How You Can Acquire Native American Arts and Crafts and Help Preserve This Unique Cultural Heritage Iroquois, Sioux, Navajo... Geronimo, Chief Joseph, Sitting Bull... Enter your search terms Submit search form Web www.support-native-american-art.com Native American names that resonate through the pages of American History. Perhaps you know them only through the distorted lens of Hollywood westerns, but did you know these great nations and people offer a rich cultural heritage dating back thousands of years before Columbus ever set foot on these shores? But now this heritage is in imminent danger of disappearing forever. As someone with Iroquois blood coursing through my veins, this thought fills me with dread, because I know that the whole world will be impoverished if it were allowed to happen. Support Native American Art exists to increase your awareness of the rich diversity of Native American arts and crafts and Native American Culture, and to help you understand and acquire these works, either for yourself, or as gifts for those you love. QUALITY - Unlike the assembly-line, cookie-cutter trinkets flooding our market these days, each and every work of genuine Native American art is painstakingly hand-crafted, carrying with it the artist's own unique style. As such, your investment, however small, will definitely increase in value over time. UNIQUENESS - All Hand-crafted items are truly unique! These amazing Native American artisans are using their personal vision and style that are both modern and yet rich in culture and tradition. You'll have to make time to tell your friends where you found such a beautiful, one-of-a-kind piece. SUPPORT - YES, your investments can be a bridge between the hope of the future and a tribute to the past. By investing in genuine Native American art, you can build such a bridge. (By the way, art can be what YOU want it to be: clothing, belts, coats, jewelry, rugs, pottery, baskets, blankets, etc.) And, your investment bridge flows back to families and communities for food, clothing and education. Meanwhile, new markets open for innovative, vibrant, dynamic and exciting artisans to step into, all the time mindful of their rich tradition. Yes! YOU did all this ... BRAVO!!!!

I have always loved history, especially American History, starting with looking at the pictures in National Geographic, growing up knowing of an Iroquois ancestry to graduating from Penn State in Anthropology/Archaeology. Why support Native American Arts and Crafts and, in turn, help to preserve an ancient culture? It's a "calling" - the work is beautiful, the workmanship is second to none, the innovative use of materials found in the environment is amazing. But it's also realizing that some of these cultures are on the brink of extinction, and that would be a shame for all of us. There's a bit more about me on my About Me page!

My site captures a glimpse into this diverse and unique culture through examining the works of talented Native American artisans. Art is reflective of a culture's belief system. And, through understanding the "why", the "how" and the "now", we can learn more about those we share the planet with. Without cultural understanding, misunderstandings abound, and that has been evidenced in our recent global history. Different cultures value different things and neither one is necessarily right or wrong ... just different. I care that these amazing contemporary artisans and their ancient cultures are given respect, dignity, a way to make a living, and experience the "American Dream". I want to make a positive contribution to the world and I want these artisans' works to be recognized as making a contribution to their families, their communities and to the world.

Native Americans Resources is a great directory to explore if you want to find out more on just about anything Native American.