Friday, December 22, 2006

It’s Not Too Late

Watching TV the other night I saw a woman offer a solution for people who are too late to order and have their gift shipped in time for Christmas arrival.

She suggested an e-mail gift certificate.

“Oh m’gosh,” I thought, “we really are on the cutting edge.”

We have been offering email gift certificates for more than a year.

Here’s how it works. You call us at 800-305-0185 and we discuss the item you want the gift certificate for (or the amount of purchase money you want to give).

We then prepare a personalized gift certificate that we email to you or the person you want to receive the gift.

They contact us after Christmas and we arrange shipment of the item or we work out what they want to purchase with the gift certificate.

Since it is email, it goes out without postal or weather delays.

We will schedule it to arrive on Christmas Eve or earlier if you desire.

It certainly is the 21st Century answer for people, such as me, who postpone Christmas gift shopping until the last minute.

Happy Holidays to all.

Sunday, December 17, 2006

Where have we been?

You may have noticed the absence of a recent Tribal Artery newsletter or blog.

Part of the reason was just the rush of seasonal business. But that should be no excuse for a business that always “booms” at this time of year.

The most recent complication was a gall bladder attack sending me, Bill, to the hospital on the Sunday morning (December 10) I was planning to compose the newsletter/blog. Since the symptoms for gall bladder infection and a heart attack are similar, after four hours of distress, it was off the Lee Memorial Health System’s HealthPark.

The care was extraordinary, especially for an early Sunday morning.

It started with a catscan, followed by ultrasound, followed by the cut de gras.

Not to make too much out of a personal story, I’ll stop there, except to say it turned out be massive surgery – “one of the 10 worst gall bladders I’ve seen”, said the surgeon.

Anyway, I am deeply appreciative and grateful for the care from the professional staff at LMHS.

Standing even higher on my Pantheon of heroism in care is my wife. Susanne was remarkable. Always there when I need something – pulling up a blanket, helping me out of and into bed, getting a cup of ice chips, calling for staff assistance when needed and countless other things, including just “being there.”

Through it all, she has continued to receive orders, process credit cards, pack and ship.

While I am home now, with access to the computer, my activity beyond the key board is severely limited.


Susanne continues to accept and fulfill orders, so if you are planning a Christmas order from any of our web sites, ZuniLink, TribalWorks, Native-PotteryLink, and Native-JewelryLink, we still can take your order and ship in time for Christmas.

The Post Office tells that USPS Priority can be shipped as late as December 20th for Christmas delivery. After that, special arrangements must be made for overnight delivery or FedEx, which clearly are more expensive. Nevertheless, even though it has passed the qualification time, on any jewelry order in excess $100 after discounts, we will deduct the normal USPS Priority shipping rate for any overnight or FedEx shipment. In other words, you will only pay for difference between USPS Priority and the Express shipping you use. Of course, until December 20th we will ship USPS Priority unless you request otherwise.

Finally, if you find yourself against the wall and it is flat out too late for your order to reach you or your gift-receiver before Christmas, there is another solution. We can create and email a gift certificate. It can be for a flat sum of money or, if you are concerned about sharing the cost of your gift with its intended receiver, we can prepare a gift certificate for the actual gift item, including a picture of it.

The recipient will need only to contact us by email and we will arrange for the gift item to be shipped.

There is no extra charge for this service, although free shipping is not included in this offer..

What if the person receiving your gift is unhappy with it? We have extended our approval return privilege for seven days after Christmas. All they need to do is notify us, NOT THE CREDIT CARD COMPANY, within that seven day period after Christmas Day and send it to us in a reasonable time after that, and we will provide a refund of the purchase price.

Sorry, there isn’t more “other news from the world of tribal art”. As strength returns, so will the frequency of blog entries and Tribal Artery newsletters.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!! (Can’t say that too often, can we?)

Friday, November 24, 2006

Thanksgiving Past

We have delayed posting this blog until Thanksgiving Day has past for two reasons.

One is to spare our readers another thing to do in the midst of the pressure of preparing for the Thanksgiving Day feast, reunions and family gatherings. The other has been to give us time to post some items before the Thanksgiving weekend shopping fest is too far gone.

So, when you return from that zoo called the mall, where you may have gone to find gifts only to come home “mauled” and missing many of the things you were looking for, sit back, relax and go online to find the special “somethings” that don’t show up on the beaten path.

We have posted a number of these items to our eBay store at http://stores.ebay.com/Art-of-the-First-Person/

It is an eclectic potpourri (two words I have always wanted to use in s single sentence) that either don’t fit easily in the categories of our web sites or are a good way for those who have not found our web sites yet to get a sample of what we have. Hopefully, they will follow the breadcrumbs to the web sites if the eBay store doesn’t meet their needs, And while there, take a look at the handful of auction items we post as the seller, “taosski.”

Of course, you, as a knowledgeable fan of Native American and other ethnographic crafts and art, know exactly where to go to find the good stuff. Native-JewelryLink for top quality Native American jewelry, Native-PotteryLink for fine Native American hand-made pottery, TribalWorks for Arctic art, Navajo folk art, Australian Aboriginal art and African art and ZuniLink for spirit-moving carvings from Zuni, Cochiti and other Pueblos.

SWAIA’s Winter showcase this weekend

One of the things that lover’s of Native American art have to be thankful for is the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA). In addition to hosting the annual Santa Fe Indian Market each August, they have started a new show called the Winter Showcase.

One of the disadvantages of bringing you this blog later than usual is that it is very short notice to announce this event, unless you happen to be in the Santa Fe area anyway and can pop over,

All events take place at the Inn and Spa at Loretto in downtown Santa Fe, right on Old Santa Fe Trail. There are admission fees, but all proceeds go to support the activities of SWAIA, a non-profit organization.

SWAIA has a web site. You might, however, find it more convenient to call their offices for information, 505-983-5220.

