Zuni Fetish Carvings

Shop now
Shop the collection

Michael Horse Jewelry

Award-winning Yaqui Jeweler
Browse Now

Ledger Paintings by Michael Horse

Award-winning ledger painter
Shop

About

Gathering Tribes

Has been sharing the beauty of Indigenous artisans of the Americas since 1991.  We do our best to bring you the highest quality handmade jewelry, fine crafts and art from Indigenous artisans in the Americas.

We had to permanently close our gallery store of 29 years due to the pandemic and will be bringing all of the treasures of Gathering Tribes here.  Thank you for your patience as we photograph and upload hundreds of new items including additional Zuni carvings, jewelry, beadwork, alebrijes from Zapotec artisans in Oaxaca, Huichol yarn paintings, Ojibway dream catchers, Navajo sand paintings and so much more.  We hope you enjoy our new home here!

READ MORE
Graceful Serpentine Bird
Graceful Serpentine Bird
Graceful Serpentine Bird
Graceful Serpentine Bird
Graceful Serpentine Bird
Graceful Serpentine Bird
Graceful Serpentine Bird
Graceful Serpentine Bird
Jeff Yunie

Graceful Serpentine Bird

F000055

$26.00 Save $-26.00
/
Shipping calculated at checkout.

 This graceful serpentine bird was made by Jeff Yunie of Zuni Pueblo.  It has a slightly curved beak and a long neck.

Size: 2.25" H x ,75" L x .5" W

Each Zuni fetish comes in a box with a descriptive card and a tiny bit of corn meal to tide them over until they reach you.

Zuni Thunderbird Earrings
Gathering Tribes

Zuni Thunderbird Earrings

na000001

$118.00 Save $-118.00
/
Shipping calculated at checkout.

Zuni Pueblo jeweler, Fabian Cellicion, made these stunning sterling silver thunderbird earrings with Sleeping Beauty turquoise, natural red coral, mother of pearl and jet. 

1.125" H x .5" W

2.6 oz

Thunderbirds are considered to be powerful intelligent forces of nature by many Indigenous people and have with the power of thunder.  They are sometimes associated with lightening.

Channel inlay jewelry is a process used extensively by Native American jewelers, particularly those in Zuni Pueblo.  Many other talented jewelers from other tribes in the Southwest also make channel inlay jewelry.  The metal channels, usually silver, is soldered onto the back to create the design.  Afterward, the stones are cut to fit into each section.  It is an exacting process which shows in the beauty of the work of the finished piece(s).

Zuni Inlay Earrings
Zuni Jeweler, JB

Zuni Inlay Earrings

nae000020

$88.00 Save $-88.00
/
Shipping calculated at checkout.

These handmade Zuni inlay earrings are signed "JB" on the back.  The post is jet.  The dangle below is intricately inlaid with Jet, Sleeping Beauty turquoise, mother of pearl, and natural red coral.  It doesn't take much to open your imagination and see pueblos, a tree or fan, mountains, and more!  Even the little tree or fan and the three lines on the sides are inlaid jet.  Imagine carving each stone to fit exactly inside the sterling silver bezel! 

Size: 2.25" H x .375" W

Sharing Wisdom
Sharing Wisdom
Sharing Wisdom
Sharing Wisdom
Michael Horse

Sharing Wisdom

mhl000011

$600.00 Save $-600.00
/
Shipping calculated at checkout.

In this ledger painting by Michael Horse, one of the men is sitting with a boy sharing wisdom and information that will help him be a good community member.  The man is wearing a bonnet with many eagle feathers that allow community members to know that he committed acts of bravery, courage, or accomplishment.  He is hold an eagle feather fan.

Size: 13.25" H x 9" W

Document: Indian Territory Teachers Document, ca. 1910

While on film sets as an actor, Michael Horse began creating ledger paintings.  Ledger painting is a traditional Native American folk art that came out of the reservation era in the late 1800s and early 1900s.  Prior to that time, events such as battles and calendars were depicted on hides using traditional paints.  When people were removed from their traditional territories and put on reservations they were not allowed weapons of any kind, so no hides.  When people no longer had access to the hides they would find any type of paper and implement to write or draw with to record what was happening prior to being on the reservation, or what life was like being on the reservation.

Michael first saw ledger paintings at the Gilcrease Museum in Oklahoma.  He realized this was Native American history by Native American people and was inspired to create.  At the time there were fewer than a handful of ledger painters who maintained the art.  Now, there are many ledger painters, including women, who continue to keep this tradition alive.  Michael says the hardest part about his ledger paintings is finding antique documents from the era when ledger paintings were first made.  And, he especially enjoys painting on land grants which gave away Indigenous territories.

Navajo Turquoise Silver Bracelet
Navajo Turquoise Silver Bracelet
Navajo Turquoise Silver Bracelet
Navajo Turquoise Silver Bracelet
Navajo Turquoise Silver Bracelet
Navajo Turquoise Silver Bracelet
Navajo Turquoise Silver Bracelet
Navajo Turquoise Silver Bracelet
Gathering Tribes

Navajo Turquoise Silver Bracelet

nab000005

$74.00 Save $-74.00
/
Shipping calculated at checkout.

This Navajo handmade bracelet has a very bright blue turquoise in the center.  The shadow box setting has a simple engraved design.  The separated silver wire has silver dot where the two wires are joined together.  It is a smaller size.

Size: 6" L x .75" W, with a .875" opening

Gift Card
gatheringtribes
Gift Card

$25.00 Save $-25.00
/
Only 0 items in stock!

Shopping for someone else but not sure what to give them?  Give them the gift of choice with a Gathering Tribes gift card.

Gift cards are delivered by email and contain instructions to redeem them at checkout.

Our gift cards have no additional processing fees.