My Religious Jewelry

Native American

In the hectic bustle of daily life, many people find they long for something deeper. Mistakenly, they may turn to a quick solution in hopes to enrich their lives with more spiritual meaning. This is particularly true of Native American jewelry.

Many distributors of Indian jewelry sell healing stones with the promise of good health, or beaded pendants claiming it is associated with mythical properties. Real Native Americans that have been brought up in the ancient oral tradition perceive this commercialism as just another way the larger society has turned Native culture into an artifact and product. True spirituality, they claim, takes a lifetime to achieve and requires constant contact in the Native American community.

When you purchase Native American jewelry that is supposedly Indian religious jewelry- beware. Legitimate Native American businesses will sell traditional turquoise and silver jewelry using traditional techniques, but not under the guise of spiritual enlightenment.

To protect yourself and be sure you only purchase authentic Native jewelry, research the company. The Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 prohibits any seller to falsely advertise that their products as authentic Native American merchandise. Anyone who falsely suggests that their merchandise is Native American is subject to pay hefty fines and even jail time. You can verify that a retailer is authentic by contacting the the Arts and Crafts Act.