Affordable Collectibles


Deerskin Purse
The last several columns have highlighted some beautiful and coveted Native American collectibles. However, many would-be collectors are stunned when they see the prices of such pieces. Authentic Indian arts and crafts are not cheap. Hours of painstaking work go into making each piece, and most artisans support their families as well as contribute to the support of tribes and reservations with their crafts.

However, if you would like to collect Native Americana, don't despair. There are many items available that will not break the budget or that may be within reason for a special occasion. One place to find reasonably-priced, yet luxurious items is the Leather Goods section at WisdomBear.com.
For example, I found a really cute deerskin change purse for $20, a deerskin check wallet with a 1902 dime clasp for $65 and this adorable deerskin medicine bag purse for only $18.

Worthy causes and collectibles, too
If your interests run to charitable causes, at the NativeWeb Store, you can purchase T-shirts and sweatshirts for $16.99-25.99. The shirts are good quality and include a long sleeve T-shirt as well as a baby doll tee. Also at the NativeWeb Store, you can buy your choice of a nice 11 oz. (14.99) or 15 oz. (16.99) mug or a mouse pad for 14.99. My favorites here are the baby doll T-shirt and the 15 oz. mug--both shown here.

Your dollars here will help support NativeWeb services and operations providing resources and assistance to many indigenous organizations.
Recently, I had the opportunity to stroll the campus of what was once the Chilocco Indian School, a boarding school for Indian children. The school opened in the early 1880s on a prairie in north central Oklahoma and closed in 1980. At the present time, it is the home of Narconon's Chilocco New Life Center.

Most of the buildings have been condemned now and Narconon will soon move to another location. But I felt such a sense of history,wonder and awe as I imagined the children who once lived there. The grounds are still quite beautiful and pastoral, and one feels a sense of spirituality in the atmosphere. Although Chilocco has not served Indian children for some time, there are schools very much involved in the education of Native American children, and most of them would benefit from our assistance.

For example, the Holbrook Indian School is working to enrich the lives of the children living there. The school opened in Arizona in 1941, the vision of Marvin and Gwen Walter, a pastor and a registered nurse whose dream was to enrich the lives of Navajo Indians on the nearby Indian Reservation.

The copyright of the article Affordable Collectibles in Native-American Crafts is owned by Edwina Lewis. Permission to republish Affordable Collectibles in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Go To Page: 1 2

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic