Alan
Monroe - Lakota | |
| Alan
Monroe - Lakota |
Paula says - "These Chokers are made of solid sacred pipestone (catlinite) by fifth generation Lakota pipe maker Alan Monroe (read about Alan). The pipestone was quarried from Alan's claim at Pipestone National Monument in Pipestone Minnesota. The stone has been hand cut, shaped, then buffed and polished to a high gloss with beeswax. "The pipestone is strung on leather along with bone hair pipe beads, glass crow beads and brass beads. There is an adjustable chain with lobster claw clasp that can be fastened from 19 to 21".
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About PipestonePipestone, also known as catlinite, is a form of clay called argillite with a high iron content that colors it a deep red to pale orange. Pipestone was discovered in southwestern Minnesota by the Sioux Indians, who consider it a sacred material and use it to carve pipes and other ceremonial objects. It is easy to carve because of its lack of quartz. Read about stones The quarries located at Pipestone National Monument are considered sacred to many Native American people. Read more about Sacred Red Pipestone from Minnesota. About Alan MonroeAlan Monroe was born in Hot Springs , South Dakota and is an enrolled member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. He graduated from Hot Springs High School and studied business and art in Nebraska, Tennessee, and South Dakota. Alan creates his Northern Plains artwork from hides, stone, leather, and wood. He learned the basics of quill working, weaponry, sculpting and pipe making from traditional and contemporary artisans in his family circle. He is a fifth generation master pipe maker. In his sculptures, Monroe works with a variety of materials such as pipestone, bone, wood and alabaster. He creates small objects like fetishes to large pieces than can weigh hundreds of pounds. Monroe's work can be seen in many galleries and museums across the country and he has won many awards. About Lakota Sioux About Hair PipesHair pipes are long hollow beads usually, but not always, having tapered ends. The term "hair pipe" was likely coined by early white traders who saw indians wearing the long beads as hair ornaments. Hair pipes are thought to have been originally made of conch shell by southeastern Indians (Chickasaw, Creeks, and Cherokee).Some of the oldest shell hair pipes, discovered in Tennessee, are estimated to be from 4,000 years ago. Hair pipes of bone appeared around the late 1800s when white traders brought corn cob pipes to the Ponca Indians of the midwest - the Poncas found that the bone pipe stems made excellent hair pipes. Later, hair pipes were made of glass, brass, silver, horn and other materials. |
