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Native Art, Family Tradition




Friday, November 11, 2005

By Sarah Moses

Contributing writer
Karen Farmer and Leona Powless, cousins and lifelong friends, have been
making Native American jewelry for more than 30 years, an art form that they call
a family tradition.
Farmer, a Mohawk, and Powless, an Oneida, were both born and raised on the
Onondaga Nation. Their work, along with dozens of other local artists, will be
on sale this weekend at From the Earth, an arts and crafts show sponsored by
the Onondaga Nation School's Parent-Teacher Student Association.
"I enjoy seeing people wearing my work," said Powless, a mother of four. "I
love seeing the kids wear the clothes I helped them make. I might go to
Longhouse and see someone's little brother or sister wearing the clothes that I
helped their older brother or sister make 10 years ago, and that is very
humbling."
Powless is the daughter of Addie Powless, a well-known Native American
artisan whose work can be found all over the world. The Powless family has owned a
jewelry shop on the Onondaga Nation for nearly 25 years and are regulars at
the nation's craft festivals.
Powless' daughters, who are 17 and 9, both made beaded necklaces and other
jewelry to sell at the show.
"It definitely is a family tradition," she said. "We were always taught that
there was no excuse for not having an income because you could always make
jewelry and sell it."
Jewelry making is relaxing, Powless and Farmer said. "One time I was making a
barrette and I was just beading away," Powless said. "I had a problem I was
dealing with, so I just keep beading away. Before I knew it, the piece was
way too big to be a barrette, but I kept it as a barrette and someone actually
bought it."
The crafts show raises funds for the school each year. In addition to crafts,
pupils from the school will be dancing and singing throughout the weekend.
Traditional native food, such as Indian tacos and corn soup, also will be on
sale.
"Everyone is welcome," said Farmer, an organizer and secretary of the PTS.
"It's just a great meeting between artists of other nations and the community."

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Don't worry that it's not good enough for anyone else to hear... just sing, sing a song.