Wilson Romero’s Nativities

In an earlier blog posting, we mentioned that we were expecting some nativity sets from Wilson Romero of the Cochiti Pueblo.

His Nativities don’t hang around for long and they have arrived.

Pictures aren’t up yet but should be before Monday. So check out the ZuniLink website and go to Wilson’s page to see what he hath wrought.

We’ll try and post a message when they actually are up. But, as this late edition of Tribal Artery evidences, our publishing schedule is not that reliable.

Have you jumped on the blog train?

A few blogs back we announced a drawing that would award a fascinating engine and passenger coach train to some lucky winner.


Fascinating? Consider that it was hand-made from palm fiber by an East African native artisan.

You could say, when it is not being toyed with, it doubles as a work of folk art.

Anyway, all that is required is to subscribe to a feed for this Tribal Artery blog and send us an email notifying us that you have done so. Bingo! Your name goes in the hat.

There is nothing to buy. And, if you tire of the blog feed, you can unsubscribe at any time. How easy is that?

So scroll down through past blog posts to see a picture of the prize train, sign up to get the feed and email us. The train will go to someone. It might as well be you.

(Ear)Ring in the New Year

We have been posting a lot new earrings lately, including some that will be going up this weekend.

As you know, we don’t bulk order anything, including earrings. We hand-pick each pair based our feeling for what is beautiful, extremely well-done and will accent the high-class apparel of our customers. (That’s you.)

So, as the party season kicks in and the New Year lies waiting behind December’s door, consider earrings for yourself or for a loved one.

One of the nice things about earrings is that, for the most part, they are lower priced than other Native American jewelry. Yet, they are just a beautiful and just as technically fine in their creation. And you get two for the price of one (lol).

Start your earring search at the first of twenty pages featuring them on Native-JewelryLink, and page through the remaining pages until the perfect pair its your eye, We have posts, wires, hoops and dangles.

Many minis have been posted.

There is one entire category of pottery that attracts a special cohort of collectors: the miniatures.

They are not necessarily less expensive than full size pieces because of the intricacy of the detail required to create them.

For some collector’s, however, they fit right into their lifestyles. Because of their size they can easily fit on a knick-knack shelf or a mantelpiece.

If you know someone who collects miniatures, or if you do yourself, check out the minis on our Native-PotteryLink web site.

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Free Palm Fiber Train to be Given Away

Imagine this palm fiber engine and passenger car, hand-woven in East Africa, as part of your holiday decorations or as a surprise toy for some youngster in your family. It will be given away to some lucky subscriber to this blog. The engine is 7" high, 5" wide and 10" long. The passenger car is 8" high, 5" wide and 9" long.



In order to qualify for the drawing, please subscribe to an RSS or ATOM feed of the Tribal Artery blog and send us an email at sanibelart@comcast.net confirming that you have subscribed. There is no cost to subscribe and you may cancel your subscription at any time after the drawing.

The winner will be announced on December 15, 2006 and the two-car palm leaf train will be awarded free of charges. The only cost will be for shipping, which will be at cost for shipping anywhere in the US.
Tribal Artery, is the periodic blog of Aboriginals: Art of the First Person and the following web sites - Native-JewelryLink, Native-PotteryLink, TribalWorks and ZuniLink. Visit any of them anytime.

Monday, November 13, 2006

T’is the season.

Native American carvings always are in season. As the holidays approach, however, Nativity sets become more significant. Also known as “Nacamientos”, they reflect a strong Christian tradition that was brought to the pueblos by Spanish missionaries moving north from Mexico. Those traditions were adopted by the native peoples, with beautiful adobe chapels being constructed through out the Southwest.

An extension of this religious tradition has been the creation of Nativity sets, primarily in pottery. For a selection of these creations now available in our collection, visit our Native-PotteryLink web site. Each potter has her own style, easily identifiable by students of that potter’s work.

Some also have become more whimsical in their approach. The Fragua family of Jemez Pueblo in particular, have extended the nativity tradition to creatures such as mice, bears and others. While some may find these somewhat sacrilegious, we think they are charming and represent a valid perception of God’s creation by the original inhabitants of America.

More recently, Wilson Romero of Cochiti has begun to carve nativity sets from stones found on the Cochiti Pueblo grounds and elsewhere in the area. An example of one of his first nativity sets in shown here. It shows the beginning of a style that was to mature just a few months later. His most recent works have sold quickly.

We talked with Wilson yesterday and he reported he has new nativity sets underway in his studio. He has promised to send us a few as soon as they completed and can be shipped. Since Wilson lives on the pueblo, shipping is not as easy as running down to the local UPS store. We will be waiting with great anticipation. If you would like to be notified when the new sets arrive, please email us with your contact information at sanibelart@comcast.net. We wil let you know when we receive tthem.

Problems at the Portal

Three Native American artists, Glenn Paquin (Laguna Pueblo jeweler), Allen Bruce Paquin (Jemez Pueblo jeweler) and Merton Sisnero (Santa Clara Pueblo potter), have filed suit against the Museum of New Mexico officials concerning their removal from the Portal Vendors Association.

The suit charges that Cultural Affairs Secretary Stuart Ashman expelled the three from the association's advisory committee in January, 2006. At the time of removal Ashman claimed he was acting as a result of a petition signed by 200 artists who claimed the three did not live up to their responsibilities, according to the Indian Trader, a Gallup, NM, based weekly newspaper.

We have featured the Portal, which sits outside the Museum of New Mexico's Governor's Palace in Santa Fe, in previous blog postings. It is one of our favorite places to browse when in Santa Fe. We see a wide array of vetted work by credentialed artists and have met some of our favorite artist there in the past.

We hope the dispute is settled fairly and harmoniously.

Don’t Mess with Stolen Artifacts

The Federal Government is very serious about protecting American Indian artifacts found on Federal Lands and very serious about prosecuting people who steal them. Case in point is that of an Oregon man, Jack Lee Harelson, who already is serving 10 years in prison for theft of artifacts from US Government property. Seems he is looking at another two years for another conviction, with sentencing to take place December 19th.

