (especially one that works into a great beadwork design!) is what counts. An educated choice is the best option either way!
Have a question for us? drop it in the mail to: Ask Us!, Mana Beads, 423 Broad St. Nevada City, CA 95959 or email it to newsletter@manabeads.com
How To…
Use Beading Chain
You have probably seen some great designs using a thin beading chain with beads somehow secured right on the chain. Using beading chain is EASY! First, cut a desired length of chain and find beads that will fit (most chain is 0.5-0.7mm). Next, decide how you want to space out the beads on the chain. Each bead “set” is added to the chain with a crimp bead on either side of the set. Slide the beads into place and carefully smash the crimp bead where you want the beads to sit. Smash the crimp bead on the other side of to secure the set in place. Use a “crimp end” at each end of your chain and attach the clasp to the ring on the crimp end. You now have a beautiful necklace of beads floating on an elegant chain!
We carry beading chain in gold-plate, silver-plate, copper-plate, gunmetal and sterling silver.
Want to see it demonstrated? Come in anytime and we’ll show you how! |
