clothing and jewelry
Traditional Cherokee clothing and jewelry use bold shapes and colors through bead and copper work. The most popular traditional style of clothing for Cherokee women is the tear dress, while for men it is the ribbon shirt. The tear dress is from the Trail of Tears era, where women did not have access to scissors or other household items, so they tore fabric from larger bolts. They are traditionally calico print with detailing around the bottom of the skirt. They had ¾ sleeves to make housework and cooking easier, cut off mid calf, and had a button up top so as to nurse children better. The ribbon shirt, for men, is also made from calico fabric with ribbon designs on front and back. The sleeves are similar to the women’s dress, and the shirt is still worn today in the pow wow circuit.
historical significance
For thousands of years the Cherokee nation has used copper as a resource for trade as well as for jewelry because of the close location of copper mines. Shells, nuts, carved beads, and gold were also popularly used in jewelry making. Later, as Europeans began to trade with the nation, silver, glass beads, vibrant seed beads, silk thread, needles, and fabric became popular materials. Many jewelry makers include traditional symbolism, such as the integration of images from various stories.
significance todayToday there are many Cherokee jewelry makers that sell their art online and in stores. |
preservation of culture
These traditional arts are preserved through pow wows as well as through traditional seamstresses and artists. Generally they are not worn as everyday apparel for the Cherokee but instead for gatherings and dances.