Harelson prior conviction was for stealing artifacts and mummified remains in 1996. The scene of the crime was Elephant Mountain Cave in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada. In addition to the time he must serve, he was fined $2.5 million in a corresponding civil suit.

The moral of this story is always be sure of your sources when considering pre-historic artifacts. If they didn’t come from private land and your seller can’t verify it, you could end up paying a high price for the acquisition.

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Tribal Artery is a periodic blog about the world of tribal art, brought to you by the web sites of Aboriginals: Art of the First Person, including Native-JewelryLink, Native-PotteryLink, TribalWorks and ZuniLink.

Look for us in Native Peoples

Aboriginals is a regular advertiser in a Native Peoples magazine. We run a quarter-page, normally towards the back of the magazine, featuring one or more pieces that are particularly interesting. This month, we featured a hawk fetish carving by Salvador Romero, our Cochiti carver friend. The January/December ad will display three pieces of attractive Native American jewelry: a necklace with pendant by Rodney Coriz, Santo Domingo, a pin/pendant by Rolanda Haloo, Zuni and an eagle pendant necklace by Herman Vandever, Navajo.

Items that are featured in our ads tend to be sold shortly after they appear. That's what happened to Salvador's hawk carving. If any of these pieces strikes your fancy, you might want to get your order in before the ad appears. To get a closer look at each piece, click on the links above.

Saturday, November 11, 2006

American Indian Arts Celebration

It’s short notice, we know, but if you are in South Florida and can get there, you may find the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s 9th Annual American Indian Arts Festival worth a visit. It opened yesterday and continues through Sunday, November 12 at the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum at the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation. The hours are 10 AM to 5 PM. Admission is $6 for adults and $4 for Seniors (55 or older) and kids (6 to 12 years) Youngsters under 6 are free.

Principal access to Big Cypress Reservation is via Rattlesnake Road, which runs north from I-75 (Alligator Alley) at the Miccosukkee exit west of Fort Lauderdale. For more information and alternate directions, call 863-902-1113.

Incidentally, the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum is worth a day trip in its own right. It is quite informative and very well done. This show is held every year around this time so you might want to put a tag on your calendar to start looking for it in October next year. We also will try to be more attentive and timely for the 10th annual event in 2007.

We are “secure”.

Native American Indian jewelry shoppers will find a new feature at our Native-JewelryLink.com site. We now have a “secure” order form. This means that you can place your order on the form and include credit card information without concern that it will be intercepted and fall into the wrong hands. Of course, we still welcome telephone calls from anyone who has a question or still is uncomfortable about sending personal information over the web. You may call us toll-free at 800-305-0185.

As for the secure order form, when you click through to it, it will appear with the letters “https” (the “s” signifying “secure”) in front of the "//" and a padlock icon in the browser bar field. This is your assurance that your information is safe from unauthorized access.

We hope that the introduction of the toll-free 800 number and the secure order form will make it easier for you to do your holiday shopping this year. We offer assured delivery by Christmas for all orders received by December 15, 2006. But don’t wait too long to order. Since almost everything on any of our Web sites – Native-JewelryLink, Native-PotteryLink, TribalWorks and ZuniLink - is a one-of-a-kind item, when it is sold, it is gone.

Currently, only our Native-JewelryLink web site has the secure order form. But if you want to use that form to order something from one of the other three sites, feel free to do so. As long as you include the item code and your phone Number, we will be able to figure it out or call you for clarification.

Happy Holidays.

New Zealand Maoris furious over plans for a themed apartment complex in Texas

By Jason Edward Kaufman (Reproduced here under the fair use rules.)

NEW YORK. A proposed Maori-themed apartment complex outside Dallas recently served as a platform for the New Zealand natives to proclaim their pride. In June, after California-based Legacy Partners announced plans to build a residential complex featuring Maori themes and folk art in suburban Plano, the company received dozens of emails charging the company with “cultural theft.” Complaints centered on the name of the complex, “Kiora Park,” taken from the Maori expression of welcome. The problem was that the phrase is properly transliterated as “Kia Ora.” "How many more mistakes will there be?" Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia asked. "We're all very proud of the culture and more than willing to share it with people who come here, but to have it transplanted into Dallas, that sounds a bit incredible," she said.

No harm was meant, explains Richard Brownjohn, a vice president in Legacy’s Dallas office. “Our marketing people thought it had an unusual ring but was something people would easily pronounce. It was spelled as one word at first because Americans might butcher the spelling and we wanted it pronounced right. We didn’t think it would get Maoris upset,” he says. The name was quickly changed to “Kia Ora Park”.

Mr Brownjohn—a New Zealander who is not Maori—is overseeing the $30m, 15-acre, 250-apartment complex which broke ground in June and will open by next summer. The apartment buildings have Maori-inspired steeply pitched roofs with finials, and landscaping includes ferns, a significant motif in Maori culture that appears on Kia Ora promotional literature and the web site. “The theme came from us looking for something new and different,” he explains, noting that Tuscan and Spanish-colonial themes are more common in Texas. “My being from New Zealand was the impetus that got us going in that direction,” he says, noting that the complex is more broadly New Zealander than merely Maori with some buildings imitative of Victorian colonial architecture.

“We are not trying to create a theme park, but trying to create name recognition,” he says, “and we are trying to be sensitive.” But Maori activist Ken Mair has called the plan "cultural theft and possibly theft of intellectual property" and suggested that Legacy consult with Maori advisors. Mr Brownjohn says the company has no intention to do so, but he did contact the
New Zealand consulate in Washington which put him in touch with Maori Aotearoa (Maori Arts New Zealand) Red Feather Gallery in Auckland which is described as the only Maori-owned art gallery in New Zealand.


