Hey all! As I’ve been watching the farmers cut down the corn stalks, and the dust is everywhere in the air, I thought now was a good time to start a corn jewelry thread. Corn is very important to Native Americans, but it’s also been part of the lifeblood here in IN. Northern IN has a very gentle beauty; yes, we have corn fields everywhere, but we also have woods, lakes and some roll to the land, particularly slightly north of us. East and south it’s pretty flat with seemingly unending fields of corn and soybeans. The book I just finished about this area, Autumn of the Black Snake, talked about how Kekionga, the site of present day Fort Wayne, was the heartland for the Native Americans in the area, and was known as an oasis with lush corn fields and fruit orchards. So a couple weeks ago I went along the Maumee River to try to get a picture of the cornfields. The sun was setting and I couldn’t get it right for a good one, but then I wandered down a back road I hadn’t been on, and decided to snap one more.
So now for the jewelry!
In the first pic, the pendant on the left is an Ira Custer piece. Off the top of my head I can’t remember the Hopi artist that made the pendant - formally a belt buckle - on the right. The bowl it’s on (in the back) was the first thing we ever bought at the Eiteljorg Art Market, and is by Melvin Cornshucker, a Cherokee artist.
The cuff on the left in the next pic is by Dino Garcia, the cuff on the right is Anthony Lovato (which I realize now is upside down, at least as far as the corn is concerned ) and the ring is also by Dino Garcia.
I used to have some beautiful Hopi dangly corn earrings, but they were way too heavy for me, so I donated them to a silent auction, and they went to a good home. I hope some of y’all can add some more jewelry!
@Ziacat, while not having any corn themed jewelry to contribute, I will applaud your photography and taste in jewelry, as well as literature! Beautifully cast pieces and excellent stones. The former buckle turned pendant is stunning!
An interesting side note for others, as I’m sure you already know, Little Turtle, (Mihshihkinaahkwa) was born in 1752 and grew up in Miami villages along the Eel River near the town of Kekionga, modern Fort Wayne, Indiana. He gained notoriety on the battlefield, being a fierce warrrior. He left this earth in 1812. I’ve included a likeness of him below. His grave was discovered in Fort Wayne in the early 1900’s, and, I believe, in the 1950’s, is when a memorial monument was placed, honoring him.
Looks like @TAH beat me to complementing your photos! I would agree, your first shot could be utilized in every Indiana welcome center! Now, back to corn themed, native crafted jewelry!
Regards, Aaron
P.S. @Ziacat, I had no intentions of redirecting the course of your thread, just wanted to toss in that bit of interesting, local (to some of us) history.
No worries, I love history. I had been realizing I don’t know very much, or at least had forgotten, the history of my own area. And I learned through reading that book (and then googling) that I drive very close to his grave every single day going to work. One of the bridges I take goes right over the headwaters of the Maumee, and then the original Kekionga settlement is about two blocks to the east of that. Makes my drive seem different now!
Thanks TAH! I literally couldn’t see what I was taking in my phone camera; just thought it could be a good shot and snapped away
BTW, I’m on the lookout for a good, interesting book on the history of the upper Great Lakes. Any of you know of one? My brother left me all of his Canadian books (among other many others) when he passed away a couple years ago. Apparently there was a good one, but my husband gave it to our pastor who loves history. So now I’ve got to try to figure out who the author was, and find it. @Ravenscry you seem like a history buff, and @newpawn I think you live north? Either of you have any recommendations?
@Ziacat, for as long as memory has served me, I’ve held a keen interest in history. At the risk of sounding presumptuous, that you’re seeking books on Native history and culture of the Great Lakes Region, I’ve read and would recommend the following: “The Middle Ground: Indians, Empires, and Republics in the Great Lakes Region, 1650?-1815” by Richard White, “Masters of Empire: Great Lakes Indians and the Making of America” by Michael A. McDonnel, and “Peoples of the Inland Sea: Native Americans and Newcomers in the Great Lakes Region, 1600–1870” by David Andrew Nichols.
Thank you! I’ll have to check those out. My brother was a voracious reader, and had A LOT of books. I’ll have to look in his basement again, and see if any of those are there. He gave me all his specifically Canadian books, but he had a section with Great Lakes books that I haven’t gone through yet.
That’s probably it. When my husband gets home from work (he works second) I’ll ask him. Thanks!!
Although when I think about it I don’t think it had a lot of photos. I’m wondering if it was one of the books on the war of 1812, because I’ve been interested in that too. But the one you linked looks really good.
Nice, unusual ring! And…the buckle is indeed awesome! It took me a minute of two the recognize the corn motif🥴, but I was thinking of an ear of corn! After we’re back from out trip, I’ll add acouple pieces the this thread.
Thank you! I just buy what I love (and will wear). I think I’ve looked at enough to know when something is a good piece, but what I can’t tell is age. I’ve learned a lot from all of you on here, and I’m still learning!
Wonderful pictures of the field and the jewelry. I would love to have a cuff like the corn with the green turquoise. I only have one Hopi piece handy (there are more) and it’s a pendant by Roy Talahaftewa.
) and the ring is also by Dino Garcia.
