Water bird native american pendant jewelry
Water bird native american pendant jewelry
The Native American people of the Southwestern region use not only precious gemstones as a source of their jewelry makings, they also use a lovely array of symbols as well. The Navajo tribe, specifically and respectively, love using symbols in their craft of making jewelries of many different types. One type of jewelry that they enjoy making is Water bird Native American pendant jewelry. They enjoy using sterling silver along with turquoise to bring the Water bird that they use for their pendant making to life. The Water Bird represents the renewal of life and is many times mistaken the Thunderbird. The water bird and the thunderbird are two entirely separate entities that have different meanings entirely. Other than the renewal of life, the water bird also has the different meanings of rainy seasons, rivers, distant travel, distant vision, and the very ongoing theme of wisdom. The Native Americans value these things very highly as they are always searching out for wisdom and for life to have a pure meaning. With the bringing of the rain, also comes a time for when things can be brought to life. Water is the primary source of all living creatures and is the reason every being is here. Our bodies are made primarily of water and the water bird placed on the pendant by the Native American artist shows that they have the great desire to live a long life full of wisdom. Even though the Southwestern Navajo use the symbol in much of their jewelry making, the Plains Indians are the ones that hold the Water bird into their traditions. Alongside the aforementioned qualities, the water bird also symbolizes lightning, thunder, and visions as well. According to the Plains Native Americans, those who have dreams or visions of thunder will become what are called Heyokas. When a tribesman becomes a Heyoka, they will actually live their dreams backwards as foretold in the tradition of the Lakota. The symbol has been changed and manipulated. The symbol of the Waterbird as we know it today is used by the Native American Church which was founded by the Comanche Quannah Parker in the year 1910. The head of the bird is looking toward the left with the center of its body resembling that of the cross. The water bird’s wings are tucked in and have kind of sharpened edges about them. The Water bird Native American Pendant Jewelry is a sight to behold with awe because of its majesty, beauty, and the knowledge of the stories behind such great caliber. It is remarkable how each and everything of the Native American culture can be brought forth in such a visual way that one can be stopped in their tracks at the greatness of it.