Michigan Indian Tribes Seeking New Business Opportunities

A recent conference of at the Little River Casino Resort was the venue for a discussion among Michigan Indian tribes about how to diversify their business interests beyond casinos and gaming.

According ot Steve Parsons of the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, casino gaming is not sustainable over the long-term.

Many speakers at the conference echoed the sentiment emphasizing the need for tribal members to apply for certification as minority businesses in order to qualify for government assistance and contracts.

William Largent, a Keewanaw Bay Indian who also is National Director of Native American Affairs for the U.S. Small Business Administration, commented that tribal economies used to be highly dependent on government assistance and natural resources. More recently, gaming and entertainment have become the focus of their economic actrivity. “It’s hard to find something that gives us the return on investment gaming does. We need to create economies in individual tribes. No two tribes are alike.” Largent observed.

An important day of remembrance.

The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month was designated by President Woodrow Wilson as a time of commemoration of those who fell in the battlefields of World War I. Subsequently, President Dwight D. Eisenhower designated the entire day, November 11th, as the day each year to remember the fallen and others who have risked their lives in defense of the nation’s freedom and lived to talk about it. Veteran’s Day, as we know it in 2006, should be one of our most somber days of thoughtful remembrance.

We owe these heroes greatly. Among them are the Native American code talkers who were instrumental in helping the Allies defeat Japan and Germany by using their native dialects to to communicate about military movements and coordinate plans. The enemy forces, which were prepared to decode systems using English language, were befuddled by the use of Native American languages. Most well-known of the groups was the Navajo Code Talkers. Others, such as the Choctaw, Chippewa/Oneida, Menominee, Sac and Fox, Sioux, Crow, Missisauga, Cree, Comanche and Hopi, also participated and contributed their patriotic part in the victory over Nazi fascism and Japanese imperialism.

Among Susanne's and my most treasured carvings is a set of Navajo Code Talkers (above) marching as a U. S. Marine Corps color guard as carved by Navajo Renzo Reed.

This year, we will take the few moments to remember them and all who have answered the call to arms in the nation’s defense from the Revolutionary War to the streets of Baghdad and the mountains of Afghanistan. It’s the least we can do. Thank you.

Code Talker Reference Links:
http://www.sites.si.edu/exhibitions/exhibits/codetalkers/main.htm
http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq61-2.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_talker
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Tribal Artery is a periodic blog about the world of tribal art from Aboriginals: Art of the First Person and its allied web sites at ZuniLink.com for authentic Zuni, Cochiti and San Felipe carvings; Native-JewelryLink.com for authentic and beautiful Native American jewelry; Native-PotteryLink.com, for outstanding examples of Native American Pueblo pottery and TribalWorks.com, for a potpourri of Native American folk, Australian Aboriginal art and African tribal art. You are invited to visit.

Monday, October 30, 2006

The belt is gone...

Visitors to the home page of our Native-JewelryLink.com home page would have seen the stunning Zuni belt, created by Harlan Coonsis, that we offered for sale.


It has been sold.



We pretty much broke-even on the sales vs. original purchase price. That's okay.



We had it for several years as part of our personal collection. It brought us great pleasure. So we gained from having it in our possession, rendering any other return on investment superfluous.



We will keep it on the home page at the above link for a few more days so that you may see it if you missed it originally.



Then it will be removed.

What will November bring?

We live in interesting times to say the least.

Without taking political sides – there’s plenty of that on other blogs – we are a little concerned about what November will look like for you and us.

An article that came out today suggests that, between the predicted closeness of so many election races and the increase in paper ballots, it may be weeks before all the ballots are counted and the results certified. In very close races, there may very well be re-counts and lawsuits too.

The article's author’s concern is that it could be mid-December before many races are finally determined.

May we offer two pieces of advice?

First, be aware that the holidays are approaching at warp speed and anything you want to purchase as a gift should be near the top of your "things to do list".

Second, if you are delayed in getting your gifts purchased, be aware that our web sites, Native-JewelryLink.com, Native-PotteryLink.com, ZuniLink.com and TribalWorks.com will be open 24 hours a day right up until Christmas (afterwards too, to be fully informative). If you get your order in before December 15, we guarantee delivery no later than December 24. Native-JewelryLink has a free shipping offer for any purchase exceeding $100 to be sent USPS Priority to any place in the US. Insurance, if desired is extra, of course.

Free or discounted shipping may also be available at our other sites too. Be sure to ask when you order. Generally, we exclude items that require extensive packing or handling, or overseas shipping.

By the way, any item purchased as a gift may be returned by the gift recipient through December 31 for a full purchase price refund - assuming it is in original condition. Items returned after that MAY qualify for a store credit. Be sure the recipient contacts us first, before sending the item back so that we can look for it in the mail.

Keep a smile on your face for November. We will be looking for you

Why are they saying those things about us…

Well aware that the World Wide Web is populated by people who are not as reputable as we are, and most who are, we thought you might take some reassurance from some of the things people who have done business with us have said about us.

“Terrific item shipped promptly and carefully packed. Well done!”

“Item well presented, service was quick and pleasant.”

“Item was better than picture and service was quick and pleasant.”

“Carefully packaged and quickly shipped. Thank you.”

“Thanks for this beautiful piece of history! Fast shipping. VERY NICE sellers!”

“Adorable items. Hope to buy from you again.”

“Outstanding service and product”

“It’s beautiful. Thanks much.”

“Beautiful merchandise, safely pkgd, fast delivery, couldn’t ask for better.”

“Superb! Even better than expected and really fast safe service! Top Notch!"

If these sound like eBay feedback comments, they are. Yes. We also have an eBay store at Art of the First Person. We use it either for items that don’t fit in our regular categories or to give people, who might not otherwise find our web sites, a sample of our offerings and service. Within the limitations of eBay, we include links back to our web sites at Native-JewelryLink.com, Native-PotteryLink.com, ZuniLink.com and TribalWorks.com.

