Authentic Native American Jewelry
Ivan Knife, Lakota
Quill Butterfly Earrings
HK Item #NE708

About Ivan Knife

Ivan Knife is a Sicangu (Rosebud) Lakota artist from White River, South Dakota. He is recognized within both Native arts communities and among collectors for intricate traditional Lakota quill art and jewelry, including hair barrettes, bracelets and earrings.

About Porcupine Quill Work

Porcupine quill work is one of the oldest, and fastest disappearing, traditional Native American art forms. The Great Lakes and Plains Indians lived in the range of the porcupine and utilized the quills to decorate moccasins, sheaths, baskets, pipe stems and more. A porcupine was not sacrificed to obtain the quills, instead the women of the tribe would throw a blanket over an unsuspecting porcupine who would release the quills as a defense and leave them in the blanket.

The quills are cleaned and dyed with plant origin colors such as buffalo berry for red, sunflower or cone flower for yellow, and wild grapes for black. Once dry, they are oiled so they wouldn't become brittle and shatter when sewing them.

Beading began replacing quillwork in the early 1800s and today there are only a few artists that carry on the traditionof working with porcupine quills.

Butterfly Symbolism

Butterfly represents transformation, the ability to go through changes in life with grace and lightness, like the plain caterpillar changing into a colorful butterfly. Butterfly's bright colors symbolize liveliness and playfulness. Butterfly helps us look at heavy and tense situations with a new, lighter perspective.