Anyway. These are honest-to-goodness comments about the way we do business. You can check them out for yourself by visiting the eBay store. You will also see that we have a 100% positive score as an eBay player, which we have been since 1998.

None of the above is to brag – although we are proud of our record and performance. We offer it simply to reinforce what most of readers already know. You can count on us.

Web site updates

We have been working industriously on updates to our web sites. In no special order of importance – because it is all important when it comes to you –

We have added secure protection to our order form at Native-JewelryLink.com. It is a work in progress, however. Each and every link to the order form must be coded to refer to the new secure form, instead of the old order form.

With hundreds of links from various pages, it is a long and time-consuming process. So far, Cases #1, #1A, #2, #3, #3A, #4, #5, #6, #6A, #7 and #7A have been upgraded so that all the order form links on those pages, and for the items listed on them, should link to the secure order form page. You can tell it is “secure” by looking a the browser bar. If it is yellow, has "https" at the start and a padlock icon at the end, it is secure for transmitting confidential information, such as that associated with credit cards.

If you land on the order form and it doesn’t have those indicators, it is not secure. But – GOOD NEWS – there is a link on the insecure order form that will take you to a secure version of it. Check the browser bar to be sure. That's good advice no matter who you are dealing with.

Second, we have added about 50 new fetish carvings to the ZuniLink site. They are scattered around the site. Sorry. It’s the way the site is organized. But, if you see a red header with the word “NEW” in it, the carving is either new or very recent. They tend to be at the bottom of the page they are added to, so scroll down.

Third, we have added two new Michael Kanteena pots to the Native-PotteryLink site. We also are in process of repairing links, especially to the order form. If you have trouble getting where you want, please call us on the toll-free 800 line – 800-305-0185. We are here and available almost every day from 9 AM to 5 PM Eastern Time (Daylight Savings at the moment). If we are not here, leave a message on the answering machine and we will call you back as soon as we get the message.

So, have had a busy week – with more work ahead – accounting for the delay in getting this blog, and the email newsletter alert, posted. Thank you for your patience

PS: You may comment on this blog at any time and we will get your feedback, which we appreciate.

Sunday, October 22, 2006

Dreaming Their Way: Australian Aboriginal Women

The Hood Museum of Art at Dartmouth College presents Dreaming Their Way: Australian Aboriginal Women Painters, a groundbreaking exhibition of paintings by thirty-three indigenous female artists from across the Australian continent. On view October 7-December 10, 2006, Dreaming Their Way is the first-ever exhibition of its kind in the United States. Featuring intensely colorful canvases and intricate bark paintings, this exhibition demonstrates these women's bold and often experimental interpretations of their cultural heritage. Works from renowned artists such as Dorothy Napangardi and the late Emily Kame Kngwarreye, as well as emerging painters such as Abie Loy and Regina Wilson express the Indigenous relationship to the land, understanding of the world and how it came into being, and sense of obligation to their culture. While Indigenous art is difficult to characterize as a whole, similarities in palette, dotting styles, use of symbols, and themes do appear in certain geographic areas. Many artists have developed distinctive personal styles as well, together contributing to one of the greatest contemporary art movements of the age.

Linked to the spiritual realm,
Indigenous Australian art is rooted in ancient stories-or Dreamings-as well as each artist's deep connection to the land. Simply interpreted, the Dreaming is the period of creation, when spiritual ancestors created the land and the life upon it, including humans, while establishing the moral code known as the Law. These all-encompassing religious and spiritual beliefs govern the lives of the Indigenous peoples of Australia. For thousands of years, Dreamings have been ceremoniously communicated through painting, dance, storytelling, and other artistic expressions, creating a strong, living bond between the people and their homeland. Rendered mostly on ephemeral materials, such as sand, these sacred images were intended only for private, initiated eyes. During the last thirty years, however, this has changed, to the manifest benefit of the international art world.

While artists in the northern part of the Australian
continent have been painting with natural ochres for audiences outside of their culture since the early part of the twentieth century, this represents a more recent development in central Australia. In 1971, a non-Indigenous teacher named Geoffrey Bardon encouraged Papunya community elders in the central Australian desert to use boards and acrylics to represent Dreaming designs that had previously been used in ceremonial contexts with ephemeral materials. Today a network of art-producing communities crosses the continent's vast expanse.

Painting was initially a male occupation in a society in
which the roles and responsibilities of men and women are clearly delineated. In the 1960s, however, women started painting in northern Australia, and two decades later, in the central deserts. Over the last decade women artists have received ever more attention and are often a major financial support for their families and communities. What distinguishes Indigenous Australian art from other contemporary work is its basis in ancient tradition and in the artists' relationship to the land. In their depiction of Dreamings, artists are stating their position in the world using a prescribed repertoire of imagery. Within these well-defined limits, women artists have become resourceful and imaginative in creating new ways to represent their peoples' ancient stories. The diversity and variety of the paintings in Dreaming Their Way is as remarkable as their array of colors and motifs.

At the 1997 Venice Biennale, the three artists chosen to
represent Australia were all Indigenous women. In 2005, the winners in all five categories of the Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (NATSIAA)-the most prestigious Indigenous art award-were women. This marked the first time in the twenty-two year history of the awards that the entire field of winners arose from one gender.

Dartmouth College has a well-established interest in Indigenous Australian culture, and the Hood Museum of Art has long celebrated the role of art in historical and cultural heritage. Dreaming Their Way illustrates the extraordinary variety of Indigenous artistic styles and the diversity of the land that inspires these pieces, from the arid desert regions of the central terrain to the plush tropical landscapes of the north. This exhibition also gives insight into the separated gender spheres that still exist in these societies and highlights the important contributions female artists make to this unique contemporary art.

This exhibition was organized by the National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C. Its presentation at the Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College, is generously funded by the George O. Southwick 1957 Memorial Fund, the Marie-Louise and Samuel R. Rosenthal Fund, and the William B. Jaffe and Evelyn A. Hall Fund.

A full-color illustrated catalogue features essays by BRITTA KONAU, curator of the exhibition and Associate Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C.; MARGO W. SMITH, Director and Curator of the Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of the University of Virginia, Charlottesville; and BRIAN P. KENNEDY, Director of the Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College, and former Director of the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. The catalogue includes statements by and biographies of the artists and is available through the Hood Museum of Art Shop.
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Tribal Artery is the periodic blog about tribal art from
Aboriginals: Art of the First Person, an online gallery with 25 years of experience in collecting and selling Australian Aboriginal art. Additional web sites include African, Arctic, Navajo folk art and other tribal art at TribalWorks.com, Native-JewelryLink.com, Native-PotteryLink.com and ZuniLink.com.

The painting below is NOT part of the exhibition at the Hood
Museum,
but is typical of the genre and is one of several in
the collection of
and available from Aboriginals:Art of the First Person
Women's Body Painting, Acrylic on linen, 26" x 22",
Gabriella Possum Nungararrayi, daughter of deceased master, Clifford Possum

World-Class African Art Collection Donated to University of Michigan Museum of Art

Ann Arbor businessman, philanthropist, art collector, and devoted UMMA supporter Helmut F. Stern has given his extraordinary collection of African art to the Museum of Art. The collection of ninety pieces—regarded by experts as among the most significant collections of Central African material—is noted for its outstanding objects from many cultures, with a primary focus on art of the Congo. Many of the Stern pieces will be highlighted once the expanded Museum—with dramatically enhanced gallery space for African art—opens in 2008.

Originally from Hanover, Germany, Mr. Stern began collecting modern European and American art in 1950s, later becoming increasingly interested in Asian and African art. During the 1980s, under the guidance of then-UMMA director Evan Maurer, a noted expert on African art, the collection and its focus on the art of the Congo region took shape as new works were acquired from art dealers across the United States and Europe. Over the years, Stern generously gave numerous works of art to UMMA and provided the Museum with funds for key art acquisitions. Previous Stern gifts to UMMA include a significant collection of Japanese paintings, masterworks by Swiss artist Paul Klee and English master J. M. W. Turner, and several individual African works.

The Stern collection of African art given to UMMA has been broadly studied and published, and was presented in a major exhibition and accompanying catalogue at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts in 1999 entitled Spirits Embodied: Art of the Congo—Selections from the Helmut F. Stern Collection, which was curated by former UMMA Director Maurer and Niangi Batulukisi.

In recent years, UMMA has stepped up its presentation and acquisition of African art, an especially dynamic and exciting field, and one with increased scholarly attention at the University due to the appointments of African art historians Ray Silverman and David T. Doris to the faculty.

In addition to expanded exhibit space for African art, the Museum's new wing will provide a variety of object study classrooms and open storage galleries, as well as housing the Charles Sawyer Center for Museum Studies. Collectively, these will allow faculty and student researchers, in particular, and the public in general, fuller access to all the Museum's outstanding works of art not on gallery display.

University of Michigan Museum of Art is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan at the gateway to the University’s historic central campus.

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Tribal Artery is the periodic blog of tribal art news and information of
Aboriginals: Art of the First Person, an online gallery with more than 25 years of experience in the collection and sales of authentic tribal art from Africa, Aboriginal Australia, Native America and the Arctic, with web sites at ZuniLink.com, TribalWorks.com, Native-JewelryLink.com and Native-PotteryLink.com


The William W. Brill Collection goes to auction.

New York, New York is the place. November 17th, 2006 is the date. Sotheby’s is the auction house.

The collection of approximately 180 works of African art represents the results of four decades old collection from Brill’s travels and relationships with some of the most knowledgable dealers of his time, including Charles Ratton and Rene Rasmussen in (Paris), Merton D. Simpson (New York), Ralph Nash (London) and Morton Lipkin/Robert Stolper (Amsterdam). Brill was a pioneer in African art collecting and was very supportive of institutions that collected, preserved and displayed African art. The objects, expected to bring $1.8/2.3 million, have been off the market for more than forty years.

A various-owners sale of African, Oceanic & Pre-Columbian Art, including an Important European Private Collection, will also be held on November 17th.

PBS Announces American Indian Heritage Month schedule

Indian Country Diaries – November 2006 – is a new two-part series that goes inside modern Native American communities to reveal a diverse people working to revitalize their culture while improving the social, physical and spiritual health of their people.

In part one, “A Seat at the Drum” features Native Americans living in Los Angeles. Part two, “Spiral of Fire.” features the Eastern Band of Cherokees in their North Carolina homeland.

Seasoned With Spirit – November 2006 – This five-part series features a culinary tour combining America’s bounty with Native American history and culture with delicious, healthy recipes inspired by indigenous foods.

Gulf Coast Originals, covers native influences on Cajun cooking. Cuisine of the Desert Southwest, focuses on the three-day Tohono O’Odham harvest of saguaro cactus fruit, wild spinach with cholla buds and chiltepine peppers, tapary beans with ribs, ash bread and sweet, refreshing mesquite juice. Return of the Buffalo, travels to the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation to explore sun-dried bison with chokecherries, chokecherry soup and grilled bison with sage-chokecherry jus. Bounty of the River’s Edge, shares the Yurok feast of alderwood-smoked salmon, dried sirfish and eels served with sturgeon egg bread. Food Upon The Waters, explores the wild rice harvest of the Ashinabe, or Ojibwe people of the Great Lakes, including wild rice and maple syrup cake, buffalo, wild rice and cranberry –stuffed acorn squash, buffalo stew, and swamp tea.

The Journey of Sacagawea – November 2006 – This program provides an historical account of Sacagawea’s life and the legends about her.

The Mystery of Chaco Canyon – November 2006 – Discusses how an ancient civilization , without a known written language was able to arrange its buildings in virtual celestial calendar reflected the annual sun cycle and the 19-year cycle of the moon, in area roughly the size of Ireland.

Vis A Vis – November 2006 – Australian aboriginal actress/playwright Ningali Lawford and American Indian performance artist James Luna meet through a series of digital video links to share their lives and work, and explore how each uses humor and storytelling to confront the stereotypes of native peoples in their own countries.

Check your local listings for dates and times.

Do you blog?

If you are reading this blog, there is some possibility that you have blogged, are blogging or are considering blogging yourself.

A new “Carnival of Tribal Art" has been created to serve as a gathering place for links to blogs (and websites) that cover various aspects of tribal art.

To include a link to your blog, email the link and a summary of the blog to sanibelart@comcast.net. I will see that any relevant and appropriate blog is linked on the Carnival of Tribal Art

Calvin Begay Fans – Listen up.

Whilst poking around in our unposted earrings, we came across a handful of Calvin Begay’s pieces.

If you are a fan, take a look at Native-JewelryLinks.com. Here are some examples.Click on the links to see more.

Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian Celebrates American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month

Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian Celebrates American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month

Contact: Amy Drapeau, 202-633-6614 or drapeaua@si.edu; Leonda Levchuk, 202-633-6613 or levchukl@si.edu, both of the Smithsonian Institution; Public only: 202-633-1000

WASHINGTON, Oct. 10 /U.S. Newswire/ -- To celebrate American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month in November, the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C., will host a variety of free public programs.

Panel Discussion: On Friday, Nov. 3, at 7 p.m. in the Rasmuson Theater, a panel discussion will be held on "Indigenous Archaeology: Respecting Objects, History and Place."

Dance Performance: The Lepquinm Gumilgit Gogoadim (Our Own Dance in Our Hearts) Dance Group from Alaska, will present heritage songs and dances from the Tsimshian culture Friday, Nov. 3 through Sunday, Nov. 5, at 10:30 a.m. and noon in the Rasmuson Theater.

Storytelling: Hope and Company, led by Ishmael Hope (Inupiaq/Tlingit) and storytellers, will share stories about Alaska Native heritage Tuesday, Nov. 7 through Thursday, Nov. 9 and Saturday, Nov. 11 and Sunday, Nov. 12, at 2 and 3:30 p.m. in the Rasmuson Theater.

Art Demonstration: David Boxley (Tsimshian) will demonstrate the art of wood carving from Friday, Nov. 10 through Sunday, Nov. 12 at 11 a.m., 1 and 3 p.m. in the Potomac Atrium.

Family Day: A Family Day program on "North Pacific Coast Weaving Traditions" will take place Saturday, Nov. 11, from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Education Workshop on the third level. Tlingit weaver Lorene Boxley will talk about Tlingit women's weaving and participants will have an opportunity to create their own mat or basket to take home.

Performance: Tobias Vanderhoop (Aquinnah Wampanoag) will present "A Wampanoag Thanksgiving" Tuesday, Nov. 14 through Thursday, Nov. 16, at 10:30 a.m., 1 and 3 p.m. in the Rasmuson Theater. Through story, song, drumming and dance, visitors will learn how Wampanoags traditionally offered thanks before contact with non- Natives.

Film: "Stolen Spirits of Haida Gwaii" will be screened in the Rasmuson Theater Friday, Nov. 24, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 25, at 1:30 p.m.

All programs are subject to change, for a complete schedule of public programs, visit http://www.AmericanIndian.si.edu .

Sunday, October 15, 2006

Native American Artist's web sites

In a recent survey, Southwestern Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA) determined that fewer than 25% of the artists surveyed have their own web site, although more than 50% use a computer in one way or another.

Frankly, we support the concept of Native American artist web sites. Just as we support Indian Market as an opportunity for artists to get full retail prices for their work.

As someone who has built and maintains web sites, however, I know it is not a part-time job. In my opinion, the artists' time will be more productively spent doing what they do best and love to do; creating art.

Fortunately for the artists and for the customers who love their creations, there are web sites like these (Native-JewelryLink.com, ZuniLink.com, Native-PotteryLink.com and TribalWorks.com) to provide an outlet and a medium for the acquisition of the art production.

By the way, while we understand some dealers operate on a consignment basis, we do not. We pay cash for every item we purchase, providing the artists with steady and assured income for their efforts. The artists could eventually get somewhat more for their work under the consignment system. But they almost certainly will have to wait until it is resold to realize any cash flow. And cash flow is what puts food in the cupboard and supplies on the worktable.

That's why we like to do business the way we do.

SWAIA sponsoring an Indian Market Winter Showcase

Southwestern Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA) has annoucned that a Winter Showcase will be held on Thanksgiving weekend in Santa Fe.

A special "early bird" session will be held on Friday, November 24, from 5 PM to 8 PM. with 100 artists' booths available for buyers willing to pay a $50 admission fee to purchase before the full event on Saturday, November 25. Admission will include a wine bar and hors d'oeuvres.

Saturday's event will open at 9 AM and continue until 4 PM with a $5 admission fee.

All events will be at the Inn and Spa at Loretta, downtown Santa Fe. For more information, visit SWAIA.org .

By the way, the 86th Annual SWAIA Santa Fe Indian Market will be held on August 18 and 19. Based on occupancy rates at previous Indian Markets, it's not too soon to get your hotel reservations in.

It's all about trust...and return privileges.

We know that there is a difference between buying something in person, where you can hold it and make sure it is what you want, and buying on the basis of a photo and some words you read on the internet.

Whenever you buy from an Aboriginals Gallery web site (ZuniLink.com, TribalWorks.com, Native-PotteryLink.com and Native-JewelryLink.com), you have 10 days from receipt of the order to evaluate it and determine that it is what you thought it would be. If you are unhappy with your purchase and you let us know with 10 days and you return the item in its original condition, we will refund 100% of your purchase price. Shipping costs will be your responsibility.

If the item is being purchased as a Chrismas gift, we will honor the return privilege for seven days after the December 25th.


If you miss the cut-off date for full refund, we still will provide a credit equal to the amount of your purchase price on any other item on any of our sites, as long as the item is returned within a reasonable period in original condition.

We also offer a 30-day authentication privilege for certain purchases.


If, within 30 days, some recognized third-party authority challenges the authenticity of the item and disputes that it is not what we advertised it to be, you may return it for a full refund of your purchase price. We only ask that you provide the name and contact information of the authority so that we can determine what has been mis-identified and what he or she feels is the proper identification.

In 25 years of trading in tribal art, we have had one item returned for a dispute over its authenticity. We honored our refund pledge. We have had less than a dozen of the hundreds of items purchased from us returned for reasons of dissatisfaction. In every case, we either refunded the purchase price or provided a full value merchandise credit.

It's all about trust.

Glass with class

Recently, some Native American artists have begun to work in hand-blown art glass.

We recently acquired a work by Ira Lujan of the Taos Pueblo that is stunning in its artistry. Here is a thumbnail photo of it.

Clicking on the thumbnail will take you to a page with a larger photo, dimensions and price.

Please note that the canteen has a leather strap suspending matching glass amulets for a beautiful display when hung on a wall.

We hope to see and acquire more of Ira's work in the future.


If you would like to acquire this one for your collection, it is available as of this posting.

Lynn & Jayne Quam favorites

We have yet to meet a Zuni carver for which we don't have the highest respect and admiration. Lynn & Jayne Quam, however, are among our favorites. Lynn is Zuni and Jayne, his wife, is Navajo/Zuni by virtue of marriage. They live on the Zuni Pueblo and have had us into their home on several occasions.

Lynn is well-known for his buffalos, although he also does inspired bears as well. Here's one of his latest buffalo carvings, in mother of pearl. If you click on the thumbnail here, you will go to a larger photo, with dimensions, price and a link back to his page to see more of his outstanding work.

Jayne is equally well-known for her wolf and fox pairs and family carvings. Here is one of her latest.
Again, click on the thumbnail photo to go to a larger picture with dimensions and pricing. We get many request for her pairs from people who want to give them as unique gifts to couples who are getting married or are expecting a family addition.

Lynn and Jayne are proof that you can be very talented and very nice too.

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Tribal Artery is the periodic blog from Aboriginals: Art of the First Person and its allied websites at Native-JewelryLink, Native-PotteryLink.com, Tribalworks.com and ZuniLink.com. You are invited to visit them. Thank you.

Now, it's OUR nickel.

"Finally," some would say, we have acquired a toll-free 800# for people who want to inquire about an item being offered or to actually place an order.

Up till now we have not felt the need for one or suspected that not having one would stand between a potential buyer and the object of his or her affection.

Some recent research, however, has led us to believe that an 800#, whether worth the cost or not, is a form of respect for our customers that we should be providing.

So now we have one - 800-305-0185.

Write it down or load it into your cellphone directory.

You can call us and it won't cost you an extra penny.

It's about time, I guess.

Do you agree? Will an 800# make you more likely to call? Why not post a comment to this blog with your reaction.

Or call us. It's toll-free at 800-305-0185.

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Tribal Artery is the periodic blog of Aboriginals: Art of the First Person and our online galleries at Native Jewelry Link, Native Pottery Link, TribalWorks and ZuniLink. Thanks for visiting our blog. Let us know if you find it interesting and/or informative.

Friday, October 13, 2006

Hopi-Navajo Nations find common ground

The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that the Navajo and Hopi tribes have settled a dispute over the use of reservation lands that has soured relationships between the two people for decades.


In 1966, the Federal Government banned any new consruction on the disputed lands, including even roof and plumbing repairs. 700,000 acres of Navajo land claimed as aboriginal lands by the Hopi were in dispute.

The Hopi Tribal Council voted 18-0 to approve an intergovernmental agreement that had previously been approved by the Navajo Nation Council.

The agreement will allow both the Hopi people and the Navajo people to use adjoining lands for traditional religious purposes without approval from the other tribe.

For more information go to http://www.freenewmexican.com/news/50587.html.

New folk art pottery posted

Tribalworks, the folk art web site of Aboriginals: Art of the First Person, has just had a handful of new pottery folk art animals from Navajo, Larry Benn, posted to its Navajo Gallery.

Here are some thumbnails.

Click on anyone of them to go to the page that will give you more detail.

This is a relatively new medium for Native American folk arts. We have seen several pieces of varied theme and size. These animals, however, struck us as particularly charming.

Needless to say, each is a unique one-off and duplicates are not available. So, if you see one you want, it would be wise to order now.

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Tribal Artery is the periodic blog of Aboriginals: Art of the First Person and our online galleries at Native Jewelry Link, Native Pottery Link, TribalWorks and ZuniLink. Thanks for visiting our blog. Let us know if you find it interesting and/or informative.

Sunday, October 08, 2006

Three vintage Native American pots go to new homes.

Aboriginals Gallery recently sold three pots featured on its Native-PotteryLink.com site to collectors of vintage Native American pottery.

One of them was a canteen-style, corrugated-finish by pot by the late Stella Shutiva of Acoma Pueblo. A second one was a nice older olla by Nambe artist, Lonnie Vigil.

The third was a past Indian Market prize winner by Christine McHorse, Navajo.

Each of these vintage pots was available at a bargain price simply because we acquired them several years ago and never raised the selling price to replacement value.

Stella Shutiva is deceased. Lonnie Vigil’s reputation has grown over the years so that his work now earns much higher prices than we paid a few years ago. Christine McHorse has abandoned making pottery in favor of creating bronzes.

If you are so inclined, give the site a look-over for some vintage treasure at prices from the past that may be waiting there for you.

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Tribal Artery is the periodic blog of Aboriginals: Art of the First Person and our online galleries at Native Jewelry Link, Native Pottery Link, TribalWorks and ZuniLink. Thanks for visiting our blog. Let us know if you find it interesting and/or